We would like to introduce all of you to our first ever annual report. We begin with our 2018 report. We will continue this as a yearly segment, which will hopefully help everyone understand how we raise money and gift it annually.
The Yachtsmen’s Fund is very interested in being transparent with our fund-raising practices and how we award grants and scholarships. We welcome grant requests and inquiries.
2018 was a great year for youth and amateur sailing and boating in the Lake Erie region. In addition to the perennial programs in I-LYA - Traveler Series, Junior Bay Week, & Junior Power Regatta - three of the fourteen US Sailing Championships were held at Lake Erie clubs this year. Thanks to your membership and donations, the Yachtsmen's Fund was able to support all of these events in 2018.
The 2018 Inter-Lake Yachting Association Junior Sailing Championships were held July 15-19, 2018 at the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club on South Bass Island. Once again, the Yachtsmen's Fund supported the event with grants for housing of the participants and coaching. This year's regatta attracted 119 sailors from throughout the region from as far east as Erie, PA to as far west as Indianapolis- north to Grosse Ile and south to Buckeye Lake. The participants enjoyed four days of perfect weather and racing conditions in the waters around the Lake Erie islands.
This year's regatta coaches included College of Charleston coach Mitch Hall, professional sailors Karl Felger & Nick Turney, and Junior Bay alum and Thistle coach Scott Marriott. The Yachtsmen's Fund is proud to have been able to support the regatta's effort to increase the level of coaching expertise and provide developmental value to the event. Chairs Matt & Lisa Fisher from Hoover Sailing Club put on an excellent event and we look forward to supporting Chairs Kate Keane & Liz Barker and the 2019 Regatta!
This year, the Fund once again provided an instructional grant to support this growing program within I-LYA. Over the past few years, Chairman Bob Lang has taken the Junior Powerboating program from its infancy with only a handful of participants to a valued part of the I-LYA Powerboat Week with over 40 participants. Youth learn boat handling, safety, navigation, and much more at this 3-day program held each year at Put-in-Bay Yacht Club. Most importantly, they have FUN! The I-LYA Junior Powerboat program is helping to perpetuate boating in our region by introducing young people into the activity and starting them out on the right, safe path.
In support of the committee's continued efforts to grow and expand the program, the Fund was happy to this year provide them with a much needed grant for the purchase of equipment for the program. Our grant helped to fund the purchase of 10 GPS units for the program participants to use to learn navigation skills. They practiced their newfound knowledge on land over an island scavenger hunt at the end of which they discovered a free treat at DJs Ice Cream!
2018 was a banner year for US Championships on Lake Erie!
In early August, 90 of the top youth sailors from across the US competed in the western basin of Lake Erie for the Sears Cup (triplehanded), Bemis Trophy (doublehanded), and Smythe Trophy (singlehanded). Hosted by North Cape Yacht Club in La Salle, Michigan, the sailors were treated to great racing in the wide variety of conditions that Lake Erie has to offer.
The Yachtsmen's Fund supported this event through grants for transportation and via direct volunteer support of our members. The Fund also provided assistance with entry fees for I-LYA Junior Sailors who qualified to compete.
Hosted by Mentor Harbor Yachting Club in late July, forty two-person female teams competed in an action-packed week of racing on Lake Erie for the Ida Lewis Trophy.
The Yachtsmen's Fund supported this event through grants for the Welcome Party and a Nutritional Brunch Lecture for the competitors. The fund also provided assistance with registration fees for sailors from I-LYA member clubs who participated in the event.
In late September, the Foundry in Cleveland hosted the US Team Racing Championships for the Hinman Trophy. This exciting, fast-paced event was raced in the inner-harbor just off the Foundry's new sailing center at Cleveland's Historic Coast Guard Station.
The Yachtsmen's Fund was honored to support this event and the Foundry's efforts to increase exposure of the sport and our area.
Membership in the Fund continued to grow in 2018. The ongoing support of our members helps us to achieve our goals and increase our impact.
Life Memberships, Memorial Contributions, and Large Gifts are invested and provide ongoing support into the future.
In 2018, the Fund continued to support events & programs which directly benefit youth & amateur sailing and boating in the Lake Erie Region while keeping operating expenses to the minimum necessary to manage the endowment and increase membership & donations.
Although subject to market fluctuations, the Fund's endowment continues to be on an upward growth trend allowing us to continue annual support for qualifying activities.
The majority of the Fund's Annual Support comes from Dollar-per-Member Clubs and Organizational memberships. These donations help to fund the next's year's grants and expenses. Life Memberships, Memorial Contributions, and large donations are invested and help to build the endowment to provide ongoing support into the future.
Is Your Organization a Dollar-per-Member Club?
Yearly donations to the Fund are, once again, on the rise helping us to continue and expand our support of programs throughout the region supporting safe boating and introducing youth and amateurs to the activity.
In 2018, the Fund launched a new website, www.yachtsmensfund.org. The new site features online giving options, electronic grant requests, and highlights throughout the year about the sailors, boaters, programs, and events that the fund supports.
As we increase our support of new events, the Fund has enjoyed additional exposure and branding via sponsorship banners and other recognition at these events and members of the Fund have traveled to be on site to represent the Fund and also offer in-kind support of the events and activities.
The Inter-Lake Yachtsmen's Fund was incorporated in 1919 and this year, we will celebrate our 100th Anniversary! On November 30, 2018, we launched our Centennial Campaign to increase the endowment so that we can increase our ongoing support of worthy activities and programs that support youth and amateur boating in the region.
The Fund established two giving levels - Centennial Sponsor & Centennial Benefactor - in support of this goal.
The Fund hosted a Hospitality Room at the Fall Meeting of the Inter-Lake Yachting Association to kick-off the campaign. By the end of the event, we had 30 New Centennial Sponsors & 3 New Centennial Benefactors!
As the Fund enters its second century, we look to not only continue our existing support, but also to expand beyond our traditional programs. There are many worthy programs in the region that help to Educate, Challenge, and Inspire youth and amateurs in boating & sailing.
Grant Requests for the coming year are considered at our meeting the first Friday of April each year. Grant requests can be made online. Visit our website for additional information and types of activities & events that we have supported in the past.
The Fund established Challenge Team Grants in 2006 to encourage youth sailors in the region to participate and compete at high-level events outside of our region. Requests must be made prior to the event via the website.