In 2025, our Foundation awarded 77 grants statewide totaling $1,687,849 for conservation, youth education, and outdoor recreation programs.

This project supports a hunting lease that provides safe, accessible hunting opportunities for youth and families. The initiative fosters conservation-minded hunters through mentored deer, turkey, and small game hunts.

This project creates a new educational exhibit explaining how springs form and why they matter, enhancing visitor understanding of Florida’s unique water resources. The exhibit expands the Welcome Center’s role as a hub for public learning and springs conservation.

This project launches a citizen science program in Fanning Springs, where volunteers conduct monthly water quality and ecological monitoring. The program strengthens community involvement and creates local ambassadors dedicated to protecting and celebrating Florida’s spring ecosystems.

This project launches a citizen science program that trains volunteers to monitor water quality and ecological conditions at Manatee Springs each month. The effort builds community engagement while generating valuable data and ambassadors for protecting Florida’s spring ecosystems.

This project produces a new educational film that explores Florida’s underwater cave systems and highlights the connections between groundwater, springs, and land use. Blending archival and modern footage, the documentary and its impact campaign aim to inspire statewide public awareness and protect threatened spring ecosystems.

This project expands ongoing submerged aquatic vegetation restoration by installing new herbivore exclusion cages in Salt Springs Creek to promote eelgrass and other native plant regrowth. CMARI and partners will monitor vegetation recovery, maintain existing exclosures, and provide on-site education to reduce damage and support long-term habitat improvement.

This project tracks growing winter manatee use in Salt and Silver Glen Springs while documenting habitat conditions and recreational pressures that may affect the animals. It also expands the Manatee Docent Observer Program, training volunteers to reduce harassment and encourage responsible recreation around these important natural warm-water sites.

This project completes phylogenomic analyses of Florida’s highly localized Floridobia and Aphaostracon springsnails by sequencing additional specimens collected in 2024. The work expands sample sizes, includes potentially undescribed taxa, and improves geographic coverage to better understand species diversity, relationships, and conservation needs.

This project will allow more paralyzed Veterans to safely participate in deer and hog hunts on public lands through the purchase of adaptive equipment—such as an accessible side-by-side vehicle, hunting blinds, and safety gear . Expanding these long-running adaptive hunts will improve quality of life for disabled Veterans while aiding hog population control and strengthening community involvement in wildlife management.

This project will study how counties across Florida use Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) programs to protect land while guiding growth. By updating a statewide inventory and identifying what makes certain programs successful, the project will offer practical recommendations to help communities use TDR tools to conserve wildlife habitat, strengthen coastal resilience, and support sustainable land use.

This project hosts a public eelgrass planting event in a permitted area near Hunter Springs Beach, giving community members hands-on experience in spring restoration. A professionally recorded video will showcase the effort and inspire broader participation in aquatic habitat restoration across Florida.

This annual cleanup engages volunteers in removing litter across the Apalachicola National Forest. The event improves wildlife habitat and promotes stewardship of public lands.

This project expands archery opportunities for more than 40 students through new equipment and instruction. Students build responsibility and confidence while learning a traditional outdoor skill.

This research evaluates how wild turkeys respond to different habitat management practices. The results guide informed decisions that support sustainable turkey populations.

This program expands archery instruction for more than 500 Girl Scouts, offering progressive skill development. Participants build confidence, leadership, and appreciation for outdoor recreation.

This initiative introduces participants to 3D archery through structured events simulating real hunting scenarios. The program improves accuracy, safety, and confidence for bowhunters.

This project supports Belmont Academy’s archery program with new equipment and travel for competitions. Students develop confidence and teamwork while gaining experience in archery.

This initiative expands 4-H shooting sports, introducing youth to archery, rifle, and shotgun disciplines. Participants learn discipline and safety while exploring outdoor traditions.

This long-running event brings together hunters for field trials and a bench show celebrating traditional fox hunting culture. The program promotes sportsmanship and conservation values.

This project hosts hunts and outdoor activities for wounded veterans across two regions. Participants benefit from therapeutic outdoor experiences and strong peer camaraderie.

