Legal and financial assistance to select individuals and organizations defending their right to keep and bear arms; sponsor legal research and education on firearms-related issues and the Second Amendment.
The largest recent grants from Nra Civil Rights Defense Fund went to the National Rifle Association, including $505,000 in 2025 and $595,496 in 2024, reflecting a grantmaking pattern centered on litigation tied to the right to keep and bear arms. The fund also supports individual organizations involved in firearms-related legal defense, such as Silent Majority Foundation in Pasco, Washington, and Delaware State Sportsmens Association in Lincoln, Delaware. Its stated work combines legal and financial assistance for select cases with research and education on Second Amendment and firearms-law issues. Recent awards show both high-dollar litigation support and smaller targeted legal assistance grants, alongside funding for scholarly writing and youth essay contests. The organization operates as a public charity and gives nationally, with grants reaching recipients in multiple states. Its program language emphasizes cases presenting significant or unsettled legal questions, plus research and education that support constitutional and firearms-law precedent.
Second Amendment litigation is a core area. In 2025, the fund gave $60,000 to Liberty Justice Center in Austin, Texas, and $59,242 to Association of NJ Rifle and Pistol Club Inc in N Haledon, New Jersey, both listed as legal-support grants. Legal assistance also appears in grants such as $50,000 to Hunter Sports Shooting Grounds in Massapequa, New York. The foundation also supports gun-owner legal defense through awards to clubs and associations, including $35,000 to The Buckeye Institute in Columbus, Ohio. Beyond case support, it funds research and education on firearms law, and its active programs include supported research grants and writing competitions tied to the Second Amendment. For students, it sponsors essay contests for K-12 participants and a law school research-and-writing competition.
Typical grant size sits at $13,612 at the 25th percentile, $23,128 at the median, and $49,632 at the 75th percentile. The recent list shows both repeated recipients and one-off awards: the National Rifle Association appears in multiple years, and Delaware State Sportsmens Association also received grants in 2024 and 2025. Nra Civil Rights Defense Fund is a public charity, not a private foundation, and it does not fund individuals directly. The grantmaking model is discretionary and project-restricted, with board review for litigation requests and accepted unsolicited requests in some program areas.
$890K
$16.7M
$3.1M
$1.1M
Most grants fall between $14K and $50K, with a median of $23K.
25th Percentile
$14K
Median
$23K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Giving is national and all recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients. Delaware stands out as the top state by grant count, with recipients including Delaware State Sportsmens Association in Lincoln. Virginia accounts for 18% of grants, reflecting awards to organizations in Fairfax, including the National Rifle Association. Other recipient locations in the recent list include Pasco, Washington; Austin, Texas; N Haledon, New Jersey; and Columbus, Ohio.
The fund supports legal assistance, research, and education tied to the right to keep and bear arms. Its active programs include litigation support for eligible cases, supported research grants, law school research-and-writing competition, and youth essay contests on the Second Amendment.
Litigation requests are reviewed by the Board of Trustees three times a year. The fund gives discretionary legal and financial assistance for select cases, with special interest in cases presenting compelling unsettled or new issues of law.
Yes. The National Rifle Association appears in multiple recent years, including 2023, 2024, and 2025. Delaware State Sportsmens Association also received more than one recent grant, in 2024 and 2025.
Among recent grants, the 25th percentile is $13,612, the median is $23,128, and the 75th percentile is $49,632. The dataset also includes larger litigation-related awards, such as $505,000 and $595,496 to the National Rifle Association.
Its geographic scope is national, and the top state by grant count is Delaware. Virginia is also a notable recipient state, with 18% of grants going to recipients there.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Nra Civil Rights Defense Fund that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Cases must involve significant issues relating to the right to keep and bear arms. Cases presenting compelling unsettled or new issues of law are of special interest. The site states there is a board review and approval process for determining which cases are funded.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Rifle Association | Fairfax, VA | $505,000 | 2025 | GRANTS TO NRA ARE MADE TO SUPPORT LITIGATION WHERE THE LITIGATION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE HUMAN, CIVIL, AND/OR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS. THESE GRANTS TO NRA ARE TO REIMBURSE THE LEGAL EXPENSES OF CASES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FUNDED AND PAID BY NRA INSTITUTE OF LEGISLATIVE ACTION. NRA CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENSE FUND'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVES THE FUNDING/REIMBURSEMENT OF THESE CASES BY THE NRA CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENSE FUND. |
| Silent Majority Foundation | Pasco, WA | $120,155 | 2025 | SEE STATEMENT |
| Delaware State Sportsmens Association | Lincoln, DE | $114,159 | 2025 | SEE STATEMENT |
| Liberty Justice Center | Austin, TX | $60,000 | 2025 | SEE STATEMENT |
| Association of NJ Rifle and Pistol Club Inc | N Haledon, NJ | $59,242 | 2025 | SEE STATEMENT |
| Sporting Arms Company | Lewiston, TX | $19,447 | 2025 | SEE STATEMENT |
| Western PA Sportmens Club | Murrysville, PA | $12,253 | 2025 | SEE STATEMENT |
| National Rifle Association | Fairfax, VA | $595,496 | 2024 | SEE STATEMENT |
| Hunter Sports Shooting Grounds | Massapequa, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | Legal Assistance |
| Delaware State Sportsmens Association | Lincoln, DE | $49,264 | 2024 | Legal Assistance |
| The Buckeye Institute | Columbus, OH | $35,000 | 2024 | Legal Assistance |
| Putnam County Part Gun Club | Eleanor, WV | $15,000 | 2024 | Legal Assistance |
| Association of NewJersey Rifle | N Haledon, NJ | $12,224 | 2024 | Legal Assistance |
| Deputy Big Shot LLC | Deputy, IN | $7,500 | 2024 | Legal Assistance |
| National Rifle Association | Fairfax, VA | $176,628 | 2023 | SEE STATEMENT |
| Western Pennsylvania Sportsmen's Club | Murrysville, PA | $23,128 | 2023 | Legal assistance |
| Granby Bow & Gun Club | Granby, MA | $15,000 | 2023 | Legal assistance |
| Deputy Big Shot LLC | Deputy, IN | $8,325 | 2023 | Legal assistance |
GRANTS TO NRA ARE MADE TO SUPPORT LITIGATION WHERE THE LITIGATION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE HUMAN, CIVIL, AND/OR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS. THESE GRANTS TO NRA ARE TO REIMBURSE THE LEGAL EXPENSES OF CASES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FUNDED AND PAID BY NRA INSTITUTE OF LEGISLATIVE ACTION. NRA CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENSE FUND'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVES THE FUNDING/REIMBURSEMENT OF THESE CASES BY THE NRA CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENSE FUND.
Silent Majority Foundation
$120,155SEE STATEMENT
Delaware State Sportsmens Association
$114,159SEE STATEMENT
Association of NJ Rifle and Pistol Club Inc
$59,242SEE STATEMENT
Sporting Arms Company
$19,447SEE STATEMENT
Western PA Sportmens Club
$12,253SEE STATEMENT
Hunter Sports Shooting Grounds
$50,000Legal Assistance
Delaware State Sportsmens Association
$49,264Legal Assistance
Putnam County Part Gun Club
$15,000Legal Assistance
Association of NewJersey Rifle
$12,224Legal Assistance
Deputy Big Shot LLC
$7,500Legal Assistance
Western Pennsylvania Sportsmen's Club
$23,128Legal assistance
Granby Bow & Gun Club
$15,000Legal assistance
Deputy Big Shot LLC
$8,325Legal assistance
