Mission

Beginning in 1990, SANTA MONICA BAY SAILING FOUNDATION (SMBSF), a 501 (c) (3) corporation, has changed lives through the sport of sailing and other boating activities within the Santa Monica Bay area including Redondo Beach, Marina Del Rey and Westlake Village.  The Foundation is proud of its ability to develop innovative programs promoting the sport of sailing for qualified participants of all ages and abilities thereby making it one of California’s leading sailing community support arms.

Goals

To fulfill its mission the Foundation focuses its resources in SIX areas:

1. Funding "At Risk" Children’s Sailing Programs and scholarships in youth sailing classes designed for young sailors.
2. Support of Scholastic Sailing teams at both high school and college levels.
3.  Support for specialized training especially of instructors and coaches.
4.  Support of competitive sailing at local, national, and international levels.
5. Increasing the quality of equipment in junior sailing programs in our area. 
6. Activities in other ocean based programs including fishing and powerboating which further the understanding of our natural resources. 

In 2006, SMBSF has expanded its fundraising goals to include more equipment and scholarships to provide a higher level of competition and to reach out to additional qualified youths.  Our wish list includes a fund raising goal of raising enough funds to support all of the qualified Grants for which we receive. The  Foundation  is  proud  to  have  received  the 1999  David  Poe Service Award  from  the  Association of  Santa  Monica  Bay Yacht Clubs (ASMBYC) for its  continued outreach and service in the community to promote the sport of sailing and boating activities.  The Foundation Board is currently looking for ways to raise the bar of boating support in 2008. 

What We Support

The Foundation has been involved in charity work within the community raising and distributing an average of $30,000 per year over several years for various youth related groups.  With our current goal, we would be able to provide top quality equipment with 6 Martin 242, one design keel boats, 6 Vanguard 420's, competition sails, 4 custom coach boats and expanded scholarships for at risk youth.

We have a Board of Directors comprised of 17 individuals from our community and we meet during the year to review any grants that are received prior to our posted meeting dates. In the past three years we have made grants to a variety of programs including:

Funding Approved:

• High School Scholastic programs and teams at Venice High School, Westchester High School, Palisades High School, Agoura High School, Chaminade High School, Westlake High School and Santa Monica High School.  We provide funding for these teams helping 100 students per year to participate in a national sport.
• Collegiate Sailing programs and teams at UCLA and Pepperdine University. We have provided funding for coaching, equipment and entry fees.
• Youth training and coaching at CISA (California International Sailing Association) for the best youth competitive sailors. This is a high level, by resume only, week of training with Olympic Sailors.
•  Scholarships for beginning sailors within the community who would not ordinarily be able to access sailing. We go into the community and fund those young people who might benefit in a summer on the water developing unique skills. They attend summer junior programs in Marina del Rey, King Harbor and Westlake.
• Transportation and application fees for Championships such as US SAILING Championship of Champions, Junior Olympics, Sears Bemis Smyth.  Provided funding for Local, National and International Championships including the National Pram Championship, The Orange Bowl Regatta in Florida, Laser Radial Worlds, International Youth Match Racing Championship in New Zealand, Olympic Trials, Governors Cup, Youth Match Racing Championships in Italy.
• Special Olympics Sailing, SMBSF provided funding for special children to attend the 2003 World Games in Ireland and expect to fund several more Special Olympic children in 2007.  Funded a beginner program at DRYC in 2005.
• Venice Boys and Girls Club, coaching and equipment was provided for a new youth sailing program at Fairwinds Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey.    
• Instructor Training classes, funds to support training instructors at the US SAILING level.
• Development of Racing Clinics, funds to support racing clinics for sailors within the Santa Monica Bay area.
• Championship events including the Association of Santa Monica Bay Yacht Clubs Champion of Champions Regatta.
• Training women sailors through the Women on the Water (WOW!) events created by the Womens Sailing Association