This project installs natural limestone breakwaters to protect and restore the eroding mangrove islands and seagrass beds of Jupiter Narrows, a key habitat in the southern Indian River Lagoon. By stabilizing sediments and reducing wave damage, the effort supports long-term ecosystem recovery and protects the wildlife that depends on these coastal habitats.

This supports Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) in building a new facility to support manatee rehabilitation, addressing the decline in Florida’s manatee population. The new center will include pools for critical care and rehabilitation, allowing CMA to assist more manatees affected by threats like seagrass loss and boat strikes. The project aims to enhance CMA’s capacity to care for manatees and mitigate population decline.

This project will establish a statewide center that brings Florida’s universities, agencies, and industry partners together to share water data, improve coordination, and drive smarter decisions about protecting the state’s waters. It will also create a unified hub for research, best practices, and public education, helping Florida lead the way in innovative and sustainable water resource management.

This project will expand Eco Club’s long-running manatee protection mission by installing a new hydroponic garden, upgrading existing lettuce-growing towers, and supporting teachers who lead hands-on environmental learning. It will also launch an education campaign that teaches students and families how to prevent boat strikes and protect the fragile habitats manatees rely on for survival.

This grant provides funding to educate visitors on the impact of invasive species through interactive exhibits. The center features displays on invasive frogs, snakes, and lionfish, teaching the public about their environmental threats. Educational programs like dissections help engage visitors in understanding how invasive species harm native ecosystems.

This project will expand acoustic tracking of juvenile sea turtles in St. Joseph Bay by adding 50 new transmitters to better understand how young loggerhead, green, and Kemp’s ridley turtles move, survive, and use critical habitats. It will combine tracking and long-term recapture data to guide conservation strategies for these protected species and support their recovery across Florida.

This project will restore damaged mangrove islands and seagrass beds in the Jupiter Narrows by installing limestone breakwaters, planting red mangroves, and monitoring long-term recovery. It will also fund the engineering revisions and contractor oversight needed to move the restoration into construction as soon as permits are approved.

This project expands FAU Harbor Branch’s floating field lab, giving more students and community groups hands-on experiences studying the Indian River Lagoon. Through interactive science activities, the program builds environmental stewardship and inspires interest in conservation and STEM careers.

This project documents population trends, subspecies identity, and year-round movements of diamondback terrapins in Biscayne Bay to establish a baseline for future conservation. The research supports habitat management and informs broader coastal restoration efforts for this rare and understudied species.

This project increases local mangrove restoration capacity by expanding a Keys-based nursery that grows native propagules and supplies trees for community planting events. Through partnerships, volunteer programs, and hands-on education, the effort accelerates habitat recovery while engaging residents in coastal conservation.

This event engages over 200 youth and families in dog handling, outdoor skills, and wildlife education. The program builds community connections while promoting hunting and conservation traditions.

This project analyzes DNA from fin clips and environmental samples to determine whether South Florida’s permit populations are connected and genetically robust. The findings will guide fisheries management by clarifying population structure, supporting evaluation of the Special Permit Zone, and helping identify potential spawning sites.

This project supports Ocean Rescue Alliance International’s coral lab research, artificial reef studies, and applied marine science to strengthen reef restoration and ecosystem resilience. Through innovative techniques and scientific collaboration, the effort advances practical solutions for restoring Florida’s marine environments.

This project will test and refine eDNA sampling methods at four major Florida springs to create reliable, cost-effective tools for detecting native and invasive fish species. It will also evaluate how trained volunteers can help collect data, building a scalable, statewide monitoring program that supports early invasion detection, ecosystem restoration, and stronger public partnerships in spring conservation.

This project will conduct the first in-depth study of microplastics and plastic-related chemicals in Rainbow Springs, testing both the water and resident turtles to reveal whether these pollutants are entering the food web. The findings will pinpoint contamination sources and challenge assumptions about spring purity, helping guide future protection and statewide monitoring strategies.

