Columbia, Missouri – In celebration of National Shooting Sports Month, the MidwayUSA Foundation is pleased to announce the payment of more than $2.4 million in cash grants to 547 youth shooting teams. These teams are made up of approximately 27,000 young shooting athletes across the country, and the funds will help them with expenses, including ammunition, targets, travel, entry fees, team gear and more. Bernie Till, Head Coach for Mid Carolina 4H in Orangeburg, SC, spoke about the importance of his team’s recent cash grant: “Frankly, it’s hard to put into words how much the MidwayUSA Foundation grant means to the Mid Carolina Youth. Shooting Team. We take our grant in the fall, which helps us start our new season with much-needed funds. This year, that was especially the case as we just got a bill for ammunition that we were able to pay just because we got our grant check.” This latest grant cycle has an average equipment payment of $4,434.
Since the inception of the MidwayUSA Foundation, cash grants paid to support youth shooting teams have increased each year, totaling more than $45 million. In 2022 alone, the MidwayUSA Foundation has awarded more than $8 million in cash grants through its team and organization endowment programs, as well as coach training and rank development grant programs. Providing more funding to shooting programs brings more opportunities to youth in local communities across the country. More than 54,000 athletes are affected by the cash grants distributed in 2022, and the Foundation aims to increase this number each year.
Each shooting team grant is 5% of the MidwayUSA Foundation team endowment balance, so as a team’s endowment grows, so does their annual cash grant. The Foundation offers various resources to help shooting teams increase their strength. Each youth shooting team can receive donations directly to their crew 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. Those who wish to support a local youth shooting team during National Shooting Sports Month can do so by visiting MidwayUSAFoundation.org/donate..
The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that works to maintain 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 help expand and improve 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 not valid in California. To learn more about how the MidwayUSA Foundation is changing the future of youth shooting sports, visit MidwayUSAFoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.