2018 Friends of NRA National Corporate Sponsor Program

The grassroots fundraising efforts organized by Friends of NRA’s countrywide network of Field Representatives, volunteers, attendees and donors who contribute to the local events would not be possible without the additional support of the program’s generous and enthusiastic corporate sponsors. Backed by a group of new and continuing industry sponsors, Friends of NRA is primed to continue achieving greater success and reaching more shooting sports enthusiasts in 2018.

Daniel Defense has been a program sponsor since 2014 and now enters its fifth year at the highest level of industry support for Friends of NRA—the National Corporate Sponsor Program’s exclusive Guardian level. After becoming involved with Friends of NRA by supplying rifles through the Vendor Direct program, the relationship between the program and the firearm and accessory manufacturer has grown stronger each year.

“Our commitment to Friends of NRA is the right thing to do,” said Cindy Daniel, Executive Vice President of Daniel Defense. “The future of shooting sports is very personal to Marty and me, as well as our entire team. Not only are we the National Corporate Sponsor, we’re also involved on a local level with Coastal Georgia Friends of NRA. I encourage everyone to find a way to get involved on some level to ensure the next generation has the same level of access to shooting sports.”

"I encourage everyone to find a way to get involved on some level to ensure the next generation has the same level of access to shooting sports."Cindy and Marty Daniel are passionate about supporting shooting programs focused on education and training for youth and women in particular, an interest that perfectly connects with The NRA Foundation’s goals to support educational programs that ensure the continuation of America’s proud shooting and hunting heritage for generations to come. Even as they focused on constructing a vast new manufacturing facility in Black Creek, Ga.—which will house all Daniel Defense employees under one roof and accommodate the company’s growing production and sales demands—the couple’s dedication to and support for Friends of NRA activities and fundraising has remained a priority.

Their commitment to Second Amendment freedoms extends beyond the Friends program as well. Among other sponsorships and NRA support, Daniel Defense has been the presenting sponsor of the NRA America’s Rifle Challenge (ARC) program, along with supplying rifles for competitions like the World Shooting Championships ARC Match rounds.

"We want to thank Daniel Defense and its committed staff for all the support they provide The NRA Foundation as a sponsor and as an American company providing an American product for use at our local Friends of NRA events," says Director of Volunteer Fundraising Sarah Engeset. "That support is just part of the commitment that Daniel Defense makes to the NRA, The NRA Foundation and the mission to preserve freedom."

GASTON J. GLOCK style LP, an international manufacturer of traditional hunting and shooting apparel and accessories, has been involved with Friends of NRA since 2012 when it began underwriting fundraising activities in Georgia, the home state of GASTON’s U.S. headquarters in Smyrna. In 2014 GASTON took its support to a national scale and now enters its fifth year as a National Corporate Sponsor.

“We are always looking to support NRA and NRA Foundation efforts to provide opportunities for all kinds of firearms training,” says CEO of GASTON USA Beate Arnold. She emphasizes the GASTON™ brand and Friends of NRA’s shared interest in preserving the shooting sports lifestyle, a goal which focuses on preserving quality of life and traditions. In the last four years, GASTON has invested more than $200,000 in sponsorship support of Friends of NRA, including continued involvement with the Georgia program and its focus on youth participation in the shooting sports in that state.

“Like The NRA Foundation, GASTON seeks to preserve the resources that support outdoor lifestyles and shooting traditions,” notes Arnold. In 2018 the Protector level sponsor will make and donate Coolmax® sports shirts with the NRA Foundation logo and ‘Wall of Guns’ text to the NRA Foundation events at the Great American Outdoor Show and NRA Annual Meeting for the fourth year.

Henry Repeating Arms has provided two decades of steadfast support for Friends of NRA and The NRA Foundation, beginning with their participation as a reliable vendor for the fundraising program. In 2015 the manufacturer of classic rifles “Made in America, or not made at all” expanded on that commitment as a National Corporate Sponsor. As a 2016 and 2017 sponsor of Friends of NRA, it donated tens of thousands more dollars in monetary support and firearms to the program, including 1,150 Frontier Model lever action rifles to be used at Friends of NRA events across the country.

“We all strive to protect our Second Amendment rights and promote youth shooting sports and firearms safety."Henry Repeating Arms continues to be a vital partner as a 2018 Defender level sponsor, a firearms supplier for the Friends of NRA Standard Package and Vendor Direct program, and a donor to national events. It has also contributed a great deal to other NRA programs through roles including organizer of the Henry 1,000 Man Shoot in November 2016—from which some of the Golden Boy Silver rifles donated to Friends of NRA's fundraising efforts. 

“It is an honor and privilege to work with The NRA Foundation and Friends of NRA towards our similar goals,” says Anthony Imperato, president of Henry Repeating Arms. “We all strive to protect our Second Amendment rights and promote youth shooting sports and firearms safety. It is a significant part of our overall support of the NRA and the Second Amendment, and I look forward to the future of our partnership.”

