Fundraising Goal: $35,000

$83,968 raised from 497 unique donors
Verified 501(c)(3) Nonprofit

Kalmar Nyckel Foundation Do More 24 Delaware 2025

Organization Mission:

Preserving and promoting the cultural and maritime heritage of Delaware and the Delaware Valley for the education and enrichment of all.

The first $7,000 is gifts will be matched by our Board of Trustees! All gifts will help us win matching funds from #DoMore24DE. Please give to the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation's education mission as well as the work of The Tall Ship of Delaware! Your support helps us make hands-on learning experiences and events accessible to Wilmington's Eastside, under-served youth across the region, and visitors from far and wide. Our volunteer crew training and internship programs also transform lives and teach valuable maritime industry skills.

We deliver innovative educational programs to students of all ages:  on field trips, in classrooms, through public, private and volunteer programs on our ship and the Copeland Maritime Center museum and campus. Your gift supports:
  • Field Trips on our ship and shore:  We offer unforgettable hands-on programs with a special focus on schools for underserved children and youth. Students explore Delaware history, STEM concepts, teamwork, communication skills, and more!
  • Classroom Programs: Our education teams visit schools to teach economic lessons about trade and scarcity, as well as Delaware's maritime Underground Railroad history.
  • Community Programs: We host major community events and education programs on our Copeland Maritime Center campus at little or no cost thanks to donors & sponsors.
  • Ship Maintenance Fund: Our well-maintained ship requires annual maintenance of its wood structure and carvings, mechanical systems, safety equipment, rigging, sails, and more. Each winter we seek funds to help prepare for the next sailing season!
  •  Workforce Development/Job Training: We provide workforce development through an established program with our neighbor and partner, the Challenge Program. We also train live-aboard deck hands and interns (as well as 250 volunteers) who learn invaluable marine industry skills and benefit from our mentor training program.
Please note: Funds raised from our Guest Bartender event on February 12, 2025 will be added to our total dollars raised for this Giving Day.
About Kalmar Nyckel Foundation

The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation (KNF) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit volunteer-based educational organization whose hallmark is hands-on learning and educational experiences for the enrichment of all. Through school field trips, community events, classroom programs, and both public and private sails, the Foundation reaches more than 35,000 people annually on ship and shore. KNF built, owns and operates Kalmar Nyckel, The Tall Ship of Delaware, a full-scale replica of the Swedish naval ship that founded the colony of New Sweden in 1638.

One of the State’s great educational resources, launched in 1997, the Kalmar Nyckel delivers on its education mission in Delaware and by voyaging more than 2,400 nautical miles from May through October to ports on the Eastern Seaboard. The ship has professional officers and a crew of trained volunteers who bring a wide range of skills and experiences on board.

Opened in 2015 on Wilmington's East 7th Street Peninsula, the Tatiana and Gerret Copeland Maritime Center, is home to the ship as well as a museum and year-round riverfront center for hands-on learning, school field trips, public events, and private rentals for business and social events. Self-guided and private group tours of our exhibits are available. Learn more at KalmarNyckel.org or call 302.429.7447 to request a tour.

Organization Details

Organization Logo

Name:
Kalmar Nyckel Foundation

EIN: 516015181

Street Address:
Kalmar Nyckel Foundation

1124 East 7th Street

City: Wilmington

State: DE Zip: 19801

Social Media:

Website:
https://www.KalmarNyckel.org

Counties Served: New Castle, Kent, Sussex

Office Locations: Wilmington

Sectors: Arts & Culture, Community Improvement, Education, Environment, Kids, Museums & Historical, Science & Technology, Volunteerism, Workforce

Recent Donations

  • Winner of Barclays Zoom to the Finish Power Hour (Large Nonprofits) challenge! $1,000
  • Winner of Discover Community Impact Prize - 1st place (Large Nonprofit) challenge! $5,000
  • $10
  • Bourbon Caudle $5
  • George Godley $10
  • Billy Caudle $5
  • Timothy Hodson $25
  • Abigail Caudle $5
  • Marjorie Sothen $10
  • Virginia Lenox $10