Outdoor Fund Local Impact Grant Program

The Outdoor Fund Local Impact Grant Program is offered by The Outdoor Fund, an initiative supported by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s. This program is designed to foster community engagement through projects that align with the Fund’s core conservation pillars: Conserving Wildlife and Habitat and Connecting New Audiences to the Outdoors. The grant is strategically focused on supporting efforts that create localized environmental and outdoor impact, especially near the company’s retail locations across the United States and Canada. Grants under this program can be requested for up to $5,000. Funding must be directed toward specific, tangible projects, programs, or community events that support the organization's conservation priorities. Eligible examples include youth fishing clinics, adaptive kayak launches, equipment for gear libraries, and trail maintenance projects. Projects that seek general operating support, fundraising events, capital campaigns, endowments, construction costs, design or development phases, or vehicle (ATV/UTV/boat) purchases will not be considered. Additionally, all awarded funds must be used within one calendar year of the funding date. The grant is open to eligible organizations located in the United States and Canada. In the U.S., applicants must be municipalities, public institutions, or nonprofits registered with the IRS under a 501(c)(3) or other 501(c) status. Canadian applicants must be either provincially registered nonprofits, municipalities, public institutions, or organizations that have charitable status with the Canada Revenue Agency. To apply, U.S. organizations are also required to submit a W9 form revised in 2024. Failure to submit this document may affect the organization’s funding eligibility. The application process operates on a rolling basis, allowing organizations to submit proposals at any time without a fixed deadline. Only complete applications that strictly adhere to the outlined eligibility requirements and project focus areas will be considered. There is no indication that the grant is recurring, so applicants are encouraged to apply when ready rather than waiting for future cycles. There are no pre-application steps such as Letters of Intent or concept papers required. Organizations that have previously received funding from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund are required to submit a grantee report before applying again. The application platform supports saving drafts in-browser and also allows collaboration by generating a link that can be shared with team members. Applicants should note that clearing browser history will delete saved progress, and care should be taken to preserve in-progress work. Support for applicants is available via the Help section of the application portal, which contains FAQs and guidance for completing the application form. While no specific contact name, email, or phone number is provided in the program details, applicants are directed to the platform’s help tools for assistance.

Help tips and FAQs are available within the application platform via the Help button