In discussions with PC Tony O’Neill, the Junior Program Foundation was started by the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club in 2007 to provide scholarships to local youth who could not afford to attend the Junior Program on their own. The 501 (c) (3) as formed can support but not duplicate what the yacht club can do.  Several years later there was question as to the possible scope of the JPF so the law firm of  Drummond and Woodsum was retained to provide the needed clarification. The law firm confirmed the earlier understanding and the limited role of the JPF.

In 2012, BHYC approached Boothbay Region High School to propose that the school start a sailing team. The school determined that they would not have the resources to support a sailing team thus the sailing club was created by the yacht club.

JPF funds  were raised via live auctions held at the club. About the time of the second annual auction, a private donation of $25,000 was received for the purpose of providing scholarships. The club determined that for the high school program, lump sum grants given to the club would be the least cumbersome way to deal with financial support issues and could be addressed during the application process.

While there is a formal lease agreement for boats purchased by the JPF, there does not appear to be a written structure of just how the high school program is to operate but it always operated under the Junior Program. The 2019 ad hoc committee that looked into the organizational structure, the outline of which can be found in the 2019 roster, has the high school program operating under the Junior Program.

To the question whether the JPF could run the high school program directly including staff, etc., the answer appears to be that they cannot since they would be “duplicating what the club can do.”