Charitable Giving for Youth Shooting Sports

SUPPORT YOUTH SHOOTING SPORTS WHILE DEDUCTING 100% OF ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ONE-TIME OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2021 THROUGH EXTENSIONS OF THE 2020 CARES ACT.

DEDUCT UP TO 100% OF AGI

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY BY ITEMIZING DEDUCTIONS WITH GIFTS TO CHARITY. PRIOR TO THE CARES ACT, THE MAXIMUM DEDUCTION WAS 60% OF AGI

THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR 100% DEDUCTION OF AGI APPLIES TO CASH DONATIONS TO PUBLIC CHARITIES.

SOME DONORS REACH 100% OF AGI BY GIVING A PERCENTAGE OF AGI TO THEIR DONOR-ADVISED FUND AND THE REMAINING AS CASH DIRECT TO PUBLIC CHARITIES. PUBLICLY TRADED STOCK MAY ALSO BE UTILIZED TO REACH 100%, SOME DONORS MAY ELECT TO GIVE 100% CASH DIRECT TO PUBLIC CHARITIES.

EVEN IF YOU DON’T ITEMIZE, THE CARES ACT STILL PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.

EVERY INDIVIDUAL CAN DONATE $300 TO CHARITY AND RECEIVE THE CORRESPONDING BENEFIT. MARRIED COUPLES CAN DONATE $600 TO CHARITY AND GET THIS “ABOVE THE LINE” DEDUCTION. IT’S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO SUPPORT YOUTH SHOOTING SPORTS.

STOCKS OR MUTUAL FUNDS.

BY ALLEVIATING YOUR CAPITAL GAINS TAX, THIS MAY BE A MORE ADVANTAGEOUS ASSET TO DONATE BASED ON YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.

DONOR-ADVISED FUND

YOU CAN ITEMIZE CONTRIBUTIONS TO A DONOR-ADVISED FUND, AND DESIGNATE A GIFT TO SUPPORT SCHOLASTIC SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION

SIMPLE DONATION FROM A CHECKING ACCOUNT.

MONEY SAVED IN OTHER AREAS CAN SERVE AS A GIFT FROM YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT, WHICH PROVIDES IMMEDIATE, MEANINGFUL SUPPORT TO THE HEALTH OF YOUTH SHOOTING TEAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY

IRA QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTIONS

YOU CAN GIFT UP TO $100,000 ANNUALLY FROM YOUR IRA, CALLED A QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION (QCD) AND ARE EXCLUDED FROM YOUR TAXABLE INCOME.

ANYONE AGE 72 OR OLDER AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2021, MUST TAKE THEIR REQUIRED MINIMUM DEDUCTION (RMD) BY YEAR-END. THIS INCLUDES INHERITED IRAS. IF IT IS YOUR FIRST RMD, YOU HAVE UNTIL APRIL 1, 2022.

RMDS MAY ALSO BE TRANSFERRED TO A QUALIFIED CHARITY.

INDIVIDUALS 701⁄2 YEARS OLD AND UP TO DONATE UP TO $100,000 DIRECTLY TO CHARITIES OR A DESIGNATED FUND. THIS GIFT ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO INCREASE THEIR GIVING WITHOUT INCREASING THEIR TAXABLE INCOME.

THOSE WHO ARE 591⁄2 YEARS OLD CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY BY TAKING A DISTRIBUTION FROM THEIR RETIREMENT ACCOUNT AND CONTRIBUTING CASH UP TO 100% OF AGI. THIS ALLOWS THE 100% OF AGI OPPORTUNITY TO BE ATTAINABLE FOR MANY PEOPLE.

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.

