Foundation Funds Wildlife Students in New Awards

Students in wildlife, fisheries, and natural resources programs can look to these new awards for both funding and hands-on training.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Scholarships

Wide photograph of an early-morning marsh with reeds and open water, with a line of wild ducks lifting off the surface under pale sky. — The Outdoor News Foundation named its 2026 scholarship recipients and is funding a university waterfowl hunting program run by Delta Waterfowl. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Outdoor News Foundation has named its 2026 scholarship recipients, including three students and two college award programs. The recipients are pursuing wildlife, fisheries, and natural resources degrees, and the Foundation is also funding a waterfowl hunting program and a writers' association scholarship.

Why it matters

For students in wildlife and natural resources programs, these awards offer direct financial support and hands-on exposure to hunting-based conservation. The Foundation's first scholarship round was announced in November 2025, and this second cycle expands its reach to a third student and a new partner fund.

The Foundation named three student recipients, up from two last year, plus two college award programs for 2026. Its Give to the Max Day campaign on Nov. 19, 2026 carries a minimum suggested donation of $25.

The players

Outdoor News Foundation

The nonprofit arm of Outdoor News, launched in 2024, that funds student scholarships and conservation education.

Delta Waterfowl

A waterfowl conservation organization whose University Hunting Program has more than 120 affiliated colleges and teaches hunting-based wildlife management.

Outdoor Writers Association of America

The association whose Bodie McDowell Scholarship fund awards at least three students annually and marks its 100th anniversary in 2027.

The details

The Foundation funds awards to individual students and to college programs, and it is also supporting Delta Waterfowl's University Hunting Program, which launched in 2017 and now has more than 120 affiliated colleges. That program includes a hunter safety course, a shooting skills day, a mentored hunt, and a post-hunt meal and discussion. Participating university students receive this instruction as part of a regularly scheduled wildlife course. The Foundation is also providing funds to the Outdoor Writers Association of America's Bodie McDowell Scholarship fund for the first time, with awards expected in spring 2027.

The Outdoor News Foundation launched in 2024 and announced its first scholarship round in November 2025.
Delta Waterfowl launched its University Hunting Program in 2017.
Give to the Max Day donation campaign runs Nov. 19, 2026.
Bodie McDowell Scholarships are expected to be awarded in spring 2027.

Education Landscape

Scholarship programs tied to specific fields such as wildlife management give students in narrow majors a funding route that broad need-based aid may not cover. This Foundation's second cycle follows its November 2025 debut, adding a student and a new partner fund.

Students studying wildlife, fisheries, or natural resources can check whether their school participates in Delta Waterfowl's University Hunting Program or whether the Outdoor News Foundation offers future awards. Students with questions about how these scholarships fit with other aid should contact their school's financial-aid office.

The takeaway

Field-specific scholarships can reward students in wildlife and conservation majors who want hands-on experience. Students interested in these fields can ask their school's financial-aid or admissions office which outside awards they may be eligible to apply for.