Colorado Shooting Range Development Grant Program funds ten shooting range projects
Joey Livingston
DENVER - Colorado Parks and Wildlife has awarded $800,025 to ten shooting range projects across Colorado through the agency’s Shooting Range Development Program (SRDG). The funds will go toward developing new shooting ranges and upgrading existing ranges.SRDG supports the establishment, improvement and expansion of safe shooting facilities in Colorado and is one of the largest shooting range programs in the nation. Since 2010, SRDG has awarded more than $7.9 million in funding toward 93 shooting and archery projects across Colorado.
The program's funds come from federal excise taxes generated by the sale of hunting and shooting equipment, in addition to funds generated through donations made through specialty hunting and fishing license plates. Local partners in the projects also commit at least 25 percent in matching funds for project work.
Each year, SRDG maximizes its impact by providing matching grants to towns, counties, outdoor recreation organizations, shooting clubs, parks and recreation departments and others. These projects establish, improve or expand shooting ranges and shooting areas - including archery ranges - throughout the state. The ten projects approved for funding this year include more than $318,866 in local matching funds.
“CPW values partnership and collaboration with local ranges that are working to provide high-quality shooting opportunities,” said CPW’s Grants Manager Travis Long. “With Colorado’s growing population, the need for safe, accessible ranges continues to rise and the SRDG program is a critical program to help meet that rising demand.”
Projects highlights include:
Lamar Archery Range - $25,000
The Town of Lamar was awarded funding for the development of an archery range just outside of town. The range will be free and open to the public once completed, giving archers an opportunity to shoot locally at both a static range and a 3-D walk-in range.
Clear Creek County - $300,000
Clear Creek County was awarded funding for the final stage of its shooting range redevelopment. County officials have prioritized providing recreational shooting opportunities, and this grant funding will allow the construction of the Clear Creek Shooting Range to be completed. The range will be open to the public in a very accessible location just off I-70.
City of Aspen - Cozy Point Ranch - $118,103
The City of Aspen has been awarded funding to develop an archery range at an existing open space property, Cozy Point Ranch. In an effort to continue offering a variety of recreational shooting opportunities, the City of Aspen plans to expand its existing range and provide archery shooting opportunities that range from 10 meters to 70 meters.
Shooting sports make an economic impact
In the United States, the economic impact of the sporting arms and ammunition industry totals more than $42 billion and creates more than 263,000 jobs. The Pittman-Robertson excise tax manufacturers pay on the products they sell is a major source of wildlife conservation funding in Colorado and nationwide. Colorado Parks and Wildlife directs a portion of its Pittman-Robertson funding to the shooting range program. Additional funding is provided through annual voluntary registration fees on specialty “hunting and fishing” license plates.
“Shooting sports play a vital role in funding wildlife conservation here in Colorado through the Pittman-Robertson Act,” Long said. “The SRDG program allows us to leverage a portion of those sportspersons dollars to provide safe shooting range opportunities to hunters and recreational shooters, helping to make the sport much more accessible to the public.”
Shooting Range Development Grants awarded in 2023 include:
Grand County Archers
Archery Range Expansion
$5,265
Lamar Archery Range
Archery Range Development
$25,000
Logan County Shooting Sports Complex
Range Improvements
$74,900
Clear Creek County
Final Range Development
$300,000
City of Aspen
Archery Range Expansion
$118,103
Cedaredge Rod and Gun Club
Classroom Construction
$14,665
Delta Trap Club
Clubhouse Improvements
$23,512
Grand Junction Trap Club
LED Lighting
$36,570
Pikes Peak Gun Club
Range Improvements
$120,000
Teller County Shooting Sports
Shade Shelters
$85,700
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.