Athletes, Alum, and Staff represent at Tokyo Olympics

Although the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics did not allow in-person spectators, the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) had a lot to cheer about. Program alumnus, current athletes, and staff were among the incredible lineup of USA Olympic shooting athletes on the big stage in Tokyo. These representatives of Team USA and USA Shooting competed in their particular disciplines of International Skeet, Bunker Trap, 10 Meter Air Pistol, and 10 Meter Air Rifle. These sports are also practiced in the respective team-based youth shooting sports programs of the SCTP and SASP. With 3 Gold medals, 2 Silver medals, and 1 Bronze for USA in Tokyo 2020 Olympic shooting events, let's take a look a deeper look at each:


William Shaner - Gold, Men's 10 Meter Air Rifle

The 20-year old air rifle athlete from Colorado Springs headed to the final on July 25th after placing 3rd in the qualifier earlier in the day. His sixty shots scored for a 630.8, just 1.9 points behind the #1 qualifying athlete. William went on to set a new Olympic Record in the Finals, with his 24 shots scoring a 251.6 to edge out China's Lihao Sheng by 0.7 points. The University of Kentucky student previously won Gold at the 2021 ISSF World Cup in Croatia and as part of the Men's air rifle team at the 2021 ISSF World Cup in New Delhi.

Amber English - Gold, Women's Skeet

1st Lt. Amber English of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, is also a Colorado Springs native. Growing up in a shooting family, Amber began shooting at the age of six. Program representatives recall that 1st Lt. English attended early Scholastic Clay Target Program training camp events on her way to her destiny of becoming an Olympic Gold athlete. On day 1 and 2 of the Women's Skeet Qualification, Amber put up impressive scores before heading to the final on July 26th. There, she set a new Olympic Record of 56 targets, dethroning 2016 Olympic champion Diana Bacosi.

Vincent Hancock - Gold, Men's Skeet

Vincent Hancock, an athlete alumnus of the Scholastic Clay Target Program set a new Olympic Record of 59 targets and became the first Olympic athlete to have won three gold medals in skeet. Hancock attended the very first SCTP training camp on his way to becoming an Olympic athlete. In 2005, at age of 16, Hancock won his first World Championship title in Men's Skeet and went on to win the prestigious International Shooting Sport Federation's Shooter of the Year award.

Hancock's shooting career continued on a path to Olympic gold after participation in the SCTP youth shooting sports program. At the age of 20, Hancock won the Gold Medal in the World Championships in 2009 and continued on to serve in the Army's coveted Marksmanship Unit.

As a proud alumnus, Hancock has conducted training clinics for SCTP members and made appearances at National Championship events to meet and support the next generation of young athletes. His Gold medal victory in Tokyo provided a clean sweep for USA in the Skeet events after Amber English's respective Gold medal performance earlier that day.

Kayle Browning - Silver, Women's Trap

Kayle Browning began her journey in sporting clays where she made the open All-American Team at just 12 years old. The following year, she attended a Junior Olympic Development Camp where she became focused on bunker trap when she realized it was a sport at the Olympics. In 2007, won the bronze medal in the National Junior Olympic Championships. Her performance in Tokyo secured a Silver medal for the US, breaking just one target less than the event leader from Slovakia.

In response to International events being held on the front end of Nationals, Kayle attended the 2020 SCTP National Championship to provide coaching for youth athletes focused on Bunker Trap. Kayle covered the National Championship in her podcast, Beyond The Podium. Listen to the episode here: Beyond The Podium: SCTP Nationals

Madelynn Bernau, Brian Burrows - Bronze, Mixed Team Trap

Madelyn or "Maddy" Bernau began her path to becoming an Olympian when she joined the Waterford Wolverine Shooting Team, participating in the Scholastic Clay Target Program. In the Spring of 2014, Maddy attended an SCTP development camp as a team member on the SCTP International Team, held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The camp was designed to introduce young SCTP athletes into the Olympic disciplines of shotgun sports by subject matter experts, including team coach, Olympic trapshooting medalist Terri DeWitt.

Madelyn (center) with fellow SCTP International Camp members in 2014

"We try to provide a structure and open doors for all our athletes," said Tom Wondrash, SCTP National Director. "Maddy has walked through that door and climbed to a new level. She's setting an outstanding example of where our kids can go."

Madelyn's Bronze medal came after a heartbreaking qualification round of Women's Trap, missing the cutoff by one clay behind her USA teammate, Kayle Browning. For the Mixed Team event, Bernau was one of only two shooters to break all 75 targets. Alongside Team USA and event teammate, Brian Burrows, a shootoff against Slovakia came down to a dropped target that opened up the opportunity for Maddy. A brief moment of performing her pre-shot routine was all she needed to execute, breaking the next target and securing Bronze for the US.

