Connecting Youth to the Outdoors
The Virginia Wildlife Grant Program, launched in 2014, provides a funding source to non-profits, schools, and government agencies with a focus to connect youth to the outdoors and is a partnership effort between the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the Wildlife Foundation of Virginia. Support of the Grant Program is generated through the sale of gear and other merchandise from ShopDGIF. com. This effort is an effective way to partner with organizations that are doing great things in their communities and have built successful relationships. Our support provides just a bit more horsepower to make them greater.
In 2016, the Grant Program total award amount grew from $40,000 to $55,000. This year, we received 141 applications totaling $292,161 and 60 projects were selected totaling $54,633. The estimated number of youth impacted by these programs is about 20,300. Nine of the programs focused on high risk youth and we continued to focus on teaching visually impaired kids. We are thankful to the Wildlife Foundation of Virginia in partnering with us in all this good! And to Richmond Ford for the additional good provided through their contribution. This was a pioneer move by Richmond Ford and we look forward to growing this revenue in the future where passion meets the outdoors.
“We are proud to be a sponsor of any initiative that provides the opportunity for fellow Virginians to enjoy and appreciate our outdoor resources.” -Ron Kody, Owner, Richmond Ford
The following organizations received awards and program activity dollar amounts included:
- Archery – $5,292 (5)
- Boating – $4,564 (3)
- Education – $17,905 (25)
- Fishing – $16,774 (18)
- Hunting – $4,980 (4)
- Shooting Sports – $4,000 (3)
- Watchable Wildlife – $1,120 (2)
Archery
- Botetourt County 4-H Shooting Education Club
- Northampton County 4H
- Powhatan 4-H Shooting Club
- USA Collegiate Archery Team at College of William and Mary
- Lonesome Pine Soil and Water Conservation District
Boating
- Boy Scouts of America, Sea Scout Ship 1935
- Callaway Elementary School
- Waynesboro Family YMCA
Education
- Appomattox County High School
- Friends of Belle Isle State Park
- Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River
- York High School
- Broadway High
- Cumberland County Public Schools
- Burnley Moran Elementary School PTA
- Chesterfield Innovative Academy for Girls
- Linwood Holton Elementary School
- Matoaca Middle School
- VA Association for Parents and Children with Visual Impairments
- Walton Middle School
- SWVA Sportsmen
- Lake Fleming Ecology Club
- Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District
- Washington County Public Schools
- Floyd County High School
- Belvedere Elementary School
- Keister Elementary School
- Dan River Basin Association
- Tazewell Soil and Water Conservation District
- Daniel Boone Soil and Water Conservation District
- Gloucester County Public Schools
- Virginia Trappers Association
- Holiday Lake 4-H Education Center
Fishing
- Active Hands Ministry
- Blue Ridge Discovery Center
- Craig County Hooked on Fishing
- Douthat State Park Environmental Education
- Floyd County Sheriff Office
- Montgomery County Parks and Recreation
- Northampton Middle School
- Nottoway/Cumberland 4-H
- Pulaski County Kids Fishing Day
- Michael’s Episcopal School
- Staunton Augusta Chapter Izaak Walton League
- Town of Narrows
- Virginia Tech Chapter American Fisheries Society
- Botetourt County Parks and Recreation
- The Virginia Outdoors Foundation
- Westover Hills Elementary School (City of Richmond)
- Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Fishing Club
- Cub Scout Pack 239
Hunting/Shooting Sports
- Botetourt Longbeards Chapter – NWTF
- New River Valley Chapter of Hunters Helping Kids
- Lee County Strutters
- Virginia Highlands Chapter – NWTF
- Page County 4-H.
- Scott County Outdoor Team
- Goochland 4H Shooting Education Club
Watchable Wildlife
- Madison Primary School
- Thomas Hunter Middle School