NANPA Foundation Photo Blinds Grant Program

These grants are available year-round. You will be notified with the results of the review process within 3 months of receipt of your application. Apply online here.

In 1997, the NANPA Foundation began funding construction of photo blinds in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This partnership initially resulted in 40 blinds at 37 National Wildlife Refuges in 24 states.

Today, the NANPA Foundation has expanded its funding efforts into a Photo Blind Grant Program which has resulted so far in helping erect 47 blinds in 29 states. This grant of up to $1,500 is awarded to qualifying groups interested in building or making modifications to a photo blind at any refuge, wildlife reserve, state/city park or other natural area.

Apply for Photo Blind Funding

To apply for funding, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Must be an organized group, i.e. Friends of the Refuge, Boy Scouts, camera club, bird watching group, land trust, etc.
• Grant checks may only be issued to 501(c)3 non-profit organizations, not individuals or private companies.
• Must provide written permission from the entity(ies) who owns and manages the land on which your organization proposes to build the blind including specific approval of the siting and location for the blind.
• The facility in question is suitable for nature photography of wildlife. No grants will be provided for captive or controlled animal photography or wildlife observation blinds.
• A wildlife photographer, preferably a professional or part-time professional, has sited the blind in consideration of the natural light at different times of day, facility operating hours, likely animal species to be present at different times of year and animal behavior and welfare.
• The organization must submit a simple set of plans and a bill of materials for the photo blind. You are welcome to use existing design plans that NANPA can make available to you.

Conditions for Approval

As part of the grant process, the NANPA Foundation asks that:

• A set of progress pictures will be taken and forwarded to the NANPA Foundation showing the site before, during and after completion of the project.
• Photos taken FROM the blind are also required.
• The applicant is responsible for recruiting the labor force to build the blind.
• The blind will be maintained and repaired as required.
• The NANPA Foundation will be given appropriate credit on the photo blind signage using the following language: “This blind was constructed with funds from the NANPA Foundation.”
• The blind or nearby information source such as a kiosk or trail sign will include a place of brochures provided by NANPA and the NANPA Foundation.

Application for Photo Blind Funding

To apply, complete and submit the online application form. Be sure to attach all relevant materials to your online application.

The grants are available year-round. You will be notified with the results of the review process within three months of receipt of your application.

List of Completed Photo Blinds

• Agassiz NWR, Middle River, MN (Aug. 2005)
• Balcones Canyonlands NWR, Marble Falls, TX (Dec. 2007)
• Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Brigham City, UT (2 blinds) (May. 1999)
• Black Bayou Lake NWR, Monroe, LA (Dec. 2004)
• Blackwater NWR, Cambridge, MD (Dec. 2000)
• Buenos Aires NWR, Sasabe, AZ (Nov. 2000)
• Cameron Prairie NWR, Bell City, LA (Sep. 2000)
• Cibola NWR, Cibola, AZ (Feb. 2005)
• DeSoto NWR, Missouri Valley, IA (Jan. 2001)
• Eagle Slough Nature Area, Evansville, IN (2 blinds, Nov. 2009/Oct. 2010)
• Edwards Waterfowl Production Area, Morris, MN (Nov. 2003)
• Ft. Niobrara-Valentine NWR, Valentine, NE (2 blinds) (Aug. 2003)
• Garey Park, Georgetown, TX (July 2019)
• Humboldt Bay NWR, Loleta, CA (Jan. 2005)
• Huron NWR, Big Bay, MI (Sep. 2006)
• John Heinz NWR, Philadelphia, PA (Apr. 2005)
• Kootenai NWR, Bonners Ferry, ID (July 2010)
• Lake Mattamuskeet NWR, Swan Quarter, NC (Nov. 2016)
• Marais des Cygnes NWR, Pleasanton, KS (Sep. 2011)
• Minnesota Valley NWR, Bloomington, MN (Dec. 2000)
• Modoc NWR, Altrus, CA (Sep. 2005)
• Montezuma NWR, Seneca Falls, NY (Sep. 2006)
• Moosehorn NWR, Baring, ME (Oct. 2000)
• Morris Wetland Management District, Morris, MN (Jan. 2004)
• Oxbow NWR, Devens, MA (Aug. 2006)
• Prairie Creek Preserve, Gainesville, FL (May 2021)
• Prime Hook NWR, Milton, DE (Jan. 2001)
• Quivira NWR, Quivira, KS (Dec. 2000)
• Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR, Commerce City, CO (Mar. 2006)
• Ruby Lake NWR, Ruby Valley, NV (Apr. 2000)
• Sacramento NWR, Willows, CA (May 2006)
• Seney NWR, MI (Oct. 2000)
• Shaw Nature Reserve, Gray Summit, MO (June 2017)
• Shiawassee NWR, Saginaw, MI (Oct. 2000)
• Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR, Calipatria, CA (2 blinds) (May 2000)
• St. Catherine Creek NWR, Natchez, MS (May 2003)
• St. Marks NWR, St. Marks, FL (Mar. 2005)
• Stillwater NWR, Fallon, NV (Oct. 2005)
• Tetlin NWR, Tok, AK (Sep. 2006)
• Tio & Janell Kleberg Wildlife Park, Kingsville, TX (2 blinds) (May 2019)
• Tishomingo NWR, Tishomingo, OK (Mar. 2005)
• Trempealeau NWR, Trempealeau, WI (Fall 2015)
• Turnbull NWR, Cheney, WA (Jul. 2005)
• Willapa NWR, Ilwaco, WA (Aug. 2003)
• William Finley NWR, Corvallis, OR (Jun. 2007)

Grantees, Share Your Project Photos

NANPA needs photos… of your completed blinds!

Please send photos of your blind projects, in before and after stages when completed to info@nanpafoundation.org. Photos will be used on the website and in printed material to promote further blind projects as well as use of your specific blind.