Palm Beach International Boat Show Gives Back — 2026 Marine Industry and Environmental Grants is a legitimate annual nonprofit project grant program administered by the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County (MIAPBC), funded through Palm Beach International Boat Show proceeds. The current 2026 cycle supports charitable programs benefiting Palm Beach County, Florida that relate directly to the marine industry or environment, including marine and ocean education, boating, fishing, conservation outreach, and maritime workforce development.
Individual applicant award: organizations may request up to $25,000 per year for one program or project. The organization must be a valid IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in or operating in Palm Beach County. MIAPBC expects applicants to have been in existence for at least three years and prefers organizations with annual operating budgets below $10 million. Individuals are ineligible. The grant is for community/public-benefit projects, not a commercial sponsorship of an event; MIAPBC provides a separate sponsorship application.
Eligible uses: specific educational activities, field trips, curriculum development, outreach, marine/environmental education and related public-benefit initiatives. Ineligible expenses: salaries, administrative fees, accounting fees and legal fees. Matching funds are a scoring factor worth five points, but the published eligibility criteria do not state a universal mandatory applicant matching percentage. Recipient organizations must acknowledge the Boat Show Gives Back program as specified in the grant agreement.
Application package: download the official four-page grant application form; complete its description of the project (900-word limit for the longer project narrative), one-dollar-amount request, impact/beneficiary explanation, organization and project budget. Attach the IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, board/officer list, current operating and project budgets, most recent Form 990, most recent audited financial statement, and any partnership agreements. Optional letters of support may be added. The posted form is labeled revised August 2024 but is the application linked from MIAPBC’s official 2026 funding announcement. Submit the completed PDF and required materials to the official program email given on the funder’s grant guidelines page.
Deadline: October 30, 2026. No exact closing time or time zone is published. Applications opened September 2026; selections are expected December 2026, with funded program work taking place during February–November 2027. This is an applicant-facing philanthropic grant, not a procurement contract or ordinary vendor solicitation.