BoatUS seeks help in selecting Grassroots Grants Program winners

by D. Scott Croft on 21 Feb 2013 The Boat Owners Association of the United States (BoatUS) Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is looking to the public to help it select the winning projects in the competitive 2013 Grassroots Grants Program, which provides local non-profit groups up to $10,000 to help educate boaters on safe and clean boating topics.

Anyone with a love for the water is encouraged to go to either BoatUS Facebook or www.BoatUS.com/foundation/grants/vote.aspBoatUS_website [Sorry, this link had a problem] to cast his or her vote.

Voting begins today, February 20th. Of the seven grant proposals listed, those with the most votes by midnight (EST) on March 6th, 2013, will have their projects funded. Boaters can vote for their favorite project once a day until voting closes.

Grant funds come from donations by the half-million members of Boat Owners Association of The United States (www.BoatUS.com!BoatUS [Sorry, this link had a problem]). In 25 years, the Foundation has awarded over $1.1 million to organizations that have developed creative projects to promote safe and clean boating on their local waterways.

'The stakes are higher now that we have increased funding of our individual grants from $4,000 to $10,000,' said BoatUS Foundation Program Manager Alanna Keating. 'Your vote could really make a difference to recreational boaters in these grant project areas,' she added.

This year's contenders are:

Access Monterey Peninsula, Inc of Monterey, CA
Littleton Firefighters Foundation of Littleton, CO
United State Coast Guard Auxiliary first District Northern of Weymouth, MA
Annapolis Green of Annapolis, MD
The Bass Federation of Ponca City, OK
Professional Anglers Association (PAA) of Kilgore, TX
Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean of Granville, VT

Up to $50,000 is available for BoatU.S. Foundation Grassroots Grants this year.