Question: There are a lot of aid organizations, what makes SeaAid different?

Answer: SeaAid's primary goal is to provide direct aid to small coastal communities in need. All too often larger aid projects see 50-90% of their budget devoted to administrative overhead like research salaries and equipment. This leaves very little money to be directed towards benefiting the communities themselves. Additionally, many larger aid projects tend to adopt a top-down approach towards community development that devalues local knowledge and cultural autonomy by implementing projects that aren't really supported by the community. By working with anthropologists and other professionals who have an established relationship with our project communities, SeaAid is able to design and implement short-term projects that are chosen by the community members themselves.

Question: Why use private yachts to help coastal communities?

Answer: For many yacht owners, the opportunity to explore the world and interact with the people in exotic ports of call is what really draws us to boating. SeaAid seeks to harness the adventurous and philanthropic spirit of the yachting world by providing boating enthusiasts an opportunity to give something back to the small coastal communities that enhance our cruising experiences. Now instead of just visiting, yacht owners can both participate in and help to improve the lives of the local villagers.

Question: What is Microdevelopment?

Answer: Microdevelopment is a relatively new paradigm in the development world that seeks to improve upon traditional development programs. Instead of large, expensive, and often controversial projects like hydroelectric dams, microdevelopment embraces low cost, short-term, and ecologically sustainable projects that local villagers can own and operate themselves. These types of projects provide enormous benefit without creating and perpetuating a dependence upon outside assistance and intervention.

Question: Do I need any special skills to volunteer for a SeaAid project?

Answer: No. Most of SeaAid's projects are relatively simple to build and implement. If you have any special skills that could be put to good use during the project construction phase (i.e., medical training) please let our staff know. For more information about volunteering for SeaAid, please go to our volunteer pages (Crew Volunteers and Project Volunteers).

Question: How do I know that my donation to SeaAid will be put to good use?

Answer: We are very diligent in our desire to minimize our administrative costs and maximize our on-the-ground assistance to small coastal communities. SeaAid is very transparent with our funding sources, capital expenditures, etc., and we will go above and beyond what is required by law in terms of financial reporting and disclosure. Our goal is to keep our overhead and administrative cost to less than 20% of our total annual budget, which exceeds the Better Business Wise Giving Alliance standards for charity accountability.

Question: I really like the goals and mission of SeaAid - what can I do to help?

Answer: We would be most appreciative of any help that you would like to give! From volunteering for a SeaAid project to donating a vessel to us, we welcome your support! For more information on what you can do to help SeaAid, please click on the "Get Involved" tab at the top of this page.