Tall Ships America facilitates access to the experience of sail training and sea education aboard the North American fleet of tall ships and sail training vessels. Generous and committed donors and partners provide funds to support participation in the sail training experience and to develop the maritime workforce. These funds are available for the acquisition of mariner skills and professional development and sail training and sea education experiences. Applications for Grants and Scholarships can be submitted at any time and are reviewed at least quarterly by a committee in February, May, August and November. Except where noted, the size and number of awards will vary year to year. Except where noted, Grants and Scholarships are open to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

Tall Ships America manages funds dedicated to support professional development for crew and aspiring mariners to participate in the maritime workforce. This includes grants to attend the Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships, internships aboard Tall Ships America member vessels and support for USCG certified licensing courses and fees. Alongside general workforce development funding, specific funds are as follows:

  • Liz Strojny Memorial Fund: Supporting those seeking the sea and expanding their future endeavors in the maritime industry. Liz was an avid sailor who inspired and educated everyone onboard. She attended the University of South Carolina, Columbia, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology in December 2001. She sailed throughout the tall ship fleet, including on Corwith Cramer, Sound Waters, Providence, Hawaiian Chieftain, Westward, Spirit of Massachusetts, Harvey Gamage, Appledore V and Summerwind. This memorial fund keeps her memory and spirit alive by providing professional development opportunities to working crew who want to continue their education and professional career in Liz’s wake. Every year Tall Ships America crew members may apply for conference grants to support their participation in the Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships, normally held in February. The application process is opened in the fall and remains open until all funds are used. The size and number of grants will vary year to year.
  • The Ernestine Bennett Memorial Fund was established in 2013 to honor the memory of long-time sailor and 1998 recipient of the American Sail Training Association Lifetime Achievement Award, Ernestine Bennett (see complete bio below). The Fund is designated to support individuals who are genuinely interested in sail training and education under sail and was renewed in 2021 through the generous support of the Stanton D and Ernestine J Bennett Charitable Trust. These funds are designated to support the professional development of tall ship crew and aspiring mariners, either through participation in professional development courses (including the Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships) or through supported internships to gain experience and sea time. The Ernestine Bennett Memorial Fund offers equal opportunity to crew members and aspiring mariners between the ages of 19 and 26 and will give priority to residents of the Pacific Northwest and to female applicants but is not limited by these criteria.
  • Tall Ships America Diversity Fund: Supporting those from under-represented populations to expand their involvement in the tall ship workforce. The Diversity Fund intends to provide opportunities for under-represented populations to get involved in professional development for the maritime workforce. This includes grants to attend the Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships, internships aboard Tall Ships America member vessels and support for USCG certified licensing courses and fees. Applications are welcome from people 27 years old or younger and in entry level/early career position. Priority will be given to those with an active Tall Ships America crew membership. If you are encountering financial difficulty and would like to be considered for a sponsored crew membership, please indicate this on the application.
  • The Northeast Maritime Institute – College of Maritime Science Captain David V.V. Wood Eagle Scholarship: supports trainees participating in the United States Coast Guard/Tall Ships America partnership onboard USCG Barque EAGLE by subsidizing the set daily food/expenses cost dictated by the Coast Guard. This scholarship program is generously funded by Northeast Maritime Institute Foundation in honor of former Eagle Captain David V. V. Wood and his decades of support for sail training and education. Applicants must meet all Coast Guard criteria listed here and must be Tall Ships America members. Membership can be purchased here; applicants experiencing financial difficulty can apply for a Sponsored Crew Membership here.

About Captain Wood:
A native of Washington, DC, Captain Wood attended Amherst College where he graduated cum laude in 1960 with a major in English. He was commissioned in the Coast Guard in 1962 and served thirty-seven years on active duty in various assignments, retiring in 1992 with the rank of Captain. He served on six different cutters during his career, for a combined total of more than 15 years’ sea duty, commanding three of them, including the training barque EAGLE from 1988-1992. He taught English at the USCG Academy (1969-73) and obtained a Master of Education degree from Boston University through an off-duty education program; he also successfully sat for a USCG merchant marine license as Master, Auxiliary Sail Vessels, Any Gross Tons, Oceans. Captain Wood is a distinguished graduate of the Naval War College (1982), where he subsequently served as Coast Guard Advisor to the President from 1985-88. During the more than twenty years since his retirement from active duty, Captain Wood has sailed commercially, taught ship handling to naval officers at Marine Safety International’s simulator facility in Middletown, RI, taught various USCG-approved courses at Northeast Maritime Institute and became a founding Trustee of NMI’s College of Maritime Science, served as Chairman and Executive Director of the American Sail Training Association (now Tall Ships America), and worked as an independent maritime consultant. He is also the author of articles on sea education and sail training and served on the board of the UK-based Sail Training International, where he chaired the Class A Tall Ships Forum.

Award Criteria for all Workforce Development Grant Funds:

  1. Available to Tall Ships America non-officer crew and aspiring mariners. Priority will be given to those with an active Tall Ships America crew membership. If you are encountering financial difficulty and would like to be considered for a sponsored crew membership, please indicate this on the application.
  2. Sail training internship or sea time grant must be sanctioned by a current member of Tall Ships America and the vessel must be a US Coast Guard Inspected Sailing School or Passenger Vessel.
  3. Licensing fees and certification must be provided by a recognized provider.
  4. Personal statement about interest and expectations for what will be achieved through participating in the professional development experience.
  5. Willingness to describe and share the impact of the experience with others and evidence of achievement (license or certification) where possible.

Applicants must be Tall Ships America members. Click here for membership information.

Tall Ships America manages several funds that support young people to access sail training experiences onboard member vessels. Scholarships in these funds are awarded to individuals and organized groups (such as school classes, youth groups, scout troops, or community organizations) between the ages of 14 and 19 who are genuinely interested in experiencing sail training and education under sail and can describe what they will achieve by participating in the sail training experience. Maximum award to an individual is up to 50% of program fee or $500. Maximum award to a group is up to 50% of program fee or $1,500. Payment of the scholarship is on a reimbursement basis when participants have completed the program. Priority will be given to sail training experiences for individuals that are at least four days duration, while group experiences may be of any duration. The sail training program selected must be a current member of Tall Ships America and the vessel must be a US Coast Guard Inspected Sailing School or Passenger Vessel.

A Tall Ships America Crew Membership allows you to apply to our Workforce Development Grants, lets you apply directly to Billet Bank job postings, and supports your connection to our vibrant community. Sponsored Crew Memberships are funded by Tall Ships America and our generous members in order to support the next generation of tall ship sailors and are open to non-officer crew who are working or interested in working aboard a tall ship or sail training vessel