Grants fund local projects addressing ocean challenges and building scalable solutions

11th Hour Racing grantee, Youth in Action, leads ‘Outdoor Equity & Adventure Learning’ programs that connect students from environmental justice communities to opportunities for education, leadership, and advocacy in coastal spaces.

NEWPORT, Rhode Island, U.S. — 11th Hour Racing announced $4.4 million in grants awarded to organizations addressing urgent ocean challenges and the opening of its 2025 grant application. The funding supports 11 new grantees and 36 renewed grants, with a strong focus in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, alongside projects across the U.S. and internationally. These grants are critical to building a sustainable future, protecting our ocean, empowering communities, and promoting wise resource use.

The initiatives range from hands-on education that nurtures a love for the ocean in young people to community-led ecosystem restoration and pioneering research driving sustainable practices across industries. 

“We recognize that local action is the catalyst for global change,” said Michelle Carnevale, president of 11th Hour Racing. “By supporting these programs, we are not just addressing today’s issues; we’re driving long-term solutions that protect our ocean and build resilience for the people who depend on it.”

Bike Newport promotes biking to Newport events, partnering with municipalities and event planners to expand city-wide bike routing and parking and integrate carbon-free transportation into event sustainability plans.

With these new grantees, 11th Hour Racing now supports 58 projects creating scalable sustainability models to inspire change. Below are the new grantees:

  1. Aquidneck Land Trust (R.I., U.S.) leads the Almy Pond Watershed Protectors group in enacting stormwater management practices and community stewardship to restore and maintain Almy Pond as a healthy ecosystem.
  2. Bike Newport (R.I., U.S.) promotes biking to Newport events, partnering with municipalities and event planners to expand city-wide bike routing and parking and integrate carbon-free transportation into event sustainability plans.
  3. Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County (R.I., U.S.) promotes equity and access to educational opportunities for Newport children and teens through swim lessons, after-school programs, Kids Clubhouse summer camp for children ages 5-12, and Total Teen Explorers camp for teenagers.
  4. Barnstable County Government’s Cape Cod Cooperative Extension (Mass, U.S.) conducts research and stakeholder engagement to establish a regional coastal community compost facility on Cape Cod.
  5. Earth Care Farm (R.I., U.S.) is expanding its composting operations to a second site. This will increase the amount of healthy living soil produced for local farmers and landowners, helping to revitalize depleted soils around the region.
  6. Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District (R.I., U.S.) supports the development of a regional compost processing site in the East Bay via research and municipal engagement.
  7. Fishers Island Seagrass Management Coalition (N.Y., U.S.) maps eelgrass on Fishers Island, supporting the Long Island Sound Eelgrass Flowering Study and engaging the boating community in protection efforts.
  8. International Tennis Hall of Fame (R.I., U.S.) leads TeamFAME, which offers free youth programs on Aquidneck Island that combine socioemotional learning, sustainability projects, and student-led advocacy for composting, recycling, and gardening.
  9. Lost Boyz (Ill., U.S.) emphasizes social, academic, and developmental support and learning through organized sports and maritime activities for the students of Chicago’s South Side.
  10. Youth in Action (R.I., U.S.) leads Outdoor Equity & Adventure Learning programs that connect students from environmental justice communities to opportunities for education, leadership, and advocacy in coastal spaces.
  11. Zero Waste Providence (R.I., U.S.) promotes composting and zero-waste practices, engaging diverse communities to support the City of Providence’s sustainability goals. 
Fishers Island Seagrass Management Coalition maps eelgrass on Fishers Island, N.Y., supporting the Long Island Sound Eelgrass Flowering Study and engaging the boating community in protection efforts.

The 2025 grant application is open until March 31, 2025. 11th Hour Racing conducts one annual grant review for new applicants, while organizations with previous grant funding from 11th Hour Racing are encouraged to consult their grant manager regarding renewal opportunities. All nonprofit organizations working to advance ocean health and stewardship are encouraged to apply at 11thhourracing.org. 

About 11th Hour Racing
11th Hour Racing works to mobilize sports, maritime, and coastal communities with an innovative approach to inspire solutions for the ocean and promote collaborative, systemic change through three primary areas of engagement: sponsorships, grantees, and ambassadors. Under the 11th Hour Racing umbrella, activities are provided through 11th Hour Racing, Inc., which serves as the impact entity and provides programmatic direction to its philanthropic partners, including 11th Hour Racing Charitable, LLC, which engages in charitable work, and 11th Hour Racing Action, LLC, which engages in social welfare programs and advocacy. Learn more at www.11thhourracing.org.

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