All applying organizations must possess a Federal Employer Identification number (EIN) issued by the Internal Revenue Service and be an/a:
- IRS 501 (c) recognized entity (must submit IRS Determination Letter with application) Or
- Federal, State or local government entity (law enforcement, public school, college) Or
- State recognized nonprofit organization (must submit copy of state nonprofit registration)
Boy Scout Councils may apply directly to The NRA Foundation. However, an application for any individual Venture Crew, Naval Cadet Unit or Boy Scout Troop, must be submitted by an organization that takes on the role of fiscal sponsor for that group and also meets The NRA Foundation’s grant eligibility requirements to receive funding.
The following organizations are not eligible for grants:
- Labor organizations
- Private businesses and enterprises, including LLCs
- Organizations or groups that do not have a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the Internal Revenue Service
- Friends of NRA Committees or NRA Foundation State Fund Committees
- Individuals
- Organizations or groups which have not completed final report requirements from previously-awarded NRA Foundation grants may submit an application. However, no awards will be made until all outstanding requirements have been satisfied.
The following types of projects or items are among those not eligible for State Fund grant funding:
- Deficit financing. i.e. payment for something already purchased, work already started or completed, or reimbursement for an event that has already taken place prior to grant approval by the Foundation
- Projects for commercial ventures, i.e., private businesses
- Projects that require membership in the NRA or in the applying non 501 (c)(3) or government entity club or group
- Administrative fees, salaries, office overhead, advertising/marketing/public relations, insurance, postage or other similar charges
- Computers, laptops, televisions
- Multi-year funding of projects, projects contingent on future funding from the NRA Foundation. Requests must be submitted for consideration each year for that year’s costs only
- Raffle items or similar prizes of material value and fundraising events or activities. The mission of the Foundation is to support programs, not fundraising activities. The Foundation only funds items that will be used for a 501(c)(3) purpose as part of a program activity. Prizes, such as trophies, ribbons, certificates, medals, for competitive shooting and other similar activities may be allowable.
- Fundraising or sponsorships, to include charity shoots held for those purposes
- Landscaping or related equipment, i.e. lawnmowers, tractors, weed eaters, snow blowers, etc.
- Vehicles, such as cars, trucks, off road vehicles or ATVs
- Duty ammunition for law enforcement. Only training ammunition can be funded
- Archery-only requests. Archery programs may only be considered if they are part of an overarching shooting program OR part of the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) OR Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA)
