Grassroots organizations can apply for the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame's 2023 conservation grants, which are a key pillar of the Hall’s mission of celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing,
Since 2020, the Hall has provided more than $50,000 in grants to fund conservation efforts focused on enhancing fish habitat, tournament fish care, better public access, cleaner water and similar projects that promote stewardship.
“We are also encouraging youth-oriented conservation projects that benefit local fisheries,” said Gene Gilliland who chairs the BHFOF’s Conservation Committee. “Projects we will support with these grants must have the endorsement of local fishery management agencies and be the right type of investment that coincides with the Hall’s mission.”
Past BFHOF conservation grants recipient efforts have included habitat enhancement work on lakes within Tennessee’s Bill Dance Fishing Trail, at Lake Belton in Texas, and also in Goose Lake at the Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area in Illinois. Grant funds have also assisted in building a mobile fish-care trailer used at high school tournaments in Alabama. Additional grants over the years have been used for projects in Colorado, Iowa, Indiana and Virginia.
“While many fishing clubs around the country have the boots-on-the-ground volunteers to initiate very worthy conservation projects, it’s the financial component that at times keeps them from being implemented,” said BFHOF Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “Thankfully due to the financial support the Hall has received from Hall of Fame inductees, fishing and marine industry companies, professional bass anglers, tournament organizations and the general bass fishing public, the BFHOF Board is afforded the opportunity to recognize these grassroots conservation efforts and to provide the needed funding to see them through to completion. Everyone with an interest in bass fishing benefits.”
All proposals submitted for the BFHOF conservation grants will be judged by a qualified panel including members of the BFHOF Board and its Conservation Committee members. For more information including the grant application, click here. Questions can be directed to BHFOF conservation chair Gene Gilliland at ggilliland@bassmaster.com.
