The application process for the 2020 Grow Boating program, which encourages boating activity in the Pacific Northwest, will begin August 1 and continue through October 1, 2019. The grants are offered to nonprofits that promote the boating lifestyle through special events, sponsorships, and other boating programs in the region.
Sponsored by Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA), the Grow Boating program has issued more than $1.6 million in boating promotions since it was formed in 2003. NMTA said it expects to determine the winners of several grants worth up to $30,000 by this December, which will be distributed in the spring of 2020.
Mark Yuasa, director of Grow Boating, said the program, funded by a portion of rental fees collected by NMTA at its Seattle Boat Show each January, has reached “a million-plus people” since it began.
Organizations or groups seeking Grow Boating grants for future events must fall into one the three following categories:
- Youth Boating – aimed at increasing youth participation in boating activities
- Discover Boating – for programs that introduce new people to the world of boating
- Boater Education/Safety – for educating new or current boaters on how to be safe on the water
More information about the Grow Boating program can be found at NMTA.
