Third quarter grant applications were presented and voted on at the August 26, 2025 AZSFWC Board meeting. Funding for the grants is available through sales of our special Conserving Wildlife license plate. More information about the license plate and how you can obtain one can be found HERE.
Eleven grants were approved and included the following:
$4,750 was awarded to the Arizona Raptor Center for their 2025-2026 Raptor Education Program. Raptors in their care that cannot be released back into the wild are utilized in education programs around the state. These programs aim to inspire conservation-minded thinking by showing how raptors are vital indicators of ecological health; enlighten young minds through interactive, age-appropriate learning tools that foster curiosity and respect for wildlife; increase public knowledge of food webs, predator-prey dynamics, and the challenges facing raptor populations today; connect ecosystems to action, helping people understand how land use, pollution, and human activity affect birds of prey—and what they can do to help; and strengthen community support for raptor rehabilitation, research, and responsible wildlife stewardship. Additional support will be provided by director contribution, public donations and volunteers.
$10,240 was awarded to the Arizona Mule Deer Organization for 2025 Youth Hunting & Mentoring Camps. These camps are designed to introduce participants, typically ranging from ages 10 to 18, to the fundamentals of deer hunting in a controlled and supportive setting. They emphasize ethical hunting practices, safety, and environmental stewardship. These camps aim to build character, promote safety, develop hunting skills, encourage respect for wildlife, and enhance outdoor education. The impact of youth deer hunting camps extends far beyond the field. Participants gain valuable life skills such as confidence, problem-solving, patience, and teamwork. Additional support will be provided by Vortex Optics, German Precision Optics and organization volunteers.
$5,200 was awarded to the Arizona Deer Association for the 2025 Youth Deer & Elk Camp. The purpose of the camps is to provide support in locating, harvesting, game care, as well as, educational seminars. Experienced and seasoned mentors will be available to go afield with tag holders if needed and an AZ Game & Fish wildlife manager will be on hand to answer questions. Emphasis will be on hunter education, safety, ethics, hunting and glassing skills and will include seminars on map reading, compass use, first aid & survival, food & nutrition, gun & field safety.
$10,250 was awarded to Shoot Right for 3D Archery Equipment and Range. This outdoor 3D Archery Range (IBO Genesis bow division rules) provides PE and After school courses for Home school/Private on private land in the East Valley. It will also offer practice times for those interested in hunting with bow or airguns that shoot arrows. In addition, this project will also help/assist Chandler Hot Shots 4h and Mesa Thunderbirds 4h programs. Additional funding will be provided by Shoot Right.
$4,500 was awarded to the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society for their 2025 Hunter Information Clinic. Anyone can attend the clinic where they will learn about Habitat Projects, Aging, Judging and Scoring a ram in the field, How to Hunt Sheep, Gear and Equipment, Optics, Taxidermy and Photography and Hunter Ethics. Each attendee is also provided with an instructional manual and handouts from presenters and various land management agencies. The Society is providing additional funding.
$13,352 was awarded to Pheasants Forever for the Date Creek Water Project. The Date Creek Ranch Water Project is a critical infrastructure initiative aimed at refurbishing and upgrading the existing water pipeline network that serves both the ranching operations and the local wildlife of Date Creek Ranch, a historical landmark in Arizona. The ranch is home to a diverse array of species and relies heavily on its water infrastructure to maintain a healthy environment for both the ranch and wildlife. Over the decades, portions of the main pipeline, which spans a significant portion of the ranch, have deteriorated, and immediate action is necessary to ensure a consistent water supply year-round. The ranch’s physical land ownership comprises both private lands as well as state trust lands with access to the private lands available to the public year round. Additional funding will be provided by Date Creek Ranch, AZ Game & Fish Department LRP 7 HPC programs, Pheasants Forever Women on the Wing (Yuma Chapter), AZ Deer Association and Conservation First USA.
$2,750 was awarded to the Arizona Mule Deer Organization for their Unit 8 Youth Camp. This camp will introduce participants, typically ranging from ages 10 to 18, to the fundamentals of deer hunting in a controlled and supportive setting. Food, mentors, and base camp will be provided to approximately 30-40 participants/family members. Additional support will be provided by Manuell Taphouse and AMDO volunteers.
$13,915 was awarded to the Wildlife for Tomorrow for the Mesquite Wildlife Oasis. The Oasis is a vital educational resource established in 2008 that has attracted approximately 42,500 visitors. The Oasis offers engaging field trips for local students in the West Valley, fostering hands-on learning about wildlife conservation, ecology, and desert habitat. The programs have been instrumental in cultivating conservation awareness among future generations. Funding will be used to purchase
3,000 laminated field guides that will ensure every student participating in the program has access to valuable resources, which they can keep and share beyond their visit, encouraging ongoing engagement with Arizona’s desert ecosystem. Additional funding partners include RWE and Wildlife for Tomorrow.
$2,200 was awarded to Wildlife Water Works for the Unit 9 Dirt Tank Renovation Project. This project will fund the purchase of Bentonite to seal several dirt tanks that are seeping excessive water through the ground. Project partners include AZ Game & Fish Department, the US Forest Service, rancher and Wildlife Water Works.
$3,000 was awarded to AZ Shooting Sports Education Foundation to fund custom state champion vests for winning squads in each of 5 divisions for the Sporting Clays, Trap, and Skeet Commissioners Cups. These vests are worn at the SCTP Nationals in July by the winning athletes. These athletes then represent the state as well as their individual SCTP club at nationals. Earning these vests by SCTP athletes is a source of great pride and an incentive for the shooters to work as a team to earn them. Additional funding will be provided by AZ Shooting Sports Education Foundation and Scottsdale Gun Club.
$12.790 was awarded to Mogollon Sporting Association for the Youth Archery School Program Funding. This grant will allow expansion of the existing National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) to additional schools in Rim Country. NASP is aimed at improving educational performance among students in grades 4 – 12. Students learn focus, self-control, discipline, patience, and the life lessons required to be successful in the classroom and in life. Additional funding will be provided by Mogollon Sporting Association.