Swim Safe Access Grant Program

Swim Safe Access Grant Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: City of Boston
Amount: US $10,000 - US $50,000
Last Updated: February 22, 2026

Summary

Overview

Swim Safe Access Grant Program Mayor Michelle Wu, the Office of Human Services (OHS), and the Boston Centers for Youth & Families are pleased to announce applications are now being accepted for the Swim Safe Access Grant. Through this competitive grant application, up to $150,000 will be awarded to Boston nonprofit organizations to provide free beginner swim lessons to Boston youth. Swim Safe Boston seeks to improve water safety in Boston, address the public health threat posed by drowning, and increase access to swimming for Boston families. Drowning is the leading cause of death among children in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Swim lessons are one effective strategy to reduce drowning risk; some studies estimate that swim lessons can cut a child’s risk of drowning by up to 90 percent. Providing lessons that are free and easily accessible to families lowers barriers to access, especially for low-income residents. The Swim Safe access grants are competitive grants. Award totals will be based on the projected number of youth who are expected to be served by the swim lesson program. The per-youth cost may not exceed $200 for a series of beginner swim lessons. Beginner swim lessons shall be defined as Red Cross Level 1 and Level 2 Swim Lessons. Grant payments will be issued on a cost-reimbursement basis. The maximum award that will be considered for this round of Swim Safe funding is $50,000, although most awards are expected to be in the range of $10,000–$25,000. Awards will vary in size based on the number of youth that the program anticipates it will serve. Any funding awarded must be used to fund programming that will be completed before the end of August 2026. The City may award full funding, partial funding or no funding. Swim Safe will prioritize non-profit applicants that operate pool locations in Boston, have an established track record of offering aquatics programming to Boston residents, and are able to collect and submit data on program outcomes. Total Amount Available for Grant Program: $150,000 Award Amount per Grant per Organization: Up to $50,000; The Swim Safe Boston grants will award up to $150,000 to nonprofits providing free beginner swim lessons to Boston residents. The maximum grant award is $50,000. Awards will vary in size. Nonprofit organizations or those using a fiscal sponsor are invited to apply. Please read the eligibility and program requirements carefully.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicants must be a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Boston Public Schools-affiliated entities are encouraged to apply. Applicants may apply for programs that run on an ongoing basis. Programming sites must be located in the city of Boston.Only beginner level youth swim programs will be eligible for funding under this grant. The goal of this program is to get as many residents as possible to have basic water safety skills, so this funding is not available for intermediate or advanced-level swim classes nor is it available for adult lessons. Programs funded by this grant must be free for participants. Programs must be able to demonstrate that they either operate the aquatics facility where the programming will take place or that they have a partnership with an aquatics facility that can accommodate the proposed program. If your program does not operate an aquatics facility please provide the name and address of the facility where your lessons will be held.

Ineligibility

Funding will not be available for one-time events.