The Massachusetts Marine Trades Educational Trust (MMTET) is pleased to announce their KIDS in BOATING initiative has re-opened its grant application for a second year. Recognizing the need to get more kids on the water and enjoying the boating lifestyle, the Massachusetts Marine Trades Association (MMTA) and the MMTET created their KIDS in BOATING initiative in 2017.
The focus is to help support nonprofit youth boating programs. The goal is to challenge these programs to get more kids on the water in a safe and smart manner. In 2017, the KIDS in BOATING initiative awarded 11 grants ranging from $500 to $1,500 each and totaling approximately $11,000. This year the grant application cycle runs from March 15, 2018 to June 30, 2018, with awards distributed in July.
“Recognizing the fact that the boating industry is aging, the more we can do today to get more young people involved in recreational boating, the better off our industry will be tomorrow,” said Randall Lyons, MMTA executive director and founder of the initiative. In addition, creating an interest in boating at a
young age may open the door to more career avenues for marine related jobs in the future, another key initiative for our association and industry, Lyons said. The two industry opportunities go hand-in- hand in supporting the sustainability of the boating industry for many generations to come.
The KIDS in BOATING grant program is designed to financially support nonprofit youth programs in the state of Massachusetts. A preference will be given to MMTA members and organizations with creative new ideas to get more kids on the water. We are also encouraging applicants to participate in events during the Massachusetts KIDS Boating Day — June 2 to 10, 2018.
Many thanks go to our KIDS in BOATING sponsors: 3A Marine www.3amarine.com; Robalo Boats www.robalo.com; MyTaskit www.mytaskit.com; Hingham Shipyard Marinas http://www.hinghamshipyardmarinas.com/; and Newburyport Marinas www.newburyportmarinas.com.
For more information on this initiative, including ways to help sponsor the initiative or to apply for a grant, visit: https://www.boatma.com/ma-kids- in-boating.html
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