Indiana Shooting Range Grant Program

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), through its Division of Fish & Wildlife, offers the Shooting Range Grant Program to support the development of public rifle, handgun, shotgun, and archery facilities. This initiative is made possible through funding from the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Program, commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson (P-R) Program. The P-R Program is financed through a federal excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment. These federal funds are allocated to state wildlife agencies in proportion to the number of licensed hunters and the geographical size of each state. Recognizing the importance of accessible local shooting opportunities, Indiana has made a portion of these funds available to local governments and not-for-profit organizations. The primary objectives of this grant program are twofold: to expand public recreational shooting opportunities and to provide training for hunter education students. Grant funds are designated strictly for the development of facilities that support these aims. This includes a wide variety of eligible infrastructure, such as backstops, berms, target holders, gun racks, signage, field courses, benches, trap and skeet houses, platforms, sanitary facilities, classrooms, fencing, shelters, parking lots, and universally accessible pathways. All funded projects must serve the public interest and remain open without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, or disability. To qualify for funding, applicants must be a unit of government or a not-for-profit corporation that provides public access to their facilities for at least 20 hours per month. Development may occur on leased property, provided the lease covers the expected life span of the project and ensures continuous public access. Importantly, the program does not allow funds to be used for land acquisition. At the local level, the Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife administers the program, while at the federal level, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) oversees compliance and funding. The program operates on a reimbursement model. Project sponsors must initially fund the entire cost and will later be reimbursed for up to 90% of the allowable project expenses, contingent on approval and compliance with program terms. Local sponsors are required to provide at least 25% of the total project cost upfront. This local contribution can be fulfilled through tax levies, bond issues, force account contributions, or the donated value of cash, labor, materials, and equipment. However, funds from other federal programs cannot be counted toward this local match. Currently, the Shooting Range Grant Program is not accepting new applications. Interested applicants are encouraged to monitor updates and download the most recent guidelines when available. The program is likely to recur due to the ongoing need for accessible public shooting ranges, but specific future dates have not yet been provided. For more information or to inquire about future application rounds, contact Sam Whiteleather of the Division of Fish & Wildlife at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. He can be reached via email at swhiteleather@dnr.IN.gov. Potential applicants should ensure that their project meets all eligibility criteria and should prepare to document both the public utility of the proposed facility and the availability of required local match funding.