Mission & History

​​In 2000, New York Yacht Club Commodore George “Dooie” Isdale commandeered a group of sailors who shared his vision of supporting promising athletes of all ages without widely-available resources to assist with their pursuits.

It was from this collective passion that Commodore Isdale and his associates established the Sailing Foundation of New York (SFNY).

​In the Foundation’s first five years, donations exceeded $2 million with distributions to more than 70 eligible recipients. To this day, the Foundation has raised nearly $15 million for nearly 1,500 athletes and organizations – 140 of whom are currently active in the program.

The Sailing Foundation of New York is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the support and growth of education, competition and sporting activities in the sailing community. For athletes, the Foundation provides much-needed guidance and financial support as they navigate their emergence in the sport.

100% of all SFNY contributions are allocated to directly support eligible organizations and athletes, ​with no administrative or operating expenses funded by donors. We are an all-volunteer organization.