Press Releases

RBFF Awards 2023 State R3 Program Grants to 10 Programs in 9 States
Nearly half a million dollars will fund efforts to increase fishing and boating participation
We’re proud to support these state fish and wildlife agencies in their R3 efforts. Their programs help attract and keep a diverse group of Americans on the water.

ALEXANDRIA, VA (March 2, 2023) Through its State R3 Program Grants, the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) has awarded funds to 10 programs in nine states. Now in its ninth year, the State R3 Program Grants’ goal is to support state recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) initiatives to increase fishing and boating participation.

 

RBFF is providing approximately $207,000 in grants this year with nine state agencies contributing an additional $232,000 in project funds and in-kind support.

 

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 

 

We’re proud to support these state fish and wildlife agencies in their R3 efforts,” said Stephanie Hussey, RBFF’s Senior Director of Government Engagement. “Their programs help attract and keep a diverse group of Americans 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 2023 grantees include:

 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

  • Fishing Perspectives in the Hispanic Community

 

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

  • Building Social Support Communities for Iowa’s Female Recreational Paddlers to Go Fishing

 

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

  • Hispanic Anglers Digital Marketing Campaign 

 

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

  • Welcome to Boating and Fishing!

 

Nevada Department of Wildlife

  • Kids Fish Free @ First Catch Events

 

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

  • Digital Marketing for R3 Microsite

 

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

  • Boater Reactivation and R3 Campaign

 

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

  • Retention of Female Anglers – with special focus on Hispanic Women
  • Text Messages to Lapsed Year from Purchase Anglers

 

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

  • Utah R3 Underserved Communities Marketing Campaign

 

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


About RBFF 

The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, thereby protecting and restoring the nation’s aquatic natural resources. To help recruit, retain and reactivate participants, RBFF developed the award-winning Take Me Fishing™ and Vamos A Pescar™ brands which educate the public on fishing, boating and conservation while inspiring them to hit the water. RBFF offers consumer research, website plugins, marketing education and shareable content to help better connect industry stakeholders and government agencies with their customers. 

 

 

For further information: Bruna Carincotte, bcarincotte@rbff.org, 703-519-6917