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Twelve Organizations Receive Funding Through RBFF’s George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar Education Fund
Grantees in eight states will bring fishing and boating programs to Hispanic youth and families
education-fund-2019

ALEXANDRIA, VA (February 26, 2019) – Today, the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) announced the 2019 grantees for its George H.W. Bush Vamos A PescarTM Education Fund, the fourth round of grants since the program launched in 2014. Twelve grantee organizations will work to bring fishing and boating experiences and conservation education to Hispanic families in eight states.

The Education Fund awarded a total of nearly $60,000 in grants to 12 fishing and boating programs in eight states. The eight state fish and wildlife agencies are fully-matching the grant funds, bringing the total amount of funding to approximately $125,000 for the 2019 grantees.

The Hispanic audience is projected to soon reach 20% of the U.S. population, but this audience only makes up 8.5% of total fishing participation. This lagging participation rate, along with the the importance of introducing fishing and boating to potential anglers before the age of 18 makes the work that the Education Fund does extremely critical to the future of fishing and boating.

 

Grants were awarded to eight state agencies to sub grant to the following 12 local organizations:

Alabama

4-H Club Foundation

 

California

Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research

Reel Guppy Outdoors

Sycamore Junior High School

Tuolumne River Trust

 

Iowa

Iowa Hunter Education Instructors Association

 

Nebraska

Nebraska Wildlife Federation

 

Nevada

Hispanic Access Foundation

 

Ohio

Columbus Recreation and Parks Department

 

Utah

Spanish Fork Parks and Recreation

 

Virginia

Harrisonburg City Public Schools

Hispanic Access Foundation

 

“We as an industry need to welcome these new participants by showcasing them in our overall marketing efforts,” said RBFF President & CEO Frank Peterson. “This will encourage even more participants from these emerging audiences to get on the water, and hopefully become lifelong anglers and boaters.”

The George H.W. Bush Vamos A PescarTM Education Fund was founded in 2014 when Bass Pro Shops Founder & CEO Johnny Morris donated $125,000 to RBFF to start an Education Fund in honor of his friend, the late President George H.W. Bush. Since the Education Fund was launched, other companies have come on board to support the cause. The mission of the Education Fund remains engaging Hispanic families across the United States in fishing and boating through hands-on experiences and conservation activities.

More information about the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund is available at takemefishing.org/educationfund. Learn more about how you or your organization can donate to the fund here.

 

About the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF)

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. RBFF's recently announced 60 in 60 effort strives to attract 60 million anglers to the sport by the end of 2021. To help recruit, retain and reactivate participants, RBFF developed the award-winning Take Me Fishing™ and Vamos A Pescar™ campaigns creating awareness about boating, fishing and conservation, and educating people about the benefits of participation. These campaigns help boaters and anglers of all ages and experience levels learn, plan and equip for a day on the water. The campaign websites, TakeMeFishing.org and VamosAPescar.org, feature how-to videos, information on how to get a fishing license and boat registration, and an interactive state-by-state map that allows visitors to find local boating and fishing spots.

 

About George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund

The George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund was created by RBFF with an initial donation of $125,000 from Bass Pro Shops Founder and CEO Johnny Morris to bring conservation, education and fishing and boating experiences to Hispanic families in key metro areas of Texas and Florida. With the help of similar donations from other individuals, companies and associations, the fund will help educate and engage Hispanic and multicultural audiences throughout the United States in boating and fishing with the support of RBFF’s Vamos A Pescar™ Hispanic outreach initiative.

For further information: David Rodgers, drodgers@rbff.org, 703-253-7268

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