Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA) announced on April 27 that it received a $250,000 matching grant challenge to help propel it through the final push of its fundraising phase for its $11.1 million “Campaign for the Future of Great Lakes Education.”
The “dollar-for-dollar” matching grant, which was issued by a foundation wishing to remain anonymous, will be available upon ISEA’s raising an equal amount from the community by June 30.
ISEA Executive Director Fred Sitkins said the grant is part of the final piece of the puzzle for the ambitious campaign that proved successful throughout the entirety of the process.
The ongoing community support for ISEA is something Sitkins says they are all very much grateful for and has played a major role in getting the organization to where it is today. With the matching grant, Sitkins said it brings them that much closer to their overall goal before important upcoming deadlines including ISEA opening up bids for project construction on May 11. June is when ISEA is expected to make decisions on general contractors for the building of the new facility and when they will get a definitive cost estimate.
“The number of folks that have come out and supported this campaign — it’s been the coolest thing I’ve ever been a part of,” Sitkins said.
Last year, the organization announced its “Campaign for the Future of Great Lakes Education” unveiling a long-term vision and initiative for an expanded waterfront campus which would accommodate the high demand for its year-round STEM programming. The project includes work to the existing north lot of the Millside building, a property ISEA acquired in January 2025, that will be renovated to include a versatile multi-use educational space and a dedicated vessel maintenance shop in the basement.
In addition to the news of the matching grant, ISEA announced that as part of the expansion, the current Millside building would be renamed to the Inland Seas Education Center. According to a press release, the name change reflects “the facility’s evolution into a premier hub for environmental stewardship education and hands-on Great Lakes science.”
The grant announcement also comes as ISEA’s is about to kick off its opening season of water-based programs on May 5. Sitkins said the grant will allow for ISEA staff to focus on program delivery and will help make the last bit of fundraising ultimately easier. To meet the June 30 deadline, Sitkins said they will continue reaching out to supporters about the importance of making a second gift during this last fundraising push.
ISEA needs to raise about $440,000 to meet its total $11.1 million fundraising goal. Sitkins said the organization has been keeping close tabs on the funds spent so far for campaign initiatives including on the purchase of the neighboring Millside building property and the retrofit of the Schooner Alliance.
“Our architect all throughout this process has been doing price estimates and updating those price estimates as we get closer to that bid window,” he said. “So we’re trying to make sure that the target we set is accurate, and all of those projections continue to hold stable for us… we’re feeling pretty confident that when I say this will close out the campaign, I’m feeling pretty good that it will, and it will provide just the right amount of money we need to do this major rebuild.”
Ground breaking for the project is anticipated by July on the $5.9 million Inland Seas Education Center. Upon completion, the new campus will feature two U.S. Coast Guard-certified sailing vessels; the state-of-the-art Inland Seas Education Center (formerly the Millside Building); a dedicated boat maintenance facility; and enhanced outdoor learning spaces.
