R3 Info & State Examples

RBFF collaborates with stakeholders and state and federal agencies to develop resources and case studies to help implement R3 plans and activities.

Boating and fishing are two of the most popular activities in America, and they have a significant economic impact throughout the country. RBFF is working closely with industry and state and federal agency partners to increase fishing participation from the current 46 million anglers to 60 million anglers in 60 months (by 2021). This initiative, coined "60 in 60" by RBFF, provides an aspirational goal that’s working to inspire others in the industry to do their part to increase participation.

The key to “60 in 60” is delivering effective angler and boater recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) efforts. RBFF collaborates with stakeholders and state and federal agencies to develop, implement and evaluate effective R3 efforts to increase participation in fishing and boating.

An increase in participation means more customers for businesses, more fishing licenses and boat registration purchases, increased tackle and equipment sales, and more funds for states to protect our aquatic natural resources and the wildlife they sustain through fish stocking, habitat management, fish surveys and research, boat ramp management and more.

RESOURCES

RBFF has developed numerous resources to assist with your R3 programs.

General R3 Resources:

• Angler R3 Program Funding Needs Assessment Results & Scorecard: includes research findings and implications, and a scorecard to assist the R3 community in scoring proposals and prioritizing angler R3 programs to support. The scorecard is also available in Excel.
• Identifying New Anglers & Boaters and Determining Tactics for Retention: this research was conducted to understand newcomers to fishing and boating in the 2020 season.
• Actionable Strategies for Angler R3: this R3 research provides key findings and recommendations for angler R3.
• State Fishing License Sales Trends Analysis: this analysis of state and national trends in fishing license sales confirms the effectiveness of R3 efforts on growth.
• AFWA Angler R3 Task Force Report: report by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) President's Task Force on Angler R3 with recommendations for state agencies.
• Thirty Tips for Better Angler and Boater R3 Practices: thirty detailed ideas to help your organization better recruit, retain and reactivate anglers and boaters.
• Angler R3 Coordinator Position Description Template: resource for state agencies in hiring an Angler R3 Coordinator/Manager.
• Angler R3 Plan Guiding Document: resource to assist state agencies in developing an angler R3 plan for their state.
• Recommendations and Strategic Tools for Effective Angler Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation (R3) Efforts: recommendations and strategic tools to enable state agencies, nongovernment organizations and industry to improve R3 effectiveness.
• Highlights of Angler Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation (R3) Literature: summary of recent literature on angler R3 efforts throughout the country.
• Direct Mail & Email Marketing Toolkit to Reactivate Lapsed Anglers: step-by-step guide that provides straightforward instructions to plan, execute and manage your agency’s lapsed angler license renewal program.
  View GA's Email Results
  Download the direct mail and email native files
• First-Time Buyers Retention Email Campaign Toolkit: toolkit which contains email templates and steps to implement a program to retain first-time license buyers in your state.
  View the Overall Information
  View Results via Video
  Download Native Email Files
• Best Practices Workbook For Boating, Fishing, and Aquatic Resource Stewardship Education: manual to provide information for program planning, development and implementation, professional development, program evaluation and educational program research.
  Best Practices Workbook
  Best Practices Guide to Program Evaluation
• Boat Registration Reactivation Program: program partnership with RBFF and state agencies to reach lapsed boaters. The state agency receives all the revenue that the programs generates.
• State R3 Program Grants: program to help fund state programs that are sustainable and replicable angler and boater R3 initiatives.
• George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund Grants: provides funds for state agencies to match and sub grant to local organizations that focus on engaging Hispanic families in fishing and boating activities.
• RBFF Webinar Series: content most requested by state agencies and developed into webinars.
• Hispanic Toolkit: compilation of tools for stakeholders to help them focus more strategically and effectively on reaching the Hispanic boater and angler.
• Fishing and Boating Research: reports from a variety of research projects to better understand recreational boating and fishing and aquatic resource stewardship,
• 60 in 60 logo: Support the initiative by adding the logo to your website and promotional materials.

State R3 Program Case Studies and Examples:

