Page 47 - OutdoorOK2024MayJune ONLINE

OKLAHOMA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION SPOTLIGHT

• Worked with OG+E to expand Close to Home Fishing and Also, the Foundation’s Board of Directors recently voted to
Family Fishing events, and provided fishing tackle to youth fund the following projects from ODWC’s projects list:
attendees. • $10,000 for bear conflict management (completes the
• Support of Nuisance Bear Response Team with purchase amount needed for improved gear and training in Wildlife
of six Pneu-Dart pneumatic dart guns and provided chem- and Law Enforcement Divisions).
ical immobilization training on best practices from Global • $15,000 for the Stars and Stripes Project providing licenses
Wildlife Resources. for disabled veterans and Gold Star families.
• Fostering Outdoor Oklahoma Families (FOOF) fishing equip- • Up to $30,000 for the Foundation to purchase guided hunts
ment and licenses purchased to support this foster children’s for ODWC’s Spring 2024 Outdoor Oklahoma Raffles (2 bull
program sponsored by ODWC and Oklahoma Department of elk, 1 mule deer, and 1 spring turkey).
Human Services. • $25,000 to leverage $75,000 in federal funds for leasing
• Provided grant-writing assistance to ODWC resulting in more than 13,000 acres of public hunting land through
applications for $7 million in grants. ODWC’s the Oklahoma Land Access Program.
• $10,000 building renaming of the Hackberry Flat • $25,000 to leverage $75,000 in federal funding to provide
Education Center as requested by the Oklahoma Wildlife eight new schools with the complete suite of ODWC’s out-
Conservation Commission. door education programs
• Funding to support ODWC’s award-winning social out- • $12,500 to leverage $37,500 in federal funding to add 50
reach activities. schools to ODWC’s Fishing in the Schools program
• Co-funded Close to Home Fishing dock in Oklahoma City • $3,125 to leverage $9,375 in federal funding to add one more
with the Paul George Foundation. school to our full suite of ODWC’s outdoor education programs.
• Bought hunting blinds, chairs, rests, and equipment for use
on youth depredation doe hunts. OWCF plans to continue funding:
• Future Rack Madness lifetime license giveaways.
SMOKEY SOLIS/ODWC • $4,000 for art commissions for ODWC’s durable collectible

license cards. (OWCF will be able to auction or raffle the art-
work after it is used for the cards.)
• Continue support for ODWC’s social media platforms.

www.okwildlifefoundation.org
OWCF and OG+E family fishing event at Horseshoe Lake.

THE OKLAHOMA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION (OWCF) is engaged in a five-year program to raise
$5.2 million to further the strategic mission of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Since the Wildlife Department has operated on a limited budget for more than 100 years and doesn’t receive
appropriated state tax dollars, funds raised by the Foundation are among the best methods to more rapidly
advance the Department’s strategic plan. Because many ODWC projects qualify for a 3-to-1 or 9-to-1 federal dol-
lar match, donations to OWCF can be multiplied and bring more and better projects to Oklahoma more quickly.
Funds raised by OWCF support wildlife research and management, multi-year conservation projects, community
outreach programs, and outdoor recreation projects. OWCF’s mission cannot be achieved without the support of
community partners, philanthropic foundations, and donations from individuals who want to make
a difference for future generations.
All donations are tax-deductible. To learn more about OWCF and how to help, go to
www.OKwildlifefoundation.org, www.facebook.com/OKWildlifeFoundation, or email Rick Grundman
at rgrundman@okwildlifefoundation.org, or call (918) 323-5566.

MAY/JUNE 2024 45