While mainstream sports chase likes and followers, another kind of athlete is taking aim—and this time, they’ve got serious financial firepower behind them.
During National Shooting Sports Month in August, youth shooting teams around the country were dialing in their guns and tightening their grips, thanks in no small part to the powerhouse that is the MidwayUSA Foundation. In 2025 alone, the Foundation has dropped a jaw-dropping $14.2 million in cash grants into the hands of youth shooting teams and organizations. That’s not a typo. It’s a record—and it’s a revolution.
But this revolution didn’t start in a boardroom or on a balance sheet. It started with two people: Larry and Brenda Potterfield. The founders of MidwayUSA, a major player in the outdoor sporting goods and hunting industries, launched the MidwayUSA Foundation in 2007 with a single mission: to give youth across America the same opportunities in shooting sports that others get in traditional team sports. They saw a gap in funding, a lack of infrastructure and a lot of kids and coaches struggling to keep their programs afloat. So, they stepped in with vision, funding and a long-term strategy that’s now a key pillar supporting youth shooting sports in America.
Unlike the traditional high school football team or cross-country squad, most shooting teams don’t get a penny from school budgets. Yet the demands are real: ammo, targets, travel, entry fees, safety gear—the costs stack up fast.
That’s where the MidwayUSA Foundation comes in. Imagine your local trap team having a Wall Street-grade investment strategy. That’s the concept behind Team Endowments, a sustainable model that has made shooting sports one of the most financially supported youth movements in the country.
Each team builds its own endowment fund, invests in it over time and gets a 5% cash grant every year based on its balance. In 2025, 1,487 teams tapped into this well of support, walking away with an average of $5,225 each. Some, like Murray State University’s Rifle Program, even double-dip—pulling both their regular team grant and a grant for range development.
Game-Changing Funding Model
But it’s not just about the teams. The MidwayUSA Foundation is playing a 4D chess game. Of that $14.2 million in 2025, $7.7 million went directly to youth shooting teams. The rest? Divvied up across programs like coach training, organizational endowments and range development.
And the numbers are climbing fast. Since 2008, the MidwayUSA Foundation has pumped $90 million into communities across the United States. Just this year, the Range Development Grant Program—launched in 2021—handed out more than $3.6 million to help shooting ranges expand their offerings. Think new throwers for clay target competition and parking lot expansions to host bigger youth events. If the MidwayUSA Foundation sticks to its sights, $4 million in range development grants is right around the corner.
How It Works
What makes the MidwayUSA Foundation tick? It’s not just generous donors—it’s a self-sustaining financial ecosystem designed with long-term success in mind.
Here’s the core strategy: A team creates an endowment. They fundraise like mad—bake sales, car washes, charity shoots, you name it—and funnel every penny into their fund. Then, the MidwayUSA Foundation matches those donations dollar-for-dollar, thanks to the philanthropic support of Larry and Brenda Potterfield, the founders and financial fuel behind this endeavor.
Oh, and here’s the kicker: 100% of donations go directly to the team’s endowment. No hidden fees. No skimming for admin costs. The Potterfields cover all operating expenses. This isn’t just charity. Rather, it’s infrastructure.
The MidwayUSA Foundation isn’t playing favorites. Instead, they’re playing the long game. With nearly 2,600 youth shooting teams and 90 national, state and regional organizations under its financial umbrella, the Foundation has become the central nervous system of the youth shooting world.
Some big-name beneficiaries of organizational endowments include:
- Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF): $1.69 million
- USA Shooting Youth Programs: $198,993
- Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation: $668,716
- South Carolina Youth Shooting Foundation: $424,625
That means the funding isn’t just helping teams get to national championships—it’s helping entire organizations host competitions, train coaches and develop the next generation of top-tier competition shooting athletes.
And the reach is growing. The five states with the most grant dollars in 2025? Minnesota, Missouri, Texas, Iowa and Wisconsin, a Midwest-meets-Southwest shooting belt that’s quickly becoming America’s most competitive proving ground.
New Leadership Aims High
As the MidwayUSA Foundation steps into a higher gear, it’s under new leadership. At the helm is Pete Eisentrager, who brings a fresh perspective to an already high-caliber operation.
“I am beyond thrilled to be the next Executive Director of the MidwayUSA Foundation,” Eisentrager said. “As a lifelong recreational shooter, conservationist and supporter of our Second Amendment freedoms, I am especially excited to be working directly with our youth shooting sports teams and partner organizations around the country to help fund, advocate for, and grow youth shooting sports opportunities.”
His vision? Keep the MidwayUSA Foundation aggressive in its giving, dynamic in its outreach and unshakably committed to making youth shooting sports as accessible (and respected) as any other sport in the country.
This isn’t just about money—it’s about building something bigger. Shooting teams, like their counterparts in football or basketball, offer students structure, confidence and a sense of community. The only difference? Many of these kids are buying their own ammunition and carpooling across state lines just to compete.
But when your team has a MidwayUSA Foundation endowment? You can suit up in matching vests. Fly to competitions. Train on high-quality ranges with talented coaches. The game changes entirely.
The MidwayUSA Foundation even holds an annual National Youth Shooting Sports Conference, which was held on October 2-4 this year in Columbia, Missouri. This event that brings together the industry, coaches, teams and fundraisers under one roof to plan for the future of the shooting sports.
How to Get Involved
Want to support your local team? It’s as easy as clicking a button. The MidwayUSA Foundation’s website lets you search for teams and donate directly—and yes, every single dollar qualifies for a match.
Some creative ways teams are stacking up their endowments include:
- Online auctions, where winning bids fund specific teams
- Fundraisers using free gear from the Foundation (think rifles, optics, knives)
- Partnering with local businesses or sportsmen’s clubs
- Leveraging employer donation matching programs
It’s a grassroots fundraising machine, supercharged by a national powerhouse.
The beauty of the MidwayUSA Foundation’s model is its permanence. These aren’t one-time checks—they’re long-term investments. Endowments mean that, no matter what, a team has access to financial support every year. That kind of stability? It’s virtually unheard of in youth sports.
By focusing on endowments, building a donation match culture, and expanding range and organizational grants, the MidwayUSA Foundation is creating a self-sustaining future for America’s youth shooters.
And maybe, just maybe, that local rifle squad in rural Iowa or trap team in suburban Texas won’t just survive—they’ll thrive.
While other youth sports are cutting programs and scrambling for donors, the MidwayUSA Foundation is quietly rewriting the rules for what’s possible. With every matched dollar and every new endowment, the MidwayUSA Foundation isn’t just funding the future—it’s firing the first shot of a national movement.
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