Visit the Success Stories page for more R3 Grant Case Studies

• Recruitment
  • MI Digital Marketing Campaign 2021: Multi-State Conservation Grant Awardee
  • MD English/Spanish Digital Advertising Campaign 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • MN R3 Household Geofencing 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • TN Geofenced Community Fishing Program 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • IA Focused Digital Ads Targeting Urban, Hispanic Women 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • AR Digital Marketing Campaign 2020: Multi-State Conservation Grant Awardee
  • MA Digital Marketing Campaign 2020: Multi-State Conservation Grant Awardee
  • PA Digital Marketing Campaign 2020: Multi-State Conservation Grant Awardee
  • TN Digital Marketing Campaign 2020: Multi-State Conservation Grant Awardee
  • MI Millennial Social Media Campaign 2019: R3 Grant Awardee
  • NV Fishing and Boating Campaign 2019: R3 Grant Awardee
  • AR License and Participation Marketing Campaign 2019: R3 Grant Awardee
  • VA Refer A Friend to Fish Campaign 2019: R3 Grant Awardee
  • TN Geofencing and Outreach 2019: R3 Grant Awardee
  • MA Targeting Fishing Crossover Activities 2019; R3 Grant Awardee
  • Mass KIDS Boating and Fishing Week 2018: R3 Grant Awardee
  • NE Take 'Em Fishing Campaign 2019
  • OR Community Fishing Ambassador Program 2018: R3 Grand Awardee
  • VA Teach a Friend to Fish 2018: R3 Grant Awardee
  • WA Annual Trout Fishing Derby 2017; R3 Grant Awardee
  • GA Turns Boaters into Anglers 2018
  • IA “Gone Fishing” Digital Media Campaign and Tourism Partnership 2016; R3 Grant Awardee
  • VT “Reel Fun Vermont” Campaign 2016; R3 Grant Awardee
  • NE On-Site Permit Sales and Participant Marketing and Tracking 2016; R3 Grant Awardee
• Retention
  • TX COVID-Era Customers: New Angler Retention Campaign: 2021 R3 Grant Awardee
  • WA Biennium Retention Plan: 2021 R3 Grant Awardee
  • IA Community Based Fishing Social Media Influencers: 2021 R3 Grant Awardee
  • VT Retaining Newly Recruited and Reactivated Anglers with Social Media Influencers: 2021 R3 Grant Awardee
  • MA Maintaining Momentum: Digital Strategies to Retain Anglers Beyond: 2021 R3 Grant Awardee
  • NV Boating and Fishing Marketing Plan: 2021 R3 Grant Awardee
  • AR Automated Marketing Platform 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • OH Hunt/Fish App & Notifications 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • MS Digital Marketing Campaign 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • NE Predictive and Preventative Lapsing Angler 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • VA Angler R3 Focus Groups 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • AZ Digital Marketing Campaign 2020: Multi-State Conservation Grant Awardee
  • KS Digital Marketing Campaign 2020: Multi-State Conservation Grant Awardee
  • TX Digital Marketing Campaign 2020: Multi-State Conservation Grant Awardee
  • IN Nonresident Angler Retention and Reactivation 2019: R3 Grantee
  • VT Nonresident Fishing Marketing Campaign 2019: R3 Grantee
  • ID Millennial Fishing Campaign 2019: R3 Grant Awardee
  • MN Co-Branded Digital Marketing Campaign 2019
  • OK Multi-Phase License Evaluation 2018: R3 Grant Awardee
  • NE Angler Engagement Data Management System 2018: R3 Grant Awardee
  • WI Email Marketing Analysis 2018: R3 Grant Awardee
  • IA Fish Local Campaign 2018: R3 Grant Awardee
  • MA Increasing Capability to Evaluate R3 Programs 2018: R3 Grant Awardee
  • MN Retaining Anglers with Lifetime Licenses 2017: R3 Grantee
  • MD Es Mi Parque Program 2017: R3 Grant Awardee
  • ID Retention Postcards 2018
  • MI Engaging First-Time License Buyers 2017: R3 Grantee
  • GA Digital Marketing Campaign 2017; R3 Grant Awardee
  • FL License Auto-Renewal Program 2018
  • NY Retention and Reactivation Emails 2017
  • AL Retention and Reactivation Emails 2017
  • GA’s First-Time Buyer Retention Program 2016
  • NY Email Retention and Reactivation Marketing Campaigns 2015
  • GA Boat Registration Interactive Voice Response System to Retain Boaters 2015; R3 Grant Awardee
  • NE Auto-Trigger Customer Care Emails 2015; R3 Grant Awardee
• Reactivation
  • MS Digital Marketing Campaign 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • TN Geofenced Community Fishing Program 2020: R3 Grant Awardee
  • NJ Lapsed Angler Email Campaign 2018: R3 Grant Awardee
  • MO Reactivation Email Campaign 2019
  • MI Engaging Lapsed Female Anglers 2017: R3 Grantee
  • KY Reactivation Emails 2018
  • MA Direct Mail & Email Campaigns 2017; R3 Grant Awardee
  • GA Targeted Lapsed Email Campaign 2017
  • WY Reactivation Email Campaign 2017
  • AL Retention and Reactivation Emails 2017
  • NY Retention and Reactivation Emails 2017
  • GA’s Email Reactivation Marketing Campaigns 2016
• Internal Agency Programs
  • OR Field Staff R3 Engagement Project 2018: R3 Grant Awardee

For the very latest on RBFF’s 60 in 60 initiative, and R3 programs and resources:

• Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter, NewsWaves
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