Water Safety Grants

Overview

Grant applications are currently open through Saturday, December 6, 2025. In addition to swim/paddlecraft lesson grants, DEM is offering funding to cover the cost of adaptive swimming lessons and equipment, trainings, and certifications for adaptive programming. These lessons are designed to accommodate students with cognitive, developmental, or physical challenges to make sure they feel safe and confident in the water.

Organizations may submit multiple applications for different pieces of this grant (i.e., swim lessons and adaptive equipment/training). If you have multiple locations, please submit one application per location.

Requirements

• Applicants must be a Rhode Island municipality or an organization registered to conduct business with the Rhode Island Secretary of State.
• Applicants must be up to date on all certifications and requirements to operate a bathing facility.

Scoring

Applicants will be scored based on the following categories, of which criteria are described within the applications:

• Organization Qualifications (15 pts)
• Program Overview (15 pts)
• Demonstrated Need (20 pts)
• Methodology (20 pts)
• Budget (20pts)
• Environmental Justice Community (10 pts)

Subsidized Lessons

This grant’s intention is to increase the total number of students receiving lessons statewide. Applicants who demonstrate this intent by describing how this grant funding will increase their ability to teach additional students will receive higher scores. The minimum budget for this grant is $5,000 – there is no maximum. Please note that adaptive lessons are not restricted to students from low-income households. This grant is not intended to cover the costs of subsidized lessons already offered with organizational funding.

Adaptive Equipment/Training

This grant is intended to cover the cost of equipment or staff training for adaptive programs. This may include equipment for students to use during lessons, certifications or trainings for staff to learn adaptive swim curricula, or small improvements to the facility in which adaptive lessons are hosted. This grant is NOT intended to cover the cost of swim lessons. There is no minimum or maximum budget for this grant.