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Grantee Spotlight: SailMaine

March 3, 2025  |  barriers to recreation, City Sailors, community partners, connection to nature, holistic philanthropy, infrastructure funding, learn to sail, outdoor education, portland, positive youth development, SailMaine, water sports, waterfront access
Three young people wave from the bow of a sailboat
Photo courtesy of SailMaine

Based in Portland, Maine, SailMaine promotes affordable access to the water through community sailing and education programs. NRF funding supports the City Sailors program, which offers free sailing lessons and STEM-based learning to youth in the greater Portland area who don’t have access to water sports. In 2024, over 650 kids went sailing with SailMaine and 20 new sailors transitioned from the City Sailors program to SailMaine summer camp.

This kind of success is due to SailMaine’s holistic approach. City Sailors doesn’t just provide free sailing lessons. It also offers free transportation, meals, gear, and hands-on support. Sailing is an exciting new sport to try because it takes kids out of a comfortable environment and puts them out on the water. This is also a barrier, since many City Sailors participants aren’t comfortable swimming or being out on the ocean. Community program coordinators from SailMaine offer support through swim lessons, regular check-ins, and coaching as new sailors learn to navigate the physical environment of the ocean and the social environment on the waterfront. NRF funding supported the purchase of a van, which allows SailMaine to offer more reliable transportation, moving kids between schools, community centers, and the waterfront. Infrastructure funding, like offsetting the cost of a van or supporting staffing costs, goes a long way in helping SailMaine break down barriers for new sailors and make City Sailors a more sustainable program.

a boy steers a sailboat
Photo courtesy of SailMaine

For kids in the City Sailors program, sailing skills are just one part of what they gain from being out on the water. At its core, SailMaine is about personal growth, community, and connection to nature. Sailing requires youth to challenge themselves, work together, and see things from a new perspective. For many young people in Portland, City Sailors is their first opportunity to see their hometown from the water or view marine wildlife up close. Kids also get to harness natural forces to create movement. They work with the wind and water to sail effectively, learning about science, the power of nature, and their own capabilities along the way.

This kind of experience can be profound, especially for young people. A community engagement coordinator at a partner school reflected on her students’ experiences with City Sailors saying, “After a very positive initial exposure to SailMaine, several of our students completed the 2024 summer camp sailing program. These particular students - who have had significant behavioral challenges in school, and even encounters with law enforcement out of school - are curious, non-conformist, adventurous risk takers. Learning to sail with incredible mentors who also love adventure and (safe) risk taking is the perfect opportunity to ‘harness the wind’ and ‘direct the sails’ of these young people. Opportunities like this can truly shift the trajectory of their young lives.”

SailMaine works hard to build a welcoming and inclusive sailing community. That effort pays off as nervous first-time sailors progress to become veteran campers. The success of SailMaine isn’t just visible in the progression of technical skills for participants. Just as important are the human connections and sense of confidence that kids gain as part of City Sailors. NRF is proud to support this meaningful work.