Grant Scheme

IODA has almost 110 national members and is committed to bringing the benefits of sailing to young people worldwide. It offers limited financial aid to "newer" countries in two areas.

1) Coach-Training Courses - (Program is being updated and is on hold until further notice.)
IODA has an ongoing programme of courses to train "basic-level" coaches. These are intended for newer Optimist sailing countries and regions which do not have an established national coaching programme.
An experienced Optimist trainer is sent to conduct a course of max. 5 days duration. Ideally ten coaches attend, together with not more than 20 under-13 sailors.

Travel costs and fees are paid by IODA, up to US$2,500 per course.

• Applications are accepted only from national Optimist associations or sailing federations which are members of IODA, and all applications should be made through them. A list of these members is at members.php
• Preference is given to courses for coaches from more than one country
• Where possible the course is given in the local language.
• September through March are the preferred months

In 2018, clinics were held in Slovakia, Tanzania, Colombia, and the Cayman Islands.

2) Participation: Regional Regatta Grants
To encourage participation in regional regattas IODA offers free entry and/or travel for certain countries to send sailors to continental and regional regattas. Normally these grants are given for two sailors when a country first participates in such a regatta.

Past Recipients

In the last five years 21 countries have received IODA grants. These have been concentrated in Africa and the Caribbean/Central America but other countries have also benefitted

(1 = Equipment     2 = Training     3 = Participation)

Africa                                                        Americas                                                 Other

Angola (1)                                                Bahamas (3)                                            Armenia (1)

Kenya (3)                                                 Belize (1 & 2)                                           Cook I. (3)

Libya (2)                                                   Dominica (1 & 2)                                      Iceland (3)

Mozambique (1 & 2)                               El Salvador (1)                                          Kyrgyzstan (1)

Seychelles (1)                                          Paraguay (1 & 2)                                      Philippines (3)

Sudan (1 & 2)                                          St. Kitts & Nevis (1)                                  Romania (2)

Zimbabwe (3)                                          St. Vincent & G. (3)                                   Vanuatu (2)

APPLICATIONS FOR 2023 ARE INVITED
Just write to the IODA Secretariat and tell us what YOU need to help to develop Optimist sailing in YOUR country.
Countries which already have a Member National Optimist Association should apply through that association.