This project creates an engaging exhibit that teaches visitors how invasive fish are introduced and how they harm native ecosystems. By promoting responsible behaviors and community involvement, the exhibit builds public support for biodiversity protection and invasive species management.

This project examines how native and non-native submerged aquatic vegetation supports macroinvertebrate communities across four Florida spring systems. The findings will inform restoration strategies, guide management through a new SAV–macroinvertebrate index, and engage the public through educational outreach and conservation-focused media.

This project studies how fish in low–dissolved oxygen springs use the water’s surface and substrate under different conditions, including the presence of algae and supplemental oxygen. Using a four-chamber enclosure and underwater cameras, researchers will observe how oxygen levels influence feeding and behavior.

This project analyzes previously collected tissues to measure baseline mercury levels in Florida’s coastal Seaside Sparrow subspecies and compare contamination across sites, ages, sexes, and breeding groups. The results will identify populations most at risk from mercury and other toxicants in warming, pollution-impacted salt marsh habitats.

Outdoor Youth Day introduces young people and families to outdoor skills through fishing, archery, and conservation activities. The event creates positive first experiences that foster long-term interest in Florida’s outdoor heritage.

This project processes donated game meat and distributes it to families in need across Florida. The effort increases food security while supporting ethical hunting and community stewardship.

Camp La-No-Che expands safe, age-appropriate shooting sports programs for thousands of youth and adults each year. The program promotes safety, responsibility, and lifelong interest in outdoor recreation.

This project hosts youth and Wounded Warrior waterfowl hunts that build outdoor skills, mentorship, and conservation awareness. The events strengthen community connections while promoting Florida’s hunting heritage.

This project engages citizen scientists on the Zooniverse platform to help identify species and behaviors in underwater videos from the Florida Keys. Their annotations—validated by experts—accelerate research on fish spawning aggregations and solution hole biodiversity while raising public awareness and supporting science-based marine conservation.

This project updates the distribution of Johne’s disease in the endangered Key deer population, where the infection has been present but historically localized to southern Big Pine Key. The findings will guide disease mitigation strategies for wildlife managers and rehabilitators working to protect this vulnerable, single-island subspecies.

This project investigates how solution holes—small limestone depressions that serve as biodiversity hotspots—support marine species at different life stages in the Florida Keys. Through remote sensing, cameras, diver surveys, and LiDAR, the study measures species use and tracks habitat changes to guide long-term conservation of this rapidly declining ecosystem.

This project conducts an urgent, range-wide survey of the federally endangered Florida salt marsh vole after recent hurricanes caused severe habitat damage and a lack of detections in areas where the species was previously found. The results will guide targeted habitat management and restoration efforts for the refuge and other land managers working to support this extremely vulnerable species.

This project tests whether sexually produced sponge larvae can be collected and grown to enhance FWC’s ongoing sponge restoration work in the Florida Keys. By adding genetically diverse, sexually produced individuals to nurseries that currently rely on cloned tissue cuttings, the effort aims to strengthen restoration outcomes for degraded nearshore sponge communities.

These Earth Day events engage volunteers in habitat restoration and conservation education. The activities promote stewardship and long-term community involvement in protecting Florida’s natural areas.

This project uses genetic barcoding of naturally infested fish to identify host species for Florida’s freshwater mussels, many of which remain unknown. With first-year funding already supporting lab analyses, this second year continues the work to fill critical gaps needed for conserving both common and federally listed mussel species.

This project upgrades FWC’s new bat education trailer with video displays, power equipment, and other tools that transform it from a static exhibit into an engaging, mobile learning experience. The enhancements allow the trailer to operate at more events and give visitors a deeper understanding of Florida’s bat species and the importance of bat conservation.

This project uses radio telemetry to understand how adult Say’s Spiketail dragonflies use terrestrial habitats within longleaf pine restoration areas. The findings will help guide habitat management and restoration practices that support this rare species in Florida.

This project adds oyster shell and POSH modules to a degraded oyster rake along the south Amelia River to boost its elevation and reduce nest overwash for state-listed American oystercatchers. If successful, the approach may expand to additional nearby rakes, improving nesting habitat across the area.