In 2018 Henry will sponsor the Wall of Guns at both the Great American Outdoor Show (GAOS) and NRA Annual Meeting—as well as the National NRA Foundation Banquet at Annual Meeting—for the fourth year. Over the past three years, it has also created the tradition of recognizing Americans with inspiring stories of service and bravery by presenting them with special Henry Tribute Rifles at the National Banquet.

“We are grateful for the endless generosity, steadfast support and enthusiastic involvement from Henry and the impact it has had on Friends of NRA fundraising,” says NRA Director of Corporate Development John da Silva. “It is an honor to work alongside Anthony and share his passion for ensuring our shooting sports freedoms and traditions for the next generation.”

Ibamba Safaris, a newcomer to the national level of NRA Foundation grassroots fundraising efforts, has already proven to be a valuable partner in promoting the shooting sports. The South African outfitter has supported Friends of NRA fundraising on the local level in Oklahoma for the past decade. Owners Johan and Zelda Pretorius pride themselves on providing a personal experience for their hunters—“arrive as clients, leave as family” is something of a motto for the company—and on supporting firearms freedoms. “I’ve been in the hunting industry for years, both as a guide and as a hunter,” shares Darren Delong, NRA Senior Field Rep for Oklahoma, “and I know not to take trustworthiness and dedication for granted. But Johan really cares about his business, he’s honest, and he does his absolute best to give everyone the best experience possible.”

The passion for family and freedom shared by Johan and Zelda, and Friends of NRA and its attendees, drove the couple to seek out a way to do something bigger and broader. As a result, Ibamba Safaris will be a Protector level sponsor of the program in 2018, donating 100 hunts to be used at local events across the country as well as at the National NRA Foundation Banquet at NRA Annual Meeting. “We are delighted to receive their contribution and support, and we look forward to having their hunts at our banquets nationwide in 2018,” says Engeset.

“We are extremely excited to be on board as a Protector level sponsor for 2018,” stated Johan Pretorius. “We truly hope to continue this sponsorship well into the future. We believe it will not only raise significant funds for Friends of NRA but also contribute to the sport of hunting in the U.S. as well as in Africa by providing job creation, income and food for the local communities.”

I.O. Incorporated (Inter Ordnance Inc.) is also new as a National Corporate Sponsor for Friends of NRA, though it has supported the program on a local level over the years with donations to the event near its former manufacturing plant in Monroe, N.C. The newly-relocated company sought to get to know the grassroots firearms enthusiasts and community in its new home on Florida’s space coast and to have more involvement with The NRA Foundation on a national scale. As a Protector level sponsor in 2018, it will achieve that.

I.O. Inc. has donated 100 of its American-made rifles to The NRA Foundation, and those AKM247 and M215-KM15 firearms will be available at select Friends of NRA banquets in 2018.

"I want to give young kids the opportunity to shoot and be the next generation of marksmen and women.”“After we moved down here and set up our new production line, I reached out to see what we could do to share our products with people in Florida and around the country,” said I.O. Inc. CEO and President Uli Wiegand. “We want to help young shooters develop their hobby and have the products for it. Growing up in Germany, I joined the shooting clubs there and was a competition shooter for many years. When I came to the U.S. I made that hobby into a business, and now I want to give young kids the opportunity to shoot and be the next generation of marksmen and women.”

O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., has long supported the NRA with donations to national events, sponsorship of the National NRA Foundation Banquet and television shows, and more. In 2015 it became a National Corporate Sponsor of Friends of NRA and sponsored games at the NRA Foundation Banquets at GAOS and NRA Annual Meetings. It continued that dedication as a 2016 and 2017 Defender level sponsor of the program and as a game sponsor at the 2016 National NRA Foundation Banquet, and it will carry that support into 2018 with its fourth year as a Defender level corporate sponsor.

“For nearly 100 years, our family has worked to build a successful business in the firearms industry,” stated Iver Mossberg, CEO, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. “For Mossberg, it is a simple choice. Supporting Friends of NRA is an investment with a return that can be easily measured. We measure it by the number of places our customers have to shoot and compete, the quality of firearm safety and educational materials available to them, the number of hunters in the field and the number of Americans that not only understand what it means to be a gun owner, but also share a deep respect for the rights endowed by the Second Amendment.”

Numzaan Safaris also became a National Corporate Sponsor in 2015 by donating 50 hunts to be used over two years at local events across the country as well as at the National NRA Foundation Banquet at NRA Annual Meeting. They are now making the same commitment and continuing to supply 25 hunts per year as a Protector level sponsor in 2017 and 2018. Previously, the South African outfitter and Booking Agents Ed and Linda Stevens had already supported Friends of NRA fundraising on the local level for several years, and that established relationship has helped to make their national sponsorship a fulfilling experience for all involved. As of mid-December, Numzaan hunts had raised more than $1.4 million at Friends of NRA events since 2012—including nearly $450,000 in 2017 alone.

