Friends of NRA is the fundraising arm for The NRA Foundation. Throughout the year, Friends of NRA hosts over 700 events across the nation. Each event includes fundraising elements such as raffles, auctions, games, and more! Half of all event net proceeds stay locally within the state in which they were raised, while the other half is allocated for national programs. ALL event net proceeds benefit the future of shooting sports!
Since its inception in 1992, Friends of NRA has held over 25,000 events, reached over 4.7 million attendees and raised more than $1.1 billion gross to support The NRA Foundation’s 501(c)(3) charitable mission.
So, who gets to decide what happens to the money at the local level? Our volunteers do!
Friends of NRA volunteers are appointed to State Fund Committees (SFC) who then make recommendations of how the local grant funding is dispersed. Often, these grants go towards safety, education, and training programs such as JROTC, youth clay target teams, shooting range improvements, and law enforcement agencies.
The SFC consists of one representative from each committee, defined as a group of volunteers that held a fundraising event in the previous year, throughout the state. Therefore, if a state hosts 20 events in a year, there will be 20 individuals casting their votes at the state meeting.
The State Fund Committee meetings typically happen at the beginning of the calendar year. The day starts with the declaration of the Friends of NRA mission, followed by The Pledge of Allegiance, and then a review of notes from the previous year's meeting. Volunteers chosen to attend the state fund meeting have the opportunity to visit grant applicants, gaining insights into their needs and aspirations prior to the State Fund Meeting.
As the meeting commences, NRA Field Representatives from each state facilitate discussions. PowerPoint slides highlight each grant applicant, sparking conversations among volunteers from different committees. They share their experiences from site visits and express their opinions on the appropriate funding levels for each. Once the State Fund Committee meeting concludes, the Field Representative relays the committee's recommendations to The NRA Foundation, which ensures that all grant applicants have provided the necessary information before disbursing funds based on the decisions made during the State Fund Meeting.
Volunteers participating in State Fund Meetings frequently express that they find it fulfilling to be able to contribute to creating opportunities for introducing newcomers to the shooting sports. They emphasize that new organizations grant their hardworking volunteers such significant input into the allocation of funds they've diligently raised, and they often regard Grant meetings as a celebration of collective dedication and hard work.
Participating in and supporting Friends of NRA events truly makes a tangible impact on local organizations. Volunteering with Friends of NRA empowers individuals to play a direct role in determining where funds are allocated to. Toby Jones, a first-time attendee of the State Fund Meeting in Texas, expressed his gratitude, stating, "I'm thankful to be a part of our volunteer group. I'm humbled by the grants we awarded to numerous deserving recipients. Attending my first grant meeting opened my eyes to the impact we make in law enforcement and shooting sports. It's a worthwhile investment of our time."
If you're interested in learning more about volunteering, please visit our website. https://www.friendsofnra.org/get-involved/volunteer/
You can support the future of freedom by attending a Friends of NRA event near you! friendsofnra.org/events