This project partners FWC and UF to study the ecology and conservation status of the Cedar Key mole skink, a coastal lizard threatened by severe habitat loss and recent hurricane damage. The research will fill critical knowledge gaps needed to guide future management and protect this newly proposed endangered species.

This project investigates nutritional and developmental differences between wild and captive Florida grasshopper sparrows to strengthen captive breeding success. By examining indicators like carotenoid levels in eggs, the team is improving diets and husbandry practices to support healthier birds for release.

This project delivers the final results of FWRI’s sandhill plant-pollinator studies through new web content, outreach materials, public talks, and curated insect collections. It also brings agencies together for a workshop on applying these findings to land management and supports presenting the research at national conferences.

This project updates nearly decade-old population and genetic data for Florida’s major black bear subpopulations using hair samples and genetic mark-recapture methods. Funding supports new genetic analysis and fieldwork that will guide long-term bear conservation across the state.

This program introduces 4-H youth to hunting, habitat exploration, and outdoor education. Participants build conservation leadership skills through hands-on learning.

This project expands chronic wasting disease surveillance near the Georgia border and maintains elevated monitoring statewide to determine whether the disease is spreading. The effort supports proactive management, outreach, and biosecurity measures to protect Florida’s deer populations and the communities that depend on them.

This youth hunt provides guided deer and dove hunting opportunities in honor of Halee’s legacy. Participants gain outdoor skills while learning safe hunting practices and conservation ethics.

This inaugural event introduces youth to safe, ethical turkey hunting through guided experiences. Participants build confidence and learn conservation principles through hands-on mentorship.

This annual family hunt provides mentored dove and small-game hunting experiences for more than 100 participants. The event promotes safe practices and strengthens family participation in Florida’s hunting heritage.

Florida BHA conducts beginner archery workshops focused on safe shooting practices. Participants gain foundational skills that encourage continued involvement in archery and hunting.

This project expands muzzle loader shooting and hunting programs with training, equipment, and organized events. Participants develop traditional skills while learning safety and conservation values.

The L.O.S.T. program provides women with hands-on training in hunting, fishing, and conservation skills. Participants build confidence while becoming more involved in Florida’s outdoor heritage.

This project establishes and maintains food plots to improve habitat for game species. The enhanced habitat supports wildlife populations and strengthens local hunting opportunities.

This event engages youth in dog handling, fieldwork, and sportsmanship through field trials and a bench show. The program promotes mentorship and preserves Florida’s sporting traditions.

This project provides bear-resistant trash cans, food lockers, reinforced straps, and enclosures to neighborhoods in the 16 counties with the highest human-bear conflicts. By helping entire communities secure their attractants—especially where homes lack garages or sheds—the program reduces conflicts, improves public safety, and supports healthy coexistence between people and bears.

This initiative offers mentored turkey hunts for youth and women, teaching safe and ethical hunting practices. Participants gain hands-on experience while learning conservation principles.

Operation Florida provides guided hunting and fishing opportunities that support recovery and resilience in veterans and first responders. The program strengthens community connections through shared outdoor experiences.

This project expands youth archery access by providing equipment, instruction, and safe facilities. The program builds responsibility and sportsmanship while fostering interest in outdoor recreation.

This training program teaches safe, ethical trapping skills to women and youth. Participants gain hands-on experience while learning conservation practices tied to Florida’s heritage.

This initiative expands youth archery instruction and provides safe practice opportunities. Students build confidence and discipline while learning an outdoor tradition.

This project provides accessible hunting and archery opportunities using EcoRover technology. Participants with mobility challenges experience safe outdoor recreation and strengthened independence.

This project funds the statewide NASP archery tournament for over 1,000 student archers. The event promotes safe, inclusive archery participation and strengthens youth engagement in conservation.

This program expands outdoor education, mentorship, and recreation opportunities for youth and families. Participants build skills and appreciation for Florida’s natural resources through guided activities.