Grants for Aquatic Center Education Program

The Grants for Aquatic Center Education Program aims to enhance boating safety education in California by providing funding to non-profit organizations, colleges, and local agencies. The grants support on-the-water training, covering essential topics such as boating laws and environmental stewardship. Eligible applicants must demonstrate a commitment to safe boating practices and have qualified staff. This initiative promotes public access to waterways while ensuring a safer recreational boating environment.

As part of its mission, DBW manages the Aquatic Center Grant Program to enhance boaters’ knowledge of boating laws, practical handling of vessels on the water, weather and water conditions, rules of the road, equipment requirements and environmental stewardship.
Funding is provided to organizations that offer on-the-water training to the general public that includes all of the above-mentioned topics.
2023-24 Aquatic Center Grant
DBW promotes a safer and more enjoyable boating environment through grants to non-profit organizations, colleges, universities and local agencies operating in California that offer on-the-water training to enhance basic boating safety. Click here to see Participating Aquatic Centers.
What type of equipment can be purchased with grant funds:

• Vessels, and/or associated equipment that provide for boating safety education are eligible for grant funding.
• Examples include but are not limited to:

sailboats, trailers, water ski boats, canoes, kayaks, rafts, stand-up paddle boards, windsurfing equipment, boat engines, safety boats, and associated safety equipment, such as life jackets, radios, and wetsuits. Life jackets must be worn by all participants during any training paid for by grant funds or when using any vessels purchased with grant funds.
Additionally, applicants may apply for associated portable equipment such as storage sheds, equipment racks and portable docking systems.

Eligibility

DBW will consider awarding grant funds to public agencies, colleges, universities and non-profit organizations that can provide on-the-water programs for enhancing boating safety education. The grant process is competitive in nature. The organization must have a positive boating safety record, must have adequately trained staff and have a safe environment in which to teach.In addition, ideal candidates for funding would have several of these attributes:

• Program goals that support DBW’s mission.
• Self-sufficient program that does not totally depend on DBW funding.
• Adequate permanent staff to ensure continuity of programming.
• Located in sites where boating is prevalent, but there are limited opportunities to receive boating education.
• Year-round courses where weather and water conditions permit.
• Comprehensive and cost-effective boating safety training courses for a large segment of the general public.
• Training for underserved populations.
• Basic boating safety education
• Safety training for boating activities associated with accidents.