Sail Her Dreams Receives Reach Grant From US Sailing

Big news out of the harbor! We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Sail Her Dreams has officially been named a recipient of the 2026 Reach Youth Engagement Grant by US Sailing. This isn't just a win for our team, it’s a direct investment in the future of the young women we serve. This grant provides critical funding and resources to supercharge our mission: encouraging, empowering, and creating opportunities for girls both on and off the water.  

What is the Reach Initiative?

US Sailing's Reach Initiative strives to engage youth and enhance career opportunities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Environmental Stewardship through authentic learning experiences.

Instead of just learning physics or marine ecology from a textbook, our participants get to see these concepts in action—feeling how wind velocity affects a sail or testing the water quality of the lake firsthand.

"This support is more than funding. It is an investment in the future of our girls academy and the young women we serve. Because of this grant, we can continue to grow our mission to encourage, empower, and create opportunities for girls both on and off the water." -Erica Trejo

What This Grant Means for Our Community

With the backing of US Sailing, we are taking our STEM program integration to the next level. The Reach Grant allows us to seamlessly weave hands-on engineering, marine science, and environmental modules into our programming.

The grant provided to us includes Yeti buckets, 100' New England Ropes line, and a banner. Here is exactly what this support helps fuel across our academy:

• Hands-On STEM Programming: Connecting the craft of sailing directly with technical innovation and problem-solving.  

• Mentorship & Community: Giving girls the guidance, confidence, and tight-knit community they need to thrive in competitive environments and become leaders. 

• Environmental Stewardship & Career Tracks: Teaching lakeshore conservation and ecosystem health, while introducing participants to high-growth career pathways in marine science and green technology through our mentors.

We want to show our students that there is a vast world of innovation waiting for them, and show parents how their children can get a major leg up on learning while making lifelong friends and building deep confidence.

Beyond the Water

The gender gap goes beyond the water. According to the World Economic Forum, only 26% to 28% of women make up the global STEM workforce. Sail Her Dreams is actively working to flip that script. The teamwork, decision-making, and resilience developed on a boat are the exact same skills needed to lead a laboratory, design sustainable technology, or run a boardroom.  

We are incredibly grateful to US Sailing, its partners, and our community for making this possible. Keep an eye on our horizon—we have some amazing, science-backed adventures coming to the water soon!

"Through Sail Her Dreams, we are building more than sailors. We are building leaders. From our podcast conversations that amplify inspiring voices and authentic stories, to hands-on STEM programming that connects sailing with innovation, to mentorship that gives girls guidance, confidence, and community, this support helps make it all possible." -Erica Trejo

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SAIL HER DREAMS IS A 501(C)(3) Nonprofit Organization

Empower the next generation of female leaders by supporting Sail Her Dreams, our youth girls STEM sailing Academy. We provide young girls with the opportunity to combine hands-on sailing experiences with STEM education, fostering skills in science, technology, engineering, and math while building confidence and teamwork on the water. Your donation will help us provide these life-changing opportunities, creating future innovators who are prepared to excel in both STEM fields and beyond. Join us in inspiring and shaping the future of young women — together, we can make waves of change.