# 80.50 What activities are eligible for funding under the Wildlife Restoration Act?
The following activities are eligible for funding in these programs and subprograms under the Wildlife Restoration Act:
(a) *Traditional Wildlife Restoration program.* The following wildlife restoration projects and other associated activities are eligible for funding under apportionments authorized at 16 U.S.C. 669c(b).
(1) Restoring and managing wildlife for the benefit of the public.
(2) Conducting research on the problems of managing wildlife and its habitat if necessary to administer wildlife resources efficiently. This research may include social science activities.
(3) Obtaining data to guide and direct the regulation of hunting.
(4) Acquiring real property suitable or capable of being made suitable for:
(i) Wildlife habitat or management;
(ii) Providing public access for hunting or other wildlife-oriented recreation; or
(iii) Supporting other eligible activities described under this paragraph (a), including maintaining and operating property under the ownership or management control of the State fish and wildlife agency and that support eligible activities under the Wildlife Restoration Act.
(5) Wildlife restoration projects for restoring, rehabilitating, improving, managing, or maintaining areas of lands or waters as wildlife habitat.
(6) Building structures or acquiring equipment, goods, and services for:
(i) Restoring, rehabilitating, or improving lands or waters as wildlife habitat;
(ii) Supporting wildlife management;
(iii) Providing public access for hunting or other wildlife-oriented recreation; or
(iv) Supporting other eligible activities described under this paragraph (a), including maintaining and operating equipment under the ownership or management control of the State fish and wildlife agency and that support eligible activities under the Wildlife Restoration Act.
(7) Acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing public target ranges following the requirements of § 80.60 when combining up to 10 percent of annually apportioned Traditional Wildlife Restoration funds (16 U.S.C. 669c(b)) with Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety funds (16 U.S.C. 669h-1). When Traditional Wildlife Restoration funds are committed to the Wildlife Restoration for Public Target Ranges 90/10/5 subaccount, they are no longer eligible for Traditional Wildlife Restoration activities.
(8) Communicating with the public (see § 80.52(h)), including:
(i) Outreach and sharing information on award activities, accomplishments, performance, or other communication related to meeting the objectives of an award;
(ii) Providing the public with information on Wildlife Management Areas; public access for hunting or other wildlife-associated recreation; notices on safety, rule changes, and topics of interest to the public related to wildlife management; and other opportunities available to the public as a result of a Traditional Wildlife Restoration award;
(iii) Liaising with the media or other venues to provide public information related to the objectives of an award; or
(iv) Other forms of communication that support a State's wildlife restoration and management objectives in an award.
(9) Public relations, advertising as a form of outreach, and marketing that are associated with achieving eligible objectives require prior approval of the Service. These activities are allowable only when included in the approach of an approved award to accomplish eligible activities and meet award objectives. Communication that solely benefits the agency is unallowable public relations and is not eligible for funding under the Act.
(b) *Basic Hunter Education and Safety subprogram and Hunter Recruitment and Recreational Shooter Recruitment.* (1) The following activities are eligible under the Basic Hunter Education and Safety subprogram for activities authorized at 16 U.S.C. 669g(b):
(i) Teaching the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to be a responsible hunter.
(ii) Developing and improving access to public target ranges by:
(A) Acquiring real property suitable or capable of being made suitable for public target ranges, including through licenses or third-party binding agreements that provide assurances for public access (see § 80.58).
(B) Constructing, upgrading, or restoring public target ranges to a useful condition.
(C) Operating or maintaining public target ranges.
(D) Acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing public target ranges as 90/10/5 projects following §§ 80.60 and 80.62.
(E) Constructing, operating, or maintaining educational facilities to support Hunter Education.
(2) The following activities are eligible when directly supporting recruiting, retaining, or reactivating hunters or recreational shooters (R3), as authorized at 16 U.S.C. 669c(c)(4).
(i) Communicating with hunters, recreational shooters, and the public about hunting and recreational shooting and associated opportunities by:
(A) Promoting conservation and the responsible use of the wildlife resources of the United States as part of an effort to recruit, retain, or reactivate hunters or recreational shooters.
(B) Promoting a State's R3 program, special events, and opportunities.
(C) Providing outreach on public target range availability, access, and locations.
(D) Marketing, publications, press releases, and media relations for content directly related to R3 activities.
(ii) Interpreting, translating, printing, or disseminating published State hunting regulations to inform and educate the public about their responsibilities to comply with laws, orders, and regulations.
(iii) Using a State fish and wildlife agency's website, cell phone or software products, online support systems, or other appropriate communication tools to engage the public in activities supporting a State's R3 efforts (see § 80.55(c) for exclusions related to income-producing activities).
(iv) Supporting the scope and impact of a State's R3 program by:
(A) Reducing barriers to hunting and recreational shooting opportunities;
(B) Furthering safety in hunting and recreational shooting;
(C) Providing education, mentoring, field demonstrations, and other similar opportunities to recruit, retain, or reactivate hunters or recreational shooters;
(D) Constructing, operating, or maintaining educational facilities to the extent they support R3 activities;
(E) Supporting programs for hunting or recreational shooting that have been developed or are delivered by other entities; and
(F) Offering activities that support R3 for youth and beginner hunters or recreational shooters, such as R3 camps and mentoring programs.
(v) Constructing, operating, or maintaining public target ranges, including mobile public target ranges.
(vi) Educating the public about the role of hunting and recreational shooting in funding wildlife conservation.
(vii) Supplying services that support R3 activities, such as hunt guides, trainers for shooting, and celebrity endorsements.
(viii) Acquiring supplies that enhance the experience and skills for hunters and recreational shooters.
(ix) Engaging in other allowable activities that directly support recruiting, retaining, or reactivating hunters or recreational shooters.
(c) *Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety program.* The following activities are eligible under Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety for activities authorized at 16 U.S.C. 669h-1:
(1) Enhancing programs for hunter education, hunter development, and firearm and archery safety. Hunter-development programs introduce individuals to and recruit them to take part in hunting, bow hunting, target shooting, or archery.
(2) Enhancing interstate coordination and developing hunter-education and public target range programs.
(3) Enhancing programs for education, safety, or development of firearm and bow hunters and recreational shooters.
(4) Enhancing development, construction, upgrades, rehabilitation, and improved safety features at public target ranges.
(5) Acquiring real property suitable or capable of being made suitable for public target ranges.
(6) Enhancing operation and maintenance of public target ranges.
(7) Enhancing access for hunting and recreational shooting opportunities.
(8) Acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing public target ranges following the regulations at § 80.60.
(9) Enhancing the hunter and recreational shooter R3 activities listed at paragraph (b)(2) of this section.