Tall Ships America Announces New Grant and Scholarship Requirements and Strategic Partnership with Women Offshore Foundation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 24, 2025

Tall Ships America Announces New Grant and Scholarship Requirements and Strategic Partnership with Women Offshore Foundation

Enhanced Safety Standards and Career Development Initiatives Support Maritime Community Growth

Newport, RI – Tall Ships America today announced the implementation of new requirements for vessels hosting Tall Ships America scholarship and grant recipients alongside a strategic partnership with the Women Offshore Foundation. These coordinated efforts represent an ongoing commitment to recognizing and supporting ships that provide safe environments for those who sail with them while creating new pathways for personal growth and maritime career development.

New Requirements for Scholarship Host Vessels

To be eligible to host a Tall Ships America scholarship recipient, vessels must now meet comprehensive safety and operational criteria including: current organizational membership in Tall Ships America, background screening and training from an approved course for any individual who will have regular contact with scholarship recipients, documented and transparent Safety Protocols and Procedures for reporting sexual abuse and misconduct with clear guidelines for investigating allegations, and a comprehensive Code of Conduct that defines expected behaviors and prohibits discrimination and harassment.

Full details and the application for consideration are available at https://tallshipsamerica.org/scholarships-grants/.

To support implementation of these new requirements, Tall Ships America has partnered with the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI) to provide background screenings at discounted rates for member organizations. Information on accessing this discount is available through Tall Ships America’s member benefits program.

Strategic Partnership with Women Offshore Foundation

The partnership between Tall Ships America and the Women Offshore Foundation is designed to support women’s participation in maritime careers and sail training. The collaboration represents a significant step forward in creating more inclusive opportunities within the tall ships community and broader maritime industry.

The partnership will focus on developing comprehensive support systems for women in maritime careers, including co-creation of a tall ship-centered mentorship program, facilitation of virtual discussion groups, and expanded access to professional development resources. The initiative is specifically designed with a framework that can be expanded to benefit all members of the tall ships community.

“This partnership represents exactly the kind of collaborative approach we need to create meaningful change in our industry,” said Liz Schmidt, Executive Director of the Women Offshore Foundation. “By combining Tall Ships America’s community reach with our specialized focus on advancing women in maritime careers, we can create pathways that didn’t exist before. This isn’t just about increasing numbers – it’s about fostering an environment where women can thrive and lead in maritime careers, starting with the transformative experience of sail training.”

Stuart Gilfillen, Executive Director of Tall Ships America, emphasized the partnership’s alignment with the organization’s core mission: “Sail training has always been about character building and personal development, and this partnership with the Women Offshore Foundation directly impacts that mission. We’re not just opening doors – we’re building bridges that we hope will help women become leaders in our maritime community. The tall ships experience is transformative, and ensuring it’s accessible and welcoming to everyone makes our entire community stronger.”

Implementation Timeline

The new scholarship host vessel requirements are effective immediately. The partnership’s new initiatives, including the comprehensive mentorship program, will be launched this fall. Guidance on how to get involved and participate in these programs will be announced later this summer, with details shared through both organizations’ communication channels. All activities and resources will be provided at no cost to Tall Ships America members, ensuring accessibility and broad participation across the community.

About the Organizations

Women Offshore Foundation is dedicated to advancing women in maritime careers through education, mentorship, and professional development opportunities. The organization provides online training courses and fosters safe spaces for women in the maritime industry, working to break down barriers and create pathways for success.

Tall Ships America® is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission of encouraging character-building through sail training, promoting sail training to the North American public, and supporting education under sail. The organization owns and promotes the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Series and serves as a leading voice for the sail training community in North America.

Contact Information

Women Offshore Foundation
Liz Schmidt, Executive Director [email protected]

Tall Ships America
Erin Short
Director of Events and Communications
[email protected]