Make waves,
one life at a time.

We ensure Bay Area youth have equitable access to the ocean through surf instruction. We use surfing as a vehicle to improve the health and well being of our youth and to engage them with our four core pillars.

3 participants catching a wave together.
A student with a huge smile walking out of the water.

Our goal for 2021 was to expand our alumni coaching program for transitional aged youth, while simultaneously building upon our scholastic offerings for students. We successfully trained and hired 7 alumni to be surf coaches while completing 165 surf outings, serving 351 distinct youth. We brought our participant numbers back in line with our pre-pandemic numbers.

We surpassed our revenue goals for the year and we increased this year's revenue by 46%. Our staff grew to from 5 to 7 full time staff and 10 part time coaches. We were proud to partner with Brown Girl Surf to advocate for equitable access to Linda Mar Beach. We worked with the City of Pacifica to introduce a CAPP (Community Access Permit Policy) Permit, the first of its kind, that would allow Surfing Non-Profits, who surf with historically marginalized groups, to apply for permits.

Testimonials

  • Fakhra Shah, Mission High Assistant Principal

    “I have had the honor of working with the City Surf Project for the last several years. CSP enriches our students' high school experiences and exposes all of us to the endless opportunities that the outdoors has to offer San Francisco youth. All of us in the Mission High community have been enriched by learning more about the water, finding water skills that we didn't know we had, and showing us how we as a community can learn, grow, and lead together. Our students and our community need this knowledge and these opportunities as they are invaluable to all of us.”

  • Sheena Masterson, Mission Class of ‘21

    “The community and inspiration I have found through surfing with CSP has undoubtedly altered the course of my life for the better. Finding joy at Lindamar has been the highlight of my high school experience and got me through all sorts of family, school and relationship related stress. Being able to regularly interact with the ocean through school gave me a great sense of peace and motivation every week, and that should be available to any student who wants it.”

Our Core Pillars

All of our programs are founded on these four core pillars.

Equity in Surfing

We ensure Bay Area youth have equitable access to surfing and the ocean.

Stewardship

We promote environmental education and challenge youth to be active global citizens.

Personal Growth

We challenge youth to step outside their comfort zone and expand their boundaries.

Healthy Living

We inspire youth to take pride in themselves and adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Who We Serve

We serve public school youth from across the city.

We focus on working with youth who experience financial, social, and other barriers to the natural world. We provide their first and continued exposure to the ocean.