WHO WE ARE

The DSC Frontline Foundation was started in 2014 by a group of dedicated DSC members with the support and encouragement of Dallas Safari Club. The Foundation is organized and operated exclusively to provide financial support for seriously injured individuals (or their families in the case of death) engaged in the professional hunting industry or while providing services related to the conservation of wildlife and associated habitat. The Foundation is exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Foundation are deductible under Section 170 of the Code.

The DSC Frontline Foundation is funded through donations from supporters and from the auction of big game hunts and merchandise generously donated by outfitters. The Foundation Board consists of nine Directors who are members of DSC and includes people involved in the professional hunting industry, all of whom appreciate and respect the risks that conservation professionals face daily.

OUR MISSION

The mission of the DSC Frontline Foundation is to provide financial relief for the following:

(a) any professional hunter and his or her staff who suffers serious injury or death during the course of, or related to, providing professional hunting services or other services related to the conservation of wildlife and associated habitat (or to any the family member(s) and other survivor(s) of a professional hunter or staff member who suffers serious injury or death during the course of, or related to, providing professional hunting services or other services related to conservation of wildlife and associated habitat);

(b) family member(s) and other survivor(s) of any government agent, ranger, game scout, or similarly employed individual, who suffers serious injury or death during the course of, or related to, providing anti-poaching services or other services related to conservation of wildlife and associated habitat; and

(c) family member(s) and other survivor(s) of any wildlife conservation professional who suffers serious injury or death during the course of, or related to, providing services related to the conservation of wildlife and associated habitat.

The individuals the Frontline Foundation seeks to help are often on the frontline of conservation, including hunts and anti-poaching activities, and are therefore exposed to the dangers inherent in such activities.  These same individuals are unlikely to have adequate, if any, health insurance. They are unlikely to have life insurance or disability coverage. As a result, a serious injury has the potential to be even more devastating to these individuals than to most others. The death of a family’s primary wage earner could have equally dire consequences for the people that the Frontline Foundation seeks to help. Likewise, wildlife conservation professionals such as game wardens and biologists, are also on the frontlines of their professions and are exposed to the inherent risks of apprehending violators and risking their lives to protect wildlife.

WHO IS DSC

DSC is a member of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), DSC is a mission-focused conservation organization, funded by hunters from around the world.

With an administrative staff of less than 15 and a volunteer army of 500, DSC hosts an annual Convention that raises funds for grants in conservation, education and advocacy.

In the past couple years, millions of dollars have been channeled to qualified projects, organizations and programs in support of that mission.

> GRANTS

To provide relief for injuries or compensation for survivors, and to help ensure that those who are injured can return to professional conservation, the Frontline Foundation maintains a fund from which distributions to qualified individuals can be made. The Frontline Foundation also recognizes the important contributions that many others, including game wardens, biologists and park rangers, make in the conservation of wildlife and associated habitat along with the inherent risks of their professions.

Since its inception, the Frontline Foundation has made nearly 50 grants totaling over $600,000, covering everything from medical expenses, emergency evacuation expenses, children’s education expenses, funeral expenses, and lost wages.  In many of these situations, the Frontline Foundation was the only financial support available to the individuals who were injured or to widows and their children, which made the difference between survival and destitution.

> GRANTS

To provide relief for injuries or compensation for survivors, and to help ensure that those who are injured can return to professional hunting, the Foundation maintains a fund from which distributions to qualified individuals can be made. The Foundation also recognizes the important contributions that game wardens, biologists and park rangers make in the conservation of wildlife along with the inherent risks of their professions.

Since its inception, the Foundation has made nearly 40 grants totaling over $500,000, covering everything from medical expenses, emergency evacuation expenses, children’s education expenses, funeral expenses, and lost wages. In many of these situations, the Foundation was the only avenue available to the individuals who were injured or to widows and their children for financial support that made the difference between survival and destitution.

