You can help Indiana’s whooping cranes, spotted turtles, bats and other wildlife by donating to the DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Fund when you file your 2019 state taxes.
The Nongame Wildlife Fund supports the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife’s nongame management programs. “Nongame” means species that are not hunted, trapped, or fished. There are more than 750 nongame and endangered wildlife species in the state. No state tax dollars are used to manage nongame wildlife.
Donate all or a portion of your state tax refund to the Nongame Wildlife Fund by marking the appropriate boxes on your 2019 Indiana tax forms or when filing electronically. To donate, enter Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund, 200 for its 3-digit code number, and the donation amount on Line 1 of the Schedule 5/Schedule IN-DONATE form. Then add the donation amount to Line 17 on the main IT-40 form. Click here to watch a video of this process.
Direct donations can also be made anytime at this link or by mail to Nongame Wildlife Fund; 402 W. Washington St., Room W273; Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Habitat management and conservation efforts for nongame and endangered wildlife are supported through the generosity of Hoosiers and supplemental grants from the federal government. For every $5 donation to the Nongame Wildlife Fund, Indiana is eligible to receive an additional $9 in federal funds. Recent projects have included research on endangered turtles, an outreach campaign to conserve whooping cranes, and surveys of summer bat populations on state fish & wildlife areas (FWAs). Complete program details are at wildlife.IN.gov/2356.htm.