Bursary Funding and Support

Find out how you can provide life-changing experiences for youth who couldn't otherwise sail.

About the SALTS Bursary Program

Each year, the generosity of our donors makes it possible for many young people to set sail on a SALTS voyage through a variety of bursary programs. Individual bursary funding supports youth in a range of life situations, including those in financial need, those considered at risk, and/or those facing challenging life situations such as family breakdown, bereavement, recovery from serious illness, recent immigration, or other tough circumstances faced by young people from all walks of life. The Indigenous Youth Bursary honours ongoing, deeply valued relationships and welcomes youth from many First Nations communities each year. Bursary partnerships allow SALTS to collaborate with other non-profits and provide voyages for the youth they serve.

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Two people stand on a tall ship’s rigging above the camera, framed by hands forming a heart against a cloudy sky.
Two people stand on a tall ship’s rigging above the camera, framed by hands forming a heart against a cloudy sky.

“It gave me a chance to disconnect from the stress of everyday life...It taught me that amazing experiences and meaningful connections can happen when I give myself the chance to open up. I truly believe this trip changed my perspective and gave me a fresh outlook on life.”

—Bursary Recipient

Sunset over a calm lake viewed from the deck of a traditional sailing ship, with mountains and a forested shoreline in the distance.
Smiling woman in a black beanie steering a wooden boat on the water
Smiling woman in a black beanie steering a wooden boat on the water

Ways to Support

  • Donate directly to the bursary program through our online form

  • Consider funding an annual named scholarship for ongoing impact

  • If your potential gift is $50,000 or higher, email us about creating an endowment so your gift lasts forever

  • Learn about adding SALTS to your will as an estate gift/bequest

  • Connect funders to the bursary program by sending them a link to this page

Your support means we can offer the community, confidence, and growth that a young person experiences with SALTS to even more young people.

How Bursaries Help 

A SALTS trip is much more than learning to sail — it’s a chance to find support, experience mentorship, and feel valued. Lives are changed in many ways; experiencing supportive community can drastically improve how equipped young people feel to face life’s challenges. As they overcome challenges on board with the support of this uplifting community, they build their confidence and are empowered to better navigate challenges in life. Bursaries bring that change within reach for more trainees. And the impact doesn’t stop with them.

Far-Reaching Impact

The impacts of a young person's time at SALTS can be far-reaching: trainees return as volunteers and take responsibility for building supportive community for other trainees; bursary recipients commit to volunteering one hour in their community for every $100 they receive in funding; alumni share how, decades later, the lessons learned on board continue to impact how they choose to work, lead, and live.

People reviewing architectural blueprints and paperwork around a wooden table with a dark coffee mug.
People reviewing architectural blueprints and paperwork around a wooden table with a dark coffee mug.

“SALTS taught me so much about sailing, myself, the world, and what I am capable of doing.”

—Bursary Recipient

Person standing on a rocky Pacific shoreline beside driftwood, with calm blue water and forested islands in the distance

“This trip challenged me in ways I had never expected and helped me grow both as a sailor and as an individual... By the end of the trip, I felt more confident, capable, and connected to the ship, fellow trainees, and crew, and I know the lessons I learned aboard Pacific Grace will stay with me for years to come.”

—Bursary Recipient

Thank you

We are deeply grateful to the generous donors who have provided these scholarships and tribute bursaries. If you would like to provide a named bursary like these, please contact us.

John Russell Cooper Memorial Bursary Fund (Victoria Foundation)

Keith McKeown Bursary Fund

Lucas MacGregor Memorial Bursary

Margaret Ruth Clark Bursary

Martyn J Clark Seafarer Scholarship

Linda's Quilt Shoppe Scholarship

Myles Lindsay Bursary

Parksville Rotary

Rhett Mutch Memorial Bursary

Robyn Sheppard Memorial Scholarship

Tom Webster Memorial Bursary

William H Cairns Bursary Fund

William Wolferstan Bursary

A special THANK-YOU to the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation for their generous support of our bursary program through grants totalling $800,000 from 2013 to 2023—wow!

Classic multi-masted sailing schooner cruising on calm ocean waters beneath a cloudy sky, with distant mountains and a smaller sailboat in the background
Classic multi-masted sailing schooner cruising on calm ocean waters beneath a cloudy sky, with distant mountains and a smaller sailboat in the background

“...it’s a truly life changing experience. Thank you... for giving me this amazing once in a lifetime opportunity.”

—Bursary Recipient

Large traditional sailing schooner with white sails and passengers cruising on blue water under a clear sky
Large traditional sailing schooner with white sails and passengers cruising on blue water under a clear sky

“From the moment I stepped on to that boat to the moment I stepped off my life changed. My time there was filled with incredible experiences that I will cherish for the rest of my life... Thank you so so much for giving me this incredible and beautiful experience.”

—Bursary Recipient

Two people aboard a traditional sailing boat on a lake, facing snow-covered mountains beneath a cloudy blue sky

Donate to support young people through the SALTS bursary program.

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