Testimonials

I would sincerely thank you for your contribution to my medical expenses from my leopard attack on 26 August. I have been a PH in the Luangwa Valley of Zambia for six years and now as my sole income, my wife and I and our two small children sacrifice many months apart. My family and I are very grateful for your help in this scary situation. Although my career in hunting dangerous game is a risky one, a person tends to naively think this sort of incident will never happen to me. The news of the attack was a big fright to my family back home and although we are all so thankful that I came off lightly considering what could have happened or even have cost me my life, the emergency evacuation and hospital costs have put a burden on my family.

DeBruin Nienaber

We can’t thank you enough for the support you have shown Garry Kelly Safaris, Musi and his family, The grant from the Frontline Foundation will go a long way to help Musi’s family and his four children. The support we have received from clients and organizations like yourself has been phenomenal and we are very grateful.

Gary Kelly Safaris

Good day just wanted to drop you a line and say thank you all very much for everything you have done for me and my family. I can’t tell you how blessed we are and how much we appreciate you all and the help we received. I am recovering well and at this stage we are hoping by the end of the month it will be good enough to travel. I look forward to seeing you all in Dallas. Thank you again.

Leon Du Plessis

We want to convey our sincere gratitude for the swift and professional manner the request was handled by the directors of the DSC Frontline Foundation as well as for the sizeable donation they made to a fellow hunter in need on a different continent.

Pieter Potgieter, Chairman of PHASA, (on behalf of F. C. Prinsloo’s widow).

I do not know how to express my sincere gratitude for the incredible support my kids and I are receiving from the Frontline Foundation. My children are doing so well. I am very proud of them for being brave and soldering on. Thanks to the financial assistance provided by the Foundation, their lives have been able to continue on as normal as possible. They have done so well I school, all got good reports saying that they are giving of their best and I just wanted to thank you for helping us keep going. You are truly a Foundation second to none, making a big difference at such difficult times I families, like ours, lives!

Kim Style

> ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

All grant decisions, including the amount of any grant, will be determined by the Board of Directors of the DSC Frontline Foundation. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors of the DSC Frontline Foundation, the following eligibility requirements apply:

Professional hunters / conservationists and staff (and their survivors):

  1. Any injured or killed party should be a member in good standing (or be employed by a member in good standing) of the professional hunting association in the state or country in which the injured or killed resided (if such professional hunting association exists).
  2. Any applicant must demonstrate to the DSC Frontline Foundation’s satisfaction that the applicant or applicant’s family has sustained serious bodily injury or loss of life while providing professional hunting services or other services related to conservation of wildlife and associated habitat. The DSC Frontline Foundation may ask for information and documentation including, but not limited to, the following: a.) A written report from the applicant (or the applicant’s personal representative or next of kin if the injured party was killed in the accident), describing the accident; b.) Photographs of the injuries sustained by applicant; c.) The applicant must provide a report of the financial needs arising from the injuries or death from the accident.
  3. Additional eligibility requirements and guidelines may apply at the discretion of the DSC Frontline Foundation.
  4. Family member(s) and other survivor(s) of any government agent, ranger, game scout or other similarly employed individual, who suffers serious injury or death during the course of, or related to, providing anti-poaching services and survivors or other services related to the conservation of wildlife and associated habitat: a.)The applicant must be the immediate survivor of the individual who was killed. b.)The applicant must provide a written report describing the circumstances that led to the death. c.)The applicant must provide a report of the financial needs arising from the death of the deceased and the specific amount of monetary loss suffered by applicant because of the death. d.) Additional eligibility requirements and guidelines may apply at the discretion of the Foundation.

> WAYS TO GIVE

Donations can be made by check, wire transfer, credit card or direct deposit. See the Foundation’s website for instructions on credit card and direct deposit donations. Contact the Foundation for instructions on wire transfers and send checks to the Foundation’s address shown below, payable to “DSC Frontline Foundation”. Outfitters wishing to donate hunts or merchandise should contact the Foundation as indicated on the website.

> CONTACT US

CONTACT DSC FRONTLINE FOUNDATION