Mary Tucker, Lucas Kozeniesky - Bronze, Mixed Team 10 Meter Air Rifle

After placing 6th in their respective 10 Meter Air Rifle events, Mary Tucker and Lucas Kozeniesky competed in the Mixed Team event on July 27th. With both US mixed teams making it to the second stage of qualification, Mary and Lucas went on to the final with a score of 418, outshooting the ROC for Silver.

James Hall - 10 Meter Air Pistol

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program’s own Director of Development for International Disciplines, James Hall represented Team USA in the 10 Meter Air Pistol and Mixed Team events. Hall’s journey to the Olympic stage began at Jacksonville State University, where he was a four-time All American, Team Captain, and USA National Rifle Team Member. Hall secured the first U.S. quota spot in air pistol for the Olympics in Tokyo with his Gold medal at the 2018 Championship of the Americas. James was just one point from making the 10 Meter Air Pistol final and shot more x’s than all but two athletes in the qualifier. Hall placed 10th in the mixed team event alongside teammate Sandra Uptagrafft.

As the official youth feeder program for USA Shooting, Hall quickly established and continues to expand the SASP’s new international disciplines of 10 Meter Air Rifle, 10 Meter Air Pistol, and Sport Pistol.

Jackson Leverett and Henry Leverett - Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol

Scholastic Action Shooting Program athletes, Jackson Leverett and Henry Leverett are sophomores of the Ohio State University Pistol Team. Prior to joining the pistol team at Ohio, Leveretts set four USA Shooting national records in junior men’s Rapid Fire and junior men’s Sport Pistol. Henry won the U.S. Olympic Rapid Fire quota spot for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after placing 5th in the 2019 World Cup Bejing, while Jackson helped Team USA win gold medals in Air Pistol and Rapid Fire in the 2018 Championship of the Americas. As current SASP athletes, both Jackson and Henry are SSSF College All Americans, having secured their spots on the 1st teams for international air, sport, and standard pistol. Henry and Jackson Leverett placed 22nd and 25th in the 2nd qualification stage, respectively.

Over $600K To Benefit Youth Shooting Sports Teams Through Reload For 2021 Campaign

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation‘s (SSSF) Reload For 2021 campaign raised $311,657, thanks to participating teams and donors! To date, this is the SSSF's most successful fundraising campaign, with funds benefiting teams totaling over $600,000! The Reload For 2021 campaign provides immediate funds teams can use for the 2021 shooting season AND provides funds to their MidwayUSA Foundation team endowment account to benefit teams FOREVER.

Total impact for the campaign amounts to just over $155,000 in cash grants going to SCTP and SASP teams, and over $366,000 being donated by SSSF to the participating team’s MidwayUSA Foundation endowment accounts! Funds that are MidwayUSA Foundation Match Eligible totaled over $78,000.

Congratulations to the teams that worked hard to compete in our team endowment bonus fund competitions of most dollars raised and most unique donors. The SSSF awarded an additional $60,000 pool of funding to teams claiming those accolades in places 1st through 6th, with those funds being allocated to team endowment accounts held at the MidwayUSA Foundation.

Final team standings for each competition:

Reload For 2021- $100K For December

We are excited to announce additional match funding for SSSF's Reload For 2021 campaign! All donations received in the month of December will receive extra match funding from SSSF!

SSSF will provide a pool of $100,000 in match funding for the entire month of December. The ratio of that match will vary based on the number of total contribution dollars received in December for the campaign. For example, if SSSF receives $100,000 in donations in December, all donations will be matched 1:1.If SSSF receives $50,000 in donations for the month of December, all donations will be matched 2:1, etc.

This special SSSF December match will be directed to your team endowment account at the MidwayUSA Foundation. Also, keep in mind that 25% of each donation your team receives will be sent to the MidwayUSA Foundation where it will be matched under the current MidwayUSA Foundation matching program. See our official campaign page for details.  

SSSF Donates Over $450,000 To Youth Shooting Sports Teams

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) recently donated $451,258.50 to Team Endowment Accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation, providing assistance for youth shooting sports expenses. Teams earned funds by raising money through the SSSF’s Reload For 2021 campaign and the SSSF Member Matching Program. Teams purchasing ATA and or NSSA/NSCA memberships through the SCTP also had deposits made to their accounts.

