RBFF awards 2022 state R3 grants

Through its State R3 Program Grants, the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) recently awarded funds to 11 programs in 10 states. Now in its eighth year, the State R3 Program Grants’ goal is to support state recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) initiatives to increase fishing and boating participation.

The programs must focus on one of three areas:

  • Communicate the relevance of fishing and/or boating to urban, multicultural audiences to increase participation
  • Implement angler and/or boater customer engagement strategies to retain and/or reactivate anglers and boaters to increase participation
  • Enhance the capability of agencies to develop and implement effective angler and/or boater recruitment, retention and reactivation efforts

RBFF is providing approximately $208,000 in grants this year. Additionally, the 10 state agencies are contributing more than $300,000 in project funds and in-kind support, bringing the total amount of funding support to more than $508,000 for these programs.

“Over the years, we’ve seen how successful these programs can be when they have the financial support to achieve their goals,” said Stephanie Hussey, RBFF’s State R3 Program Director. “We are excited to once again support these state agencies in implementing programs to encourage and keep people on the water.”

The State R3 Program Grants fund sustainable and replicable angler and boater R3 initiatives and plans that focus on increasing fishing license sales and boat registrations to help increase fishing and boating participation. Proposals are reviewed and selected by RBFF staff and a Proposal Review Working Group made up of industry, federal agency and NGO representatives.

The 2022 grantees include:


Iowa Department of Natural Resources

  • Iowa Recreational Paddler to Licensed Angler Customer Journey Marketing Campaign

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

  • ¡Adelante! MA Fishing’s Future

Nevada Department of Wildlife

  • Boat/Fish Nevada

Ohio Division of Wildlife

  • Resident Angler Reactivation Automated Campaign

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

  • Digital Marketing for Reactivation

South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks

  • Fishing with Your Friends

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

  • Assessing Auto-Renewal’s Effectiveness as a Retention and Revenue Tool
  • Which Anglers Did We Lose at the Greatest Rates in 2021?

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

  • Reaching Access Area Visitors Through Geo-targeted Instagram and Facebook Ads

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

  • Enhancing Urban Fishing Opportunities in Metropolitan D.C.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

  • Recruiting Latino Anglers

The State R3 Program Grants are partially funded by RBFF thorugh a USFWS financial assistance award (#F18AC00145).

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