This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

With their state income tax returns, Utahns can check off donations to youth character organizations, spay and neuter programs and an organ transplant fund.

But they can't give to wildlife conservation anymore.

The "Non-Game Wildlife Fund," created in 1981, was Utah's first tax donation check-off and generated more than $200,000 in its first year of collection. The money was spent on preserving endangered species including the black-footed ferret, otter and desert tortoise.

But as state lawmakers added 13 competing check-off causes — including funds for applied technology centers, meth housing reconstruction and canine body armor — wildlife fund donations dwindled. In 2014, its last year for donations, the fund generated just $25,441.

After 30 years on the list, donations to the fund have fallen to the point that state law requires the check-off box be eliminated, and state Rep. Deidre Henderson, R-Spanish Fork, is sponsoring a cleanup bill this year to remove the mostly forgotten fund for Utah's endangered species.

In the meantime, state wildlife managers will have less money to dedicate to wildlife that aren't meant to be killed and eaten.

Wildlife advocates are disappointed the fund is being eliminated.

They say it leaves the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) open to the charge that hunters and anglers have too much pull with biologists and the Utah Wildlife Board.

The claim is bolstered by the fact that the DWR budget is primarily provided by hunting and fishing licenses and federal funds. The state provided roughly 8 percent — $6.1 million — of the agency's annual $77.2 million budget in fiscal year 2014.

"Hunters can say they are paying for wildlife management," said Allison Jones, executive director of the Wild Utah Project, a nonprofit group dedicated to maintaining and restoring the health of natural land in Utah and adjoining states.

"If the Legislature gave a similar proportion to the DWR as it does to other state agencies, the playing field might be a little more balanced," she added. "We need to find a way to change the mentality."

For a time, the wildlife fund check-off provided an important stream of cash for conservation efforts.

Nearly 49,000 people checked the box in 1981 and donated more than $208,000.

The fund remained strong through 1991, but fell below $100,000 in 1992, drawing $73,000 in donations.

By then, another check-off fund for homeless assistance had been added. Eventually, the non-game wildlife check-off was competing with eight other active alternative causes.

Over the years, money raised from the fund has been used for education, monitoring and equipment to help the Columbia spotted frog and Least chub, among others.

State law requires that tax check-offs that dip below annual contributions of $30,000 be monitored. After three years in a row below that mark, check-offs must be removed.

The wildlife fund first fell below the limit in 2011, generating just $28,024. Donations continued to drop.

DWR director Greg Sheehan figures competition from other funds, people having their taxes prepared by others and do-it-yourself online tax programs that do not include check-off options are all likely reasons for the shrinking numbers.

DWR administrative services chief Kenny Johnson said Utah will end up losing much more than the voluntary contributions.

"The tax check-off funds were often used to match federal dollars which allowed them to stretch further, sometimes doubling and tripling our contribution," Johnson said. "These funds allow us some flexibility to respond to non-game wildlife needs and broadly benefit these species around the state."

Sheehan and Jones believe the state and conservation groups should have done more to let the public know about the program to prevent it from failing to meet the criteria.

"I'm really sad that the program wasn't somehow better promoted by the DWR, and frankly, by environmental and conservation groups," Jones said. "It wasn't kept on people's radar screens. Maybe people felt like they weren't being told what was becoming of those dollars and they figured it wasn't making a difference."

The Utah State Tax Commission has already removed the Wildlife Tax Check-off on the state income tax form, according to Henderson.

But wildlife managers and advocates aren't giving up on private donations for Utah's endangered species.

Recognizing a growing number of people want to be able to dedicate their own money and raise more for non-game species as a whole, Sheehan has called a meeting with conservation groups this week.

"I'm very encouraged he has called this meeting," Jones said. "This is a discussion that has been happening for years with different proposals, but not much has been developed."

Some have talked about raising the state sales tax incrementally, perhaps taxing rental cars or reviving the dormant Utah Wildlife in Need (UWIN) nonprofit.

Jones said there are a lot of good examples of ways groups are raising money for non-game species. She expects the groups will discuss them all during the meeting.

"We need to talk about the best funding streams for state agencies that can be devoted to non-game," she said. "There are a lot of good things happening nationwide. There is no reason we can't have these things in Utah."

Twitter: @BrettPrettyman —

Past and Present State Income Tax Check-offs:

Non-Game Wildlife Fund

Homeless Assistance

Organ Transplant Fund

Colleges & Universities Libraries

School District Foundations

Uniform School Fund

Wolf Depredation

Applied Technology Centers

Spay and Neuter

Meth Housing Reconstruction & Rehab

Canine Body Armor

Invest More for Education

Youth Development Organization

Youth Character Organization

Total 2014 donations — $193,769 from 9,540 taxpayers. › XX