The Block Island Maritime Funding Inc. concentrates on coastal and maritime-related causes, funding hands-on maritime education, museums, yacht and sailing clubs, and community institutions in coastal New England and other U.S. shoreline communities. It also supports animal welfare and small local cultural/historical organizations, often with mid-sized grants that enable program delivery or capital/operational support. The foundation’s giving emphasizes practical, place-based maritime learning and stewardship alongside rescue and wildlife care in coastal regions.
Modest-sized portfolio (14 grants, ~$202K total) with a concentration in a few larger grants but broad geographic spread across coastal communities; typically mid-size, one-off program or operating grants rather than large multi-year commitments.
Block Island Maritime Funding Inc. gives across a compact set of coastal priorities, with recent support reaching maritime learning, yacht and sailing clubs, museums, schools, and animal rescue groups. Its largest recent grant in the data, $32,750, went to Helping Hands and Hooves in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts for general support, showing that the foundation’s scope extends beyond boats and waterfront institutions to practical community-based animal care. Another large grant, $30,000, supported Fuel Foundation for Underway Experiential Learning in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, pointing to hands-on maritime education as a core theme. The pattern also includes support for school-based and historical institutions, such as Hammond School in Columbia, South Carolina and Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine. Across the recent grants list, the foundation appears to favor general support rather than tightly restricted project funding, and its recipients are concentrated in shoreline communities and maritime towns. The mix of education, stewardship, and local institutions suggests a funder interested in preserving maritime culture while supporting day-to-day organizational work.
Hands-on maritime education is one clear thread. The foundation gave $30,000 to Fuel Foundation for Underway Experiential Learning in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts for general support, and $10,000 to Iyrs School of Technology and Trades in Newport, Rhode Island for general support. Maritime heritage institutions also receive support: Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine received $12,056, and Elliot Museum Historical Society of Martin County in Stuart, Florida received $9,500. Beyond maritime culture, the funder supports coastal animal welfare. Grants of $7,075 went to Treasure Coast Wildlife Center in Palm City, Florida and Nala's Rescue in Palm City, Florida, both for general support. The list also includes $9,500 to Rescue Adoptions Inc in Fort Pierce, Florida, reinforcing that animal care is part of the portfolio.
Typical awards cluster around five figures: the p25 is $9,500, the median is $10,000, and the p75 is $17,114. The recent list shows repeated general support grants rather than highly restricted project awards. Recipients appear across both 2023 and 2024, which points to continuing relationships with some parts of the portfolio rather than one-time grants only. The foundation is a non-individual funder and does not make program-related investments. In the data provided, there is no application mechanism described, so the giving pattern is best read through the recurring general-support grants and the mid-sized award range.
$83K
$2.1M
$1.9M
$1.5M
Most grants fall between $10K and $17K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$17K
About 7% of grants go to recipients in FL.
RICHARD T HARRIS
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Notable grantees: Fuel Foundation for Underway Experiential Learning, Maine Maritime Museum, IYRS School of Technology and Trades, Helping Hands and Hooves, Cuttyhunk Yacht Club
The grant record is national, with all recent grants shown going to U.S. recipients. Florida is the top state by grant count, including recipients in Stuart, Fort Pierce, and Palm City. Massachusetts also appears repeatedly, with grants to Mattapoisett, Vineyard Haven, and Cuttyhunk. Other recipient locations include Columbia, South Carolina; Newport, Rhode Island; Southport, Connecticut; Bath, Maine; and Providence, Rhode Island. Only 7% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state of Maine, so the giving footprint is broader than the foundation’s Falmouth base.
The recent grants point to maritime education, museums and historical organizations, yacht and sailing clubs, and coastal animal welfare groups. Examples in the record include Fuel Foundation for Underway Experiential Learning, Maine Maritime Museum, Pequot Yacht Club Foundation, and Treasure Coast Wildlife Center.
The grant-size distribution centers around modest mid-sized awards. The p25 is $9,500, the median is $10,000, and the p75 is $17,114.
No. Only 7% of grants go to recipients in Maine, while the recent grant list includes organizations in Florida, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Florida is the top state by grant count.
The recent grants listed are all labeled general support. That pattern suggests the foundation often backs organizations’ broader operating needs rather than only narrowly defined projects.
Yes. Florida appears most often, with recipients in Stuart, Fort Pierce, and Palm City. Massachusetts is also prominent, with grants to Mattapoisett, Vineyard Haven, and Cuttyhunk.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL FOUNDATION FOR UNDERWAY EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING | VINEYARD HAVEN, MA | $30,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PEQUOT YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION | SOUTHPORT, CT | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPIRITUAL CENTER OF SOUTHPORT (TRINITY CHURCH) | SOUTHPORT, CT | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELLIOT MUSEUM HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MARTIN COUNTY | STUART, FL | $9,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RESCUE ADOPTIONS INC | FORT PIERCE, FL | $9,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TREASURE COAST WILDLIFE CENTER | PALM CITY, FL | $7,075 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NALA'S RESCUE | PALM CITY, FL | $7,075 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HELPING HANDS AND HOOVES | MATTAPOISETT, MA | $32,750 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HAMMOND SCHOOL | COLUMBIA, SC | $29,600 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SC WATERFOWL ASSOCOATION | PINEWOOD, SC | $18,800 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM | BATH, ME | $12,056 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CUTTYHUNK YACHT CLUB | CUTTYHUNK, MA | $10,887 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| IYRS SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AND TRADES | NEWPORT, RI | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PAUL CUFFEE SCHOOL | PROVIDENCE, RI | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
FUEL FOUNDATION FOR UNDERWAY EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PEQUOT YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SPIRITUAL CENTER OF SOUTHPORT (TRINITY CHURCH)
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ELLIOT MUSEUM HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MARTIN COUNTY
$9,500GENERAL SUPPORT
RESCUE ADOPTIONS INC
$9,500GENERAL SUPPORT
TREASURE COAST WILDLIFE CENTER
$7,075GENERAL SUPPORT
NALA'S RESCUE
$7,075GENERAL SUPPORT
HELPING HANDS AND HOOVES
$32,750GENERAL SUPPORT
HAMMOND SCHOOL
$29,600GENERAL SUPPORT
SC WATERFOWL ASSOCOATION
$18,800GENERAL SUPPORT
MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM
$12,056GENERAL SUPPORT
CUTTYHUNK YACHT CLUB
$10,887GENERAL SUPPORT
IYRS SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AND TRADES
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PAUL CUFFEE SCHOOL
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT