Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

July 12 is deadline to apply for Local Sportsmen's Group grants.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is accepting applications for $75,000 in annual grant funding for local sportsmen's organizations to provide public, mentored projects that are focused on the recruitment and development of new hunters and anglers.

The Local Sportsmen's Group grants program places a high priority on projects that involve the pursuit or harvest of fish or wildlife with a valid license (and any necessary hunt permit-tag) and are geared toward participants who have the appropriate experience and skill levels relevant to a particular project.

Grants will be awarded through a competitive application process. Online applications and instructions are available at http://www.azgfd.gov/LSG. Applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) July 12.

"This grant program continues to provide much-needed funding for Arizona's conservation organizations to connect with the public through quality, mentored projects at a time when there's a huge demand for traditional outdoor and wildlife recreation like hunting and fishing," said Doug Burt, AZGFD's recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) manager.

"The projects from these funds, and the efforts of these community groups, return far more in value than the grant dollars would on their own by providing education about safe and ethical hunting and fishing, and how sportsmen play an important role in wildlife conservation."

There is no cost to Arizona taxpayers for this grant program. Game and Fish does not receive any of the state's general tax funds and operates under a user-pay, public-benefit model. The grant program is an investment in the continuance of wildlife conservation efforts and outdoor recreation participation in Arizona.

To learn more about how hunters, anglers, shooters and boaters fund wildlife conservation, visit http://www.azgfd.com/hunting/wsfr/.