So far, this year's donations have benefited 339 teams participating in the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) and Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), participating throughout 37 different states. The growth of youth shooting sports is apparent, as the number of benefiting teams has increased nearly four-fold since 2018. To date, the SSSF has donated over $6.9 million to SCTP and SASP team endowment accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation.

SSSF MidwayUSA Foundation Endowment Account Donation Summary

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Please contact the SSSF for more information on how your shooting team can earn team endowment funding for their account at the MidwayUSA Foundation.

The Team Endowment Program at the MidwayUSA Foundation gives a community the ability to financially support a competitive youth shooting sports program or financially assist in the start-up of a new youth shooting sports program. The team can then request a grant of up to 5% of their endowment account balance once each year, in either December or June, to pay for team expenses. For more information about how the MidwayUSA Foundation is changing the future of youth shooting sports, please visit midwayusafoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.

Use Amazon Smile For A Simple Donation To Youth Shooting Sports

Did you know that nearly $2,000 has been donated to the SSSF through AmazonSmile? When online shopping on Amazon, please consider using selecting the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation as your charity of choice!

Our supporters have selected the SSSF as their Amazon Smile Charity and continued online shopping as they normally do, with most purchases qualifying for a portion to be donated. Thank you to our community and even some of our sponsors, like America's Gunsmith Shop for selecting the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation as their AmazonSmile charity!

Here's how to shop AmazonSmile:

Simply shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/20-8484121

OR

1. Visit smile.amazon.com

2. Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials

3. Search for and select the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation Inc as your charity of choice4. Start shopping!

5. Add a bookmark for smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile

SSSF Fruit Fundraiser

Hello SCTP & SASP Coaches and Teams!

The National office in conjunction with Florida Indian River Groves have put together the ultimate fundraising opportunity for you and your teams! Who doesn’t want fresh fruit especially when they can help your team raise much needed funds for this upcoming season?!

This opportunity is a no contact, no face to face, no door knocking way to help and support your team by just emailing friends, family and neighbors! 10% of all sales will come back directly to your team in the form of a check after the December 1st deadline for Christmas delivery.

The SCTP and SASP will furnish a list of prizes and places very shortly, so take the time now to register your team at the link below and we will handle the rest! Once your team is registered, it will take approximately 48-72 hours and you will be on your way to forwarding the link and website for supporters to place orders and help your team with funding!

Coaches, once you have registered your team, you will be able to set up your athletes and track their progress and total sales volume related to each athlete (salesperson)…..you can put up individual prizes and contests for your athletes as well!

We would like to thank Florida Indian River Groves for their support and help in providing this awesome

Opportunity to our teams, athletes and families!

Best of luck,

Your SCTP and SASP National Directors

TO RESERVE A SPOT IN OUR FUNDRAISING PROGRAM, TEAMS WILL REGISTER AT THIS FORM:

To view a sample website, which shows available varieties, selling prices, etc., coaches may use this link:

(Note: This is NOT to be distributed by your membership or used for ordering. Each team will receive their very own, fully customized website, with a different link for online ordering.)

Sample Link: https://www.floridaindianrivergroves.com/ecommerce/1020824

Order Deadlines Are As Follows:

For Guaranteed Delivery Prior To:Orders Must Be Placed Online By:
Thanksgiving (November 26, 2020)Friday, October 30, 2020
Christmas (December 25, 2020)Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Reload For 2021 Campaign

In 2016 the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation launched a campaign entitled, “VISION 20/20” with the goal to grow national youth participation in the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program to over 20,000 student-athletes annually by the year 2020.

WITH THAT GOAL EASILY BEING MET AND SURPASSED, WE ARE RELAUNCHING THIS FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY AS RELOAD FOR 2021!

GETTING YOUR TEAM INVOLVED IS SIMPLE AND INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
  1. Complete and return the Reload For 2021 Agreement and W-9.
  2. Open your team endowment account at the MidwayUSA Foundation if you have not done so already.
  3. Raise funds however your team deems most effective. This could include sending in funds from current or previous local fundraising efforts, soliciting donations with an email invitation via your team network of coaches and parents, asking local donors and/or advertising on social media.
  4. Submit donations to SSSF either securely online or via the print-and-mail form prior to January 1, 2021. Be sure to include your SSSF team ID on ALL donations so the donations can be allocated correctly. SSSF will provide you with periodic updates about donations received for your team.

