Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety

The Enhanced Hunter Education Program teaches the skills and knowledge to be responsible and safe shooters, offers shooting skills development programs, constructs/operates public target ranges, and supports programs to recruit/retain/reactivate hunters and recreational target shooters. Participation is limited to State agencies (excluding the District of Columbia) with lead management responsibility for fish and wildlife resources in the United States of America that have passed assent language. The program is funded by revenues collected from excise taxes on certain firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment. Revenues are deposited into the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund and apportioned annually following a legislatively established formula to each of the State agencies.

Each year within 60 days of the apportionment notice, States, Commonwealths, and territories must notify the Secretary of the Interior that they want to participate in the program for the year. The State, Commonwealth, or territorial fish and wildlife Director must furnish a certification of the number of paid hunter license holders. Allocable costs are determined in accordance with 2 CFR 200.

Matching Requirements: Percent: Other Grant funds may be disbursed to States for up to 75 percent of the total cost of a project. Grant funds may be disbursed from 75 to 100 percent of the total project costs to the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. Each Regional Director decides on the specific Federal share between 75 and 100 percent based on what he or she decides is fair, just, and equitable.

Eligible State agencies (including Puerto Rico) may be paid up to seventy five percent (75%) of project costs through the program. States are required to provide the remaining twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs from a non-Federal source, which can include license fees. In accordance with an October 12, 2022 Policy Advisory Notice from the Department of the Interior (Reference No. 2023-001) and 48 U.S.C. 1469(a), Amendment of Subsection (d), the Service's Regional Directors shall waive cost sharing requirements described in this announcement in any grant to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Matching and cost-share requirements are discussed in 50 CFR 80.84, 50 CFR 80.85, and 2 CFR 200.306.

EHE funds used for acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing public target ranges (as defined at 16 U.S.C. 669a(4)) are available for five (5) years with up to ninety percent (90%) Federal cost share. You may also allocate up to ten percent (10%) of your apportioned WR funds to supplement EHE funds for acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing public target ranges. If you apply this option, your allocated WR funds, in addition to Basic and EHE funds allocated for the same activities, will also be available for five years with up to ninety percent (90%) Federal cost share for those specific activities.