How much are you raising?
- Land Acquisition $2,137,375
- Schooner Purchase and Retrofit $1,279,370
- Additional Staffing $1,066,852
- Facility Construction $6,390,766
- Board-Directed Maintenance Fund $500,000
- Campaign Expenses $150,000/li>
- Total Campaign Budget $11,524,363
How can I donate?
You can donate online or by sending a check to Inland Seas Education Association, 100 Dame St #218, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. Please include a note in support of the campaign. Gifts of stock, planned gifts, and donations directly from IRA accounts are also accepted.
Are donations to the capital campaign tax deductible?
Yes. ISEA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Please consult your tax advisor to discuss the timing and benefits of your donation.
If the Education Center is fully funded, why should I still donate?
A successful campus requires more than just bricks and mortar. Gifts made today protect the project from unexpected construction overruns, grow the maintenance fund so future facility maintenance doesn’t strain our daily educational budget, and directly fund our waterfront stretch goals like the ROV Dock and Sturgeon Cove Pavilion.
Once I make my Campaign gift, how else can I help?
There are many ways to get involved. Please consider connecting us with others in your circle of influence. People give to people. Consider ways you can involve your business associates, friends and family to support this worthy effort. Contact us at isea@schoolship.org to discuss this further.
Can I make a multi-year pledge?
Yes. Pledges of $5,000 or more can be paid over a three-year period. Please fill out and return this Pledge Intention Form.
Do you have naming opportunities?
Yes. Please contact Fred Sitkins, fsitkins@schoolship.org, for more information.
Will donors be publicly acknowledged?
Donor recognition is an important part of every campaign. Recognition includes the name in the final project report, the annual report for the donation year, and a possible name on a wall in the facility.
If I cannot make a campaign gift or pledge now, can I still give something at a future date?
Keep in mind that our overall success is connected to our fundraising progress over the next 12-18 months. We realize circumstances change and contributions are welcome now and in the future.
When will the campaign be completed?
It is expected that the last phase, the Inland Seas Education Center, will be completed in the Fall of 2027.
How did you determine the need for this campaign?
The need for an additional ship and expanded facilities has come from multiple sources.
1) Teachers in our K-12 educational programs assist in defining problems and planning programs by participating in our educator advisory group, piloting programs, and completing formal evaluations.
2) ISEA’s Education Committee, made up of local community constituents, advises our staff on K-12 programming, based on data collected.
3) A Strategic Design Committee composed of key Suttons Bay community members helped evaluate the needs for this campus expansion and the strategic design of an educational facility marking the gateway into the Village of Suttons Bay.
4) Seven years of offering teacher professional development opportunities and two years of land-based pilot programs have shown us that we lack large spaces for teacher training, educational events, whole classroom laboratory experiences, and shared student meals.
How many individuals will be impacted by the campaign?
With the additional ship and shoreside facility, ISEA expects to increase program participation by 35% to at least 10,000 people annually. The goal of the campaign is to provide deeper learning experiences that may be over multiple days as well as increase the capacity to serve more individuals.
If I win the lottery, how can I share my good fortune with Inland Seas?
How wonderful for you to think of us in your time of prosperity! To make your gift last for years and years, an endowment account would be best.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Reach out to Fred Sitkins, Executive Director, at