Bonus Funding Opportunity
All teams participating in the Reload For 2021 campaign will have the opportunity to win BONUS team endowment funds! There are two competitions taking place:

  1. Teams with the most dollars raised.
  2. Teams with the most unique donors making donations via the SSSF website or print and mail form. Minimum donation is $20 to be counted as a unique donor.

For each competition, teams will be awarded team endowment funding to their MidwayUSA Foundation team endowment account as follows:

  1. $10,000
  2. $8,000
  3. $5,000
  4. $3,000
  5. $2,500
  6. $1,500

DONORS MAY BE SENT TO THE RELOAD FOR 2021 PAGE ON THE SSSF WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THEIR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO YOUR SCTP OR SASP TEAM AND PERKS FOR THEIR SUPPORT: HTTPS://SSSFONLINE.ORG/RF2021/

SSSF Seeks Information Technology Support Manager

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is seeking a highly motivated individual to assume the role of Information Technology Support Manager.  The successful candidate will have a broad background in IT support and be responsible for all aspects of information technology support for SSSF and its members.

The successful candidate will be responsible for all aspects of information technology (IT) support for the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation, Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program. The successful candidate will play the lead role in supporting the organizations’ information technology needs.

Primary Responsibilities Include:

  • Management of the helpdesk system to support and provide excellent customer service to SSSF program members
  • Working with diverse groups including SSSF/SCTP/SASP management, customers, partners, contractors and other stakeholders to provide support and enhancement of SSSF IT systems
  • Managing all aspects of SSSF internal IT and IT assets
  • Coordinating IT system training for staff members and customers in a remote environment
  • Creating and delivering support documentation, end-user tutorials, videos, etc.
  • Creating and delivering comprehensive testing and implementation plans for new software and/or enhancements
  • Ordering IT hardware, maintaining IT software subscriptions and related support for SSSF staff
  • Planning and executing both internal and end-user training Interacting with management, staff, membership, contractors and others to execute job duties
  • Constantly monitoring and evaluating technology trends and developments
  • Some on-call and weekend work will be required

Download complete position description and how to apply here…

SASP Team Introduces New Shooters With First Shots Program

The NSSF's First Shots and +ONE initiatives have aimed to introduce new groups and individuals alike to shooting sports. With August being declared National Shooting Sports Month, these resources have been utilized by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation's SASP and SCTP members as a means to grow their teams for the upcoming season.

The SASP team, WildGats at the University of Arizona got their start in 2015 thanks to an NSSF grant and have been an enthusiastic partner for NSSF initiatives ever since.

This youth shooting sports team has been focused on sharing their sport via First Shots events for several years and just put on their latest introductory event on August 22nd. Along with event partners Southeast Regional Park Shooting Range and Pima County Parks and Recreation, the WildGats put on a wildly successful event.

"We had a 127 sign up in the first hour before we could announce that it was full," said WildGats Head Coach, Bill Perkins. "Talking to our guests, I was surprised. At our first five events, we have had ~50% new shooters.  When I asked for a show of hands at our latest First Shots event, ALL the hands went up in all three groups. We also saw very high participation by women.  I would guess over 80% this year."

Event staff greeted participants, with each group signing in and going through a quick temperature check. From there, new shooters were oriented by a First Shots powerpoint, staff introductions, gun safety rules, and future shooting opportunities.

First Shots participants being introduced to gun safety and county range rules

From there, the University of Arizona WildGats athletes taught new shooters the fundamentals of grip, stance, sight alignment, and trigger squeeze with visible laser SIRT trainers. NextLevel Training, Platinum Sponsor of the Scholastic Action Shooting Program, manufactures training tools, especially helpful for new shooters.

Introducing the fundamentals of pistol shooting with training tools gave new shooters the skills and confidence to progress before hitting the range

Once given an introduction, First Shots participants were taken to the live fire range, receiving 1:1 guidance with a Coach, Instructor or RSO.

© Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to providing shooting-sports education and opportunities to school-age youths around the United States to encourage young athlete personal growth and development.
Tax-ID number 20-8484121.