Press Releases
ALEXANDRIA, VA (February 16, 2024) – The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) today announced the 2024 grantees for its George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund, the ninth round of grants since it launched in 2014. The funding will help 12 programs in 6 states bring fishing and boating experiences and conservation education to Hispanic families. Over $85,100 in grants were awarded, with state agencies fully matching that amount to get the total funding to approximately $172,800 for the 2024 grantees.
“Participation in fishing among Hispanics has grown over the years, hitting an all-time high last year,” said RBFF President & CEO Dave Chanda. “As we work to foster further participation within the Hispanic community in fishing and boating, these grantees will be crucial in teaching many families how to enjoy the activities safely and with conservation practices being top of mind.”
Grants were awarded to 6 state agencies to sub-grant to the following 12 local organizations:
Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas Trout Unlimited (NWATU), Chapter 514
California
Cast Hope
Friends of Fish
Reel Guppy Outdoors
Solidarity
Colorado
Colorado Wildlife Federation
Florida
Fishing’s Future – Reel Blessed Chapter
Miami-Dade Parks Recreation and Open Spaces – EcoAdventures
Pasco County Parks Recreation and Natural Resources
Tampa Bay Kayak Anglers
Kansas
Kansas Outdoor Ethics
Rhode Island
Partnership for Providence Parks
About RBFF
The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) is a nonprofit 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.
About the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund
The George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund was created by RBFF in 2014 when Bass Pro Shops Founder and CEO Johnny Morris donated $125,000 in honor of his friend, the late President George H.W. Bush, to bring conservation education and fishing experiences to Hispanic families in key metro areas of Texas and Florida. With the continued funding support of Bass Pro Shops and donations from other companies, the Education Fund has expanded nationally to educate and engage Hispanic and multicultural audiences throughout the United States in fishing and boating with the support of RBFF’s Vamos A Pescar™ Hispanic outreach initiative.
