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 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department $5,301,792 on October 1, 2025, under the Boating Safety Financial Assistance program (CFDA 97.012). The award funds recreational boating safety activities across Texas through September 30, 2028.

The recipient uses funds for facilities, equipment, and supplies for boating safety education and law enforcement, including purchase, operation, maintenance, and repair. The award supports training personnel in boating safety skills and enforcement of boating safety laws and regulations; providing public boating safety education through educational programs and lectures to the boating community and public school system; acquiring, constructing, or repairing public access sites used primarily by 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 other aids to navigation; and providing state recreational vessel numbering and titling programs.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, a state government entity headquartered in Austin, executes the program statewide as the state agency designated to administer boating safety efforts. The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028, with all work performed in Texas.

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.