Boating Safety Financial Assistance (97.012)
Boating Safety Financial Assistance (Assistance Listing 97.012) is run by the U.S. Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security. It awarded $616 million in 382 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $1.6 million per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $1.1 million. Half of the 382 awards fell between $714,354 and $2.2 million, and they ranged from $22,400 to $10.6 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$616 million
- Grant awards382
- Typical award$1.1 million
- Awarded in FY 2025$125 million
- Size rank324 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceFormula grants, project grants
Key findings
- Annual funding was roughly flat, $125 million in fiscal 2021 and $125 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 324th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 60% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 56 states and territories.
What the program funds
The mission of the National RBS Program is to ensure the public has a safe, secure, and enjoyable recreational boating experience by implementing programs designed to minimize the loss of life, personal injury, and property damage while cooperating with environmental and national security efforts via formula grants to designated state agencies. States must have an approved RBS program for enforcement, education, casualty reporting, certificates of number, and a signed Memorandum of Agreement with the Coast Guard.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
This program is not open to the public. Eligibility is determined by federal statute. Applications can only be accepted from the designated state authority or agency.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Award funds shall be used to support annually approved recreational boating safety activities.
Matching requirements
Statutory Formula: Title 46, Part 13104, Subpart a,Public Law 98-89.(1) One-third shall be allocated equally each fiscal year among eligible States. (2) One-third shall be allocated among eligible States that maintain a State vessel numbering system approved under chapter 123 of this title and a marine casualty reporting system approved under this chapter so that the amount allocated each fiscal year to each eligible State will be in the same ratio as the number of vessels numbered in that State bears to the number of vessels numbered in all eligible States. (3) One-third shall be allocated so that the amount allocated each fiscal year to each eligible State will be in the same ratio as the amount of State amounts expended by the State for the State recreational boating safety program during the prior fiscal year bears to the total State amounts expended during that fiscal year by all eligible States for State recreational boating safety programs.The amount received by a State under this section in a fiscal year may be not more than one-half of the total cost incurred by that State in developing, carrying out, and financing that State's recreational boating safety program in that fiscal year.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Boating Safety Financial Assistance (97.012) awarded $616 million across 382 grant awards, an average of $1.6 million per award.
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 95% of the money, nonprofits 4.6%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 280 | $588 million | 95% |
| Nonprofits | 102 | $28.5 million | 4.6% |
By state
Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 32 | $54.8 million |
| Michigan | 5 | $33.7 million |
| California | 5 | $28.2 million |
| Maryland | 11 | $25.6 million |
| Texas | 5 | $23.2 million |
| Ohio | 7 | $21.5 million |
| Minnesota | 6 | $19.0 million |
| Wisconsin | 8 | $18.4 million |
| New York | 12 | $15.9 million |
| Virginia | 25 | $15.8 million |
| Georgia | 7 | $15.7 million |
| North Carolina | 12 | $15.1 million |
| Missouri | 7 | $14.9 million |
| South Carolina | 5 | $14.8 million |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | $14.4 million |
| New Jersey | 5 | $14.2 million |
| Kentucky | 24 | $13.0 million |
| Illinois | 7 | $12.9 million |
| Washington | 5 | $12.6 million |
| Massachusetts | 7 | $11.9 million |
| Louisiana | 5 | $11.6 million |
| Tennessee | 5 | $11.4 million |
| Oregon | 5 | $10.7 million |
| Oklahoma | 5 | $9.5 million |
| Alabama | 5 | $9.3 million |
| Arkansas | 5 | $8.7 million |
| Iowa | 5 | $8.2 million |
| Utah | 5 | $7.9 million |
| Indiana | 5 | $7.9 million |
| Arizona | 5 | $7.7 million |
| New Hampshire | 5 | $7.6 million |
| Idaho | 5 | $7.6 million |
| Maine | 5 | $7.2 million |
| Connecticut | 5 | $7.1 million |
| Mississippi | 5 | $6.6 million |
| Colorado | 5 | $5.7 million |
| Delaware | 5 | $5.4 million |
| Nevada | 5 | $5.2 million |
| Rhode Island | 5 | $5.2 million |
| South Dakota | 5 | $5.2 million |
| District of Columbia | 7 | $5.0 million |
| New Mexico | 5 | $4.7 million |
| Alaska | 5 | $4.6 million |
| Kansas | 5 | $4.5 million |
| Hawaii | 5 | $4.4 million |
| Vermont | 5 | $4.4 million |
| Puerto Rico | 5 | $4.4 million |
| North Dakota | 5 | $4.3 million |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 5 | $4.0 million |
| Nebraska | 5 | $3.9 million |
| Montana | 5 | $3.9 million |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 5 | $3.9 million |
| Guam | 5 | $3.8 million |
| West Virginia | 5 | $3.7 million |
| American Samoa | 5 | $3.6 million |
| Wyoming | 5 | $1.9 million |