MidwayUSA Foundation continues to be the leading advocate for youth shooting sports by paying millions in grant funds to youth shooting teams. This week, over $3 million in cash grants has been paid to youth shooting programs. The generous payout includes grants to 559 youth shooting teams, 24 organizations, and 3 entities that hold a donor-advised fund with MidwayUSA Foundation. Cash grants paid in 2024 now total $11,316,527. This year, the average grant payout for a youth shooting team is $4,535. Shooting teams use the funds to assist with expenses, including ammo, travel, entry fees, and other safety equipment.
As a program’s endowment grows, the annual cash grant grows. Each shooting program’s grant is 5% of their MidwayUSA Foundation endowment balance and thanks to the endowment model this funding is available in perpetuity. MidwayUSA Foundation Southeast Program Manager, Jeff McClure, talked about the excitement around the annual cash grants. “Applying for and receiving team cash grants is the final step in a sometimes, long process for teams, many of whom are small in membership or in areas where fundraising is particularly challenging. It is always personally fulfilling to see teams take grants. Ideally, that grant check motivates teams to take advantage of more of our incentives and opportunities to grow their accounts.”
The Foundation offers various resources to help shooting teams increase their endowment. Throughout September, Hometown Challenge is an incentive that provides a prize sweepstakes for donors and a fundraising competition for youth shooting teams. Every youth shooting program can receive donations directly to their endowment through the MidwayUSA Foundation website. Those tax-deductible donations are also matched, thanks to Larry and Brenda Potterfield, owners of MidwayUSA, who fund the Foundation’s Matching Program. MidwayUSA Foundation has paid over $65 million in cash grants to support youth shooting sports and has over $400 million endowed to ensure funding continues forever.
Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are the states receiving the most grant funds this cycle. A full list of youth shooting teams receiving a cash grant can be found here: https://www.midwayusafoundation.org/teamgrants/ Cash grants are paid bi-annually. The next grant cycle opens on October 15.
The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain and grow youth shooting sports by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Every donation made is tax-deductible and allows the Foundation to assist in expanding and enhancing the leadership skills, confidence, and discipline of today’s youth through shooting sports activities. The Foundation supports all shooting disciplines. MidwayUSA Foundation Auctions and some incentives are void in California. For more information about how the MidwayUSA Foundation is changing the future of youth shooting sports, please visit MidwayUSAFoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.