The Coast Guard Foundation’s enlisted grant program application period begins Oct. 1. Our program provides $500 grants to enlisted Coast Guard members to support their education and technical development.

Coast Guard Foundation Enlisted Grant: The CGFEG program is designed to assist eligible personnel in their academic or technical development by providing a grant for tuition, fees, and miscellaneous expenses incurred while pursuing voluntary education and credentialing. The CGFEG program is a reimbursement program requiring members to expend funds before applying for a grant.

VADM William F. Rea, III Marine Safety Education Grant for Enlisted Members (WFEG): Within the education grant program, is an offer for Coast Guard members following a career pattern related to marine safety, security and environmental protection, and vessel traffic systems, in honor of the late VADM William F. Rea. This grant program similarly provides grants for tuition, fees, and miscellaneous expenses incurred while pursuing voluntary education and credentialing. The WFEG program is a reimbursement program requiring members to expend funds before applying for a grant.

Eligibility: The education grants are available to active-duty enlisted service members in paygrades E-3 through E-6. Reserve members may be eligible for the grant if they have been on active-duty orders for more than 180 days within the last 12 months.

All applicants must be participating, or have participated, in a professional development, licensing, certification, college, undergraduate, or graduate level course, within 12 months of the date of the application.

The Coast Guard Foundation grant program only covers expenses that are not reimbursed by any other federally funded program. Applicants requesting reimbursement for credentials may be reimbursed by the Coast Guard Foundation if funding was not available under the Voluntary Credentialing Program (VCP) via Credentialing Assistance (CA). Further information on how to obtain credentialing assistance can be found on CG COOL.

There is no time in service requirement; however, members must complete their courses for which the application is being submitted prior to release from active duty, discharge, or retirement.

Coast Guard Foundation provides this grant support through the Coast Guard’s Education and Training Quota Management Command (ETQC) and will be processed on a first come, first served basis.

Ready to apply? The application is available online through ETQC.

Questions? Please refer to your ESO. Questions from ESOs should be directed to ETQC at (757) 756-5300 or email at: ETQC-SMB-FoundationGrants@uscg.mil.

Photo credit: Petty Officer 3rd Class Kimberly Reaves, Petty Officer 3rd Class Jessica Fontenette