We often meet people at a shooting match or an event who are looking for help with plans for a new range or even a club. It should be no surprise that the NRA has plenty of resources to offer and many of them are listed in the membership benefits section of each NRA magazine. Some of the questions we hear most have to do with club insurance, range accreditation, grant options and sample club bylaws.
For this last one—sample bylaws—we recommend checking with your NRA State Association, since they have access to all of the clubs in your area. Of course, you can also reach out to a neighboring club directly. To look up your state shooting representatives, visit: http://clubs.nra.org/state-associations.aspx
If you’re interested in conducting qualified public programs (i.e. Women on Target, teaching hunter education, 4-H, etc.) on your range, then you can apply for a general or range improvement Foundation Grant(s). Your Club would have to have documented non-profit status. Ideally your Club will have a 501(c) determination letter from the IRS but, minimally, your Club needs to be a recognized nonprofit in your state, e.g., incorporated as a nonprofit corporation with, as applicable, Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Each state has different requirements, which can generally be found at your state’s Secretary of State or State Corporation Commission website. NRA’s grant guidelines, eligibility, FAQs and state deadlines are available here: www.nrafoundation.org. Once at this site, select "Menu," then "Grants." And the link to help with documenting your non-profit status is: www.nrafoundation.org/grants/notice-regarding-documentation-of-nonprofit-status.
Insurance is another important item that often comes up in conversations about starting a new club. There is a lot of information to be found at: https://mynrainsurance.com/club-insurance/gun-club.
Finally, don’t overlook NRA’s many Clubs and Associations resources. NRA currently supports over 1,200 such organizations and catalogs those resources here: http://clubs.nra.org. Also listed on this site is information about the new NRA Club Leadership Development Online Course to obtain your NRA Approved Club Officer Certificate.