“All of us here at Numzaan Safaris are extremely proud to continue with our corporate sponsorship of Friends of NRA,” says Ed Stevens. “Looking at 2018 we’re moving forward full speed ahead. We plan on attending as many events or more than last year—which was about 90—and we already have multiple commitments to attend banquets in the spring. We’re always trying to change things up a little to increase the fundraising. In 2018 we will now be referring all returning hunters who purchased hunts from Friends of NRA in the past back to the banquets if they want to return to Africa and hunt with us. We want them to purchase their next hunt through Friends of NRA, too, and keep the fundraising going for The NRA Foundation. That money raised to support the future of the shooting sports through the grant program is one of the best avenues to ensure our freedom for generations to come.”

Safari Specialty Importers, Inc., (SSI) is another new member of Friends of NRA’s National Corporate Sponsor program. Owners Robert and Rosella Quartarone started SSI as a means to be an advocate on behalf of the hunter, and over the years it has become the hunting industry’s leading expert for importing and exporting hunted species worldwide. Much like the awareness and training that The NRA Foundation centers around, SSI raises awareness through educating the hunter and all involved in the service chain in its business. With their years of experience and personal enthusiasm for the cause, the Quartarones are dedicated to supporting hunting organizations with their time and funds.

“With the NRA at the forefront to save hunting from extinction, it is our calling—as both a hunter and a successful business dedicated solely to hunting—to support The NRA Foundation.”SSI now lends that support to Friends of NRA as a Protector level sponsor by providing discounts for the export of hunting trophies in conjunction with hunts donated by Ibamba Safaris. Their services make hunting abroad a stress-free experience by providing each hunter with a Personal Importer who manages the entire process of getting trophies safely home. SSI coordinates all aspects of exporting and importing a hunter’s trophies, including filing U.S. customs paperwork and securing permits before the hunt, applying for import permits, and paying all dipping, packing and shipping charges on the hunter’s behalf.

“With the NRA at the forefront to save hunting from extinction, it is our calling—as both a hunter and a successful business dedicated solely to hunting—to support The NRA Foundation,” explain Robert and Rosella Quartarone. “It is an honor and the highlight of our company mission to join with Friends of NRA to raise money for the continued training and education of our youth about conservation and protecting our Second Amendment right.”

SecureIt Tactical, Inc., continues its sponsorship of Friends of NRA for the fourth year in 2018. The company has donated some of its unique firearm storage solutions to The NRA Foundation and NRA’s Law Enforcement Division: Falcon FAST Box gun safes in 2015, RAPID 6 retrofit modular gun safe conversion kits in 2016, and RAPID 2 kits in 2017. Those items were available at select Friends of NRA banquets, generating funds to support local and national shooting sports programs and bringing the SecureIt weapons storage platform to event attendees throughout the U.S. Now the Protector level sponsor has donated 150 Model 47 FAST Boxes to Friends of NRA for 2018.

“We stand by our commitment to promote gun safety and to educate gun owners on methods of storing firearms throughout the home that are safe, secure, and provide peace of mind,” Owner and President Tom Kubiniec says. “We are excited to continue our support of The NRA Foundation and are proud to be a continued sponsor of  Friends of NRA. The partnership we have had with The NRA Foundation has allowed us to better communicate the message of gun storage safety and security to the firearms owners of America, and we look forward to a continued working relationship.”

Smith & Wesson, a leading name in the firearms industry, has also become a brand closely associated with the NRA after decades of involvement and support for all aspects of the organization and its mission. It has made a profound impact in support of the Second Amendment. “They have filled just about every sponsorship or industry support role at some point,” notes da Silva.

Participating in the National Corporate Sponsor Program as a Defender level sponsor for its second year in a row, Smith & Wesson has a long history of involvement with the Friends of NRA program. It has provided product for local Friends of NRA events since the 1990s, continually provided firearms for The NRA Foundation’s national events, and in 2014 through 2016 it also sponsored games at The NRA Foundation national banquets at both the Great American Outdoor Show and NRA Annual Meetings.

“Our sponsors' generosity is a testament to their dedicated advocacy for the future of shooting sports in this country.”Corporate Sponsors directly impact millions of firearm and outdoor enthusiasts through their relationships with Friends of NRA and their contributions of money, services and auction items to the program. Each one is an investment in the next generation and another piece of the one team, one voice, one vision that the program has built for the future of freedom.

“Our sponsors provide invaluable support to Friends of NRA and The NRA Foundation, helping us raise millions of dollars to fund firearms education and training opportunities to Second Amendment enthusiasts around the nation,” says Director of Volunteer Fundraising Sarah Engeset. “Their generosity is a testament to their dedicated advocacy for the future of shooting sports in this country.”

Interested in becoming a Friends of NRA National Corporate Sponsor? Visit friendsofnra.org/corporate-sponsors.aspx or contact the NRA Corporate Development Team at 703-267-1356 to learn more.