The purpose of the state recreational boating safety program is to encourage greater state participation and uniformity in boating safety efforts, and particularly to permit the states to assume the…

The U.S. Coast Guard awarded the Department of Public Safety of the Northern Mariana Islands $816,473 on October 1, 2025, under the Boating Safety Financial Assistance program (CFDA 97.012), a formula grant supporting recreational boating safety efforts in the territory.

The recipient will use federal funds to support boating safety activities including provision of facilities, equipment, and supplies for boating safety education and law enforcement; training personnel in boating safety enforcement; public boating safety education through programs and lectures; acquiring, constructing, or repairing public access sites for recreational boaters; conducting boating safety inspections and marine casualty investigations; establishing and maintaining emergency and search and rescue facilities and assistance; establishing and maintaining waterway markers and aids to navigation; and providing recreational vessel numbering and titling programs.

The award period runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028, with place of performance in the Northern Mariana Islands. The Boating Safety Financial Assistance program is restricted to state and territorial agencies designated as eligible recipients and is not open to the public.

The purpose of the state recreational boating safety program is to encourage greater state participation and uniformity in boating safety efforts, and particularly to permit the states to assume the greater share of boating safety education, assistance, and enforcement activities. Federal funds provided for a state's boating safety program may be used for any of the following expenses. 1. Providing facilities, equipment, and supplies for boating safety education and law enforcement, including purchase, operation, maintenance, and repair. 2. Training personnel in skills related to boating safety and to the enforcement of boating safety laws and regulations. 3. Providing public boating safety education, including educational programs and lectures, to the boating community and the public school system. 4. Acquiring, constructing, or repairing public access sites used primarily by recreational boaters. 5. Conducting boating safety inspections and marine casualty investigations. 6. Establishing and maintaining emergency or search and rescue facilities, and providing emergency or search and rescue assistance. 7. Establishing and maintaining waterway markers and other appropriate aids to navigation. 8. Providing state recreational vessel numbering and titling programs.