Recreational Boating Information for the Northwest

Northwest Marine Trade Association Awards $17,300 to
8 organizations Through Grow Boating Grants - Press Release

SEATTLE – April 2015 – The Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA) is
pleased to announce that it has awarded $17,300 to eight boating programs
in the Northwest as part of the association’s Grow Boating Grant Program.
The program exists to assist non-profit groups or organizations that help 
serve NMTA's core purpose – increasing the number of boaters in the
Northwest, and encouraging boaters to boat more often. 

“We’re fortunate to have an abundance of great organizations in the
Northwest that exist to get people out on the water and introduced to
boating of all kinds,” said Brian Kaloper, Harbormaster, Elliott Bay Marina
and NMTA’s Grow Boating Committee Chair. “And thanks to the NMTA’s
industry-leading Grow Boating program, we are able to help many of them.
In fact we received so many applications from worthy organizations that we
increased the amount of available grant money for 2015 from $9,000
to $17,300.” 

The 2015 grantees are:

  • Center for Wooden Boats (Seattle) to help expand its Public Sail Program which provides free boat rides on Lake Union. 

  • Community Boating Center (Bellingham, Wash.) to purchase supplies for leadership training and navigation education at its summer youth camps.

  • Lake Washington Rowing Club (Seattle) to help fund scholarships for its youth program and retrofit equipment.

  • Olympia Yacht Club Foundation (Olympia, Wash.) for the purchase PFDs and spray tops and pants for their 11-week summer “Learn to Sail” program for youth. 

  • Puget Sound Anglers of Lake Washington to support adding a youth division to their annual Trout Derby in June. 

  • Sea Scouts Ship 926 (Post Falls, Idaho) to support recruitment and program expenses for their newly-chartered program. 

  • Tacoma Youth Marine Center (Tacoma, Wash.) to help fund the 2015 “Sails & Trails” Summer Camp which introduces youth ages 11-15 to a wide variety of boating and boating skills. 

  • Whatcom Community Sailing (Bellingham, Wash.) to help establish Community Free Sailing Days in Bellingham and provide scholarships for kids to learn to sail or participate in racing programs.

Organizations interested in applying for a grant for 2016 can find the application online at: http://www.nmta.net/grow-boating/2794.asp. Applications are due by February 8, 2016. 

About Grow Boating

NMTA'S Grow Boating Program is funded through a surcharge on square-footage rented during the Seattle Boat Show each January. Since 2003, NMTA has spent more than $1M to promote boating in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to the Grant Program the NMTA promotes boating through ongoing innovative giveaways, event partnerships and sponsorships that provide a venue to showcase the boating lifestyle. 

Other Grow Boating programs include:

  • The Northwest Salmon Derby Series, started in 2004. The NMTA partners with fishing derbies throughout the region to increase recreational fishing participation and opportunities. 

  • Sponsorship of the Downtown Sailing Series. Each Thursday during the summer, NMTA coordinates free boat rides on boats provided by NMTA member businesses.

  • The Northwest Paddling Series. Similar to the Salmon Derby Series, the NMTA partners with standup paddleboard (SUP) races throughout the region to encourage participation in the sport. The series culminates in front of thousands of spectators at the Seafair Northwest Paddling Championship. 

  • An annual PR campaign that promotes recreational boating through the placement of positive boating stories in local and regional media (TV, radio, print, web).

About the Northwest Marine Trade Association

The NMTA is the nation’s largest regional marine association. It represents more than 700 companies in the recreational boating industry, including boat dealers, boat brokers, marinas, boatyards, manufacturers, retailers and suppliers of boating and paddling accessories and services. The NMTA’s mission is to promote the growth of recreational boating in the Northwest. The NMTA produces the Seattle Boat Show, the West Coast’s largest boat show and the Northwest Paddling Festival, the region’s largest and most popular paddle sports consumer event.

The NMTA is also an indispensable voice for its members in Olympia—advocating on their behalf for boating, 
 recreational fishing, tourism and workforce issues. It also has created three non-profits: Clean Boating
 Foundation, Fish Northwest and the NMTA Health Trust. 

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