Boating Safety Financial Assistance

The mission of the National RBS Program is to ensure the public has a safe, secure, and enjoyable recreational boating experience by implementing programs designed to minimize the loss of life, personal injury, and property damage while cooperating with environmental and national security efforts via formula grants to designated state agencies. States must have an approved RBS program for enforcement, education, casualty reporting, certificates of number, and a signed Memorandum of Agreement with the Coast Guard.

This program is not open to the public. Eligibility is determined by federal statute. Applications can only be accepted from the designated state authority or agency.

Statutory Formula: Title 46, Part 13104, Subpart a,Public Law 98-89.(1) One-third shall be allocated equally each fiscal year among eligible States. (2) One-third shall be allocated among eligible States that maintain a State vessel numbering system approved under chapter 123 of this title and a marine casualty reporting system approved under this chapter so that the amount allocated each fiscal year to each eligible State will be in the same ratio as the number of vessels numbered in that State bears to the number of vessels numbered in all eligible States. (3) One-third shall be allocated so that the amount allocated each fiscal year to each eligible State will be in the same ratio as the amount of State amounts expended by the State for the State recreational boating safety program during the prior fiscal year bears to the total State amounts expended during that fiscal year by...