GrantRadar

RYA Foundation

RYA Foundation Grants (organisations and groups)

The RYA Foundation, the Royal Yachting Association's charity, gives grants to clubs and organisations to help people disadvantaged by youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances to go boating. It funds recruiting and training staff and volunteers, boats and boating equipment, infrastructure to support boating, and boating programmes, with priority for work that leads directly to a sustained increase in participation. RYA-affiliated clubs and centres, Sailability sites and other constituted non-profit organisations can apply. Trustees review applications quarterly; the next cut-off is 3 November 2026. No grant sizes are published, and it does not normally meet the full cost of an activity.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Amount not specified
Closes in
16 days left
3 November
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • RYA-affiliated sailing clubs and centres, RYA Sailability sites and other organisations in Great Britain developing their facilities or programmes for people disadvantaged by youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances
  • Organisations need a recognised governing document (such as a trust deed or constitution) and a formal management committee
  • They may be registered charities, charitable companies or members-only clubs, and should have suitable policies such as health and safety, and safeguarding policies if they work with young or vulnerable people
  • Profit-distributing organisations, statutory bodies and individuals cannot apply
  • No income limit is published
  • Applicants are expected to have other funding for part of the cost

What it funds

Grants under four broad headings (applications may cover more than one):

  • Recruitment and training of staff and volunteers
  • Purchase of boats and boating equipment
  • Development of infrastructure to support boating
  • Development and delivery of boating programmes, projects and activities

Examples: increasing the number and capacity of staff and volunteers who help disadvantaged people go boating; raising awareness of disability and other barriers to participation; involving disadvantaged people in helping others sail; activities needing RYA-qualified instructors to increase on-water activity; programmes for pupils of schools that provide for disadvantaged people; bringing disadvantaged people into mainstream clubs' sailing; boats and equipment for these programmes; minor adaptations to buildings, equipment or boats for disabled people; equipment such as hoists.

Applications are assessed on improving opportunities for disadvantaged people to go boating, involving them in providing boating for others, increasing volunteering, and value for money.

What it will not fund

  • Items an organisation should provide under its duties under the Disability Discrimination Acts and the Building Regulations
  • Purchase or maintenance of vehicles
  • Amounts already spent, or activities or items ordered or started before a grant is announced
  • Holidays and boating 'experiences'
  • Projects outside Great Britain
  • Appeals for general funds
  • Replacement of statutory funding
  • Major building projects
  • Administration costs such as maintenance contracts, insurance, rents or VAT
  • Organisations that aim to distribute a profit, statutory bodies, or individuals

After a declined application, no application for the same or similar activity is considered for 12 months; after a successful one, no further application is accepted for 24 months

How to apply

  1. Read the Grant Application Guidelines for organisations and groups (https://assets.rya.org.uk/assetbank-rya-assets/action/directLinkImage?assetId=94579) and check your activity meets the criteria
  2. Complete the online RYA Foundation Grant Application Form (https://www.cognitoforms.com/f/kj4IyBYrr0mDIED83bEbdg/889): organisation details, RYA affiliation number if any, programme heading(s), the proposed activity and how it leads to sustained engagement in boating, team diversity, beneficiary numbers and recruitment, total cost, in-kind and own funding, other applications, and bank details
  3. Upload supporting documents; the declaration is signed by the main contact and by the Chair, Commodore or another senior officer
  4. Submit by the quarterly cut-off (remaining in 2026: 3 November 2026). Applications get an initial check against the criteria and completeness, then go to the trustees
  5. If awarded, accept the grant terms and conditions and submit a feedback report with photographs (the guidelines say six months after the award; the terms and conditions say within 12 months)

The Foundation will not normally meet the full cost; show your other funding sources and, where relevant, future funding plans. Offers may be conditional, e.g. on securing match funding

The separate RYA Foundation Youth Fund is for individual sailors under 25, not organisations

Have ready

  • A business plan or summary of the activity with costings, milestones and outcomes
  • Your organisation's income and expenditure budget forecast
  • Your most recent annual report and accounts
  • Quotations or estimates for the activity

The form lists these as example supporting documents; safeguarding policies are expected where you work with young or vulnerable people

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