11th Hour Racing Awards New Grants to Nonprofit Organizations to Restore Marine Ecosystems and Ocean Health

NEWPORT, R.I., Dec. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 11th Hour Racing announced today eight new grants, funded by The Schmidt Family Foundation, to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Additionally, 34 previously awarded grantees were renewed throughout the year, bringing the total funding to nonprofit organizations in 2022 to nearly $4 million. 

The list of initiatives that 11th Hour Racing supports reflects the organization's strategy, which responds to the landscape of ocean-related issues driven by the effects of climate change. Generally, the organization seeks projects that advance ocean literacy and stewardship, clean technologies and best practices, and ecosystem restoration — and the need for projects that improve water quality, bolster coastal resilience, and sequester carbon through coastal habitat restoration is becoming ever more pressing.

"11th Hour Racing's grant program is a catalyst for implementing nature-based solutions in response to climate change," said Michelle Carnevale, Vice President of Programming at 11th Hour Racing. "That is why we support coastal resilience in communities where local economies and residents depend upon healthy ecosystems like reefs, mangroves, and natural buffers to protect the coastline from storm surges and sea-level rise."

The current round of new grants includes the following organizations:

• Connecticut College (Conn., U.S.) is deploying 80 "Reef Balls" made of pH-balanced concrete to create a living shoreline that will help restore Connecticut's tidal marshes.
• Hawaii Institute of Pacific Agriculture (Hawaii, U.S.) is restoring plants that play a crucial role in ocean ecosystems by improving water quality and coastal habitat and providing food for fisheries along rivers and bays.
• Massachusetts Oyster Project (Mass., U.S.) leads a shell recycling program to divert oyster shells from landfills and restore Cape Cod's local oyster population.
• Potomac Riverkeeper Network (Md., U.S.) is installing 50 million mussels to filter nutrient pollution in the Potomac River before it reaches the broader Chesapeake Bay area.
• Protectores de Cuencas (Puerto Rico) is restoring up to 30 acres of mangroves in Cabo Rojo, a region impacted by hurricanes and earthquakes and threatened by sea-level rise.
• Save the Sound (Conn., U.S.) is implementing a new eelgrass restoration technique to improve water quality, store carbon, and protect the shoreline from storms in Long Island Sound.
• The Trustees of Reservations (Mass., U.S.) is restoring a portion of New England's Great Marsh to build resilience to sea-level rise and analyzing the potential carbon sequestration of the salt marsh to develop carbon credits.
• Urban Rivers (Ill., U.S.) is rewilding the Chicago River by introducing new mussels and installing floating wetlands to improve water quality and create experiential learning opportunities.

11th Hour Racing will accept new grant applications from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2023. Grants are awarded in the U.S. and globally, prioritizing the East Coast of the United States, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Click here to learn more about 11th Hour Racing's grant-giving program.

11th Hour Racing works to mobilize sports, maritime and coastal communities with an innovative approach to inspire solutions for the ocean. Since 2010 the organization has been harnessing the power of sport to promote collaborative, systemic change through three primary areas of engagement: Sponsorships, Grantees, and Ambassadors. Learn more at www.11thhourracing.org.

Contact:
Alessandra Ghezzi
+1.401.856.9290
[email protected]

SOURCE 11th Hour Racing