Don’t miss out – the deadline for non-profit groups to apply for BoatU.S. Foundation grant funds of up to $4,000 for projects that educate boaters about clean water issues and environmental stewardship is February 1, 2007. While applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that strive to improve the marine environment, projects involving the reduction of trash and other marine debris in our waterways will receive extra consideration this year.
Susan Shingledecker, Environmental Program Manager for the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, said, “Eighty percent of all marine debris – such as plastic bottles, cigarette butts, automobile tires and industrial waste – starts out on land and ends up in the water. Not only is it unpleasant to look at, but the trash can significantly harm marine life as well as be a navigational hazard. The easiest way to reduce marine debris is to prevent it from reaching the water in the first place.”
The 2006 Clean Water Grant program received 65 proposals. Of these, 18 projects in 14 states were selected for funding for a total of nearly $50,000 in grant funds. To view previous grant projects or learn more about marine debris, please visit http://www.BoatUS.com/foundation/cleanwater/grants or call Shingledecker at 703-461-2878, ext. 8358. Applications must be submitted electronically or postmarked by midnight February 1, 2007.
The BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit education and research organization primarily funded by the voluntary contributions of the 670,000 members of BoatU.S. The Foundation operates more than a dozen programs including the only accredited, free, online general boating safety course, a low-cost EPIRB rental program, the “Help Stop the Drops” national clean fueling campaign, a free kid’s Life Jacket Loaner Program, and has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for nonprofit groups for boating safety and environmental projects.
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