Ocean Foundation

Mission

As the only community foundation for the ocean, we build the capacities of communities and ecosystems suffering from ocean destruction, debris, and exploitation. Help us heal this essential resource by enabling those who need it most to succeed.

Success Story

Most ocean funding flows to big institutions—major universities, large NGOs, government agencies. But the real work often happens in fishing villages, Indigenous communities, and coastal towns protecting the waters they depend on.

These are the people monitoring coral health, restoring mangroves, tracking fish populations, and adapting to climate change in real time. They're not waiting for permission or perfect conditions. They're doing the work because their livelihoods—and their children's futures—depend on it.

The challenge? They often lack access to funding, equipment, research networks, and technical expertise that larger institutions may take for granted.

That's where The Ocean Foundation is different.
As a community foundation for the ocean, we're built to support local stewards with more than just money:
* We provide fiscal sponsorship for over 50 conservation projects—allowing small groups to receive funding without their own nonprofit status
* We connect community scientists with accessible monitoring equipment and hands-on training they can actually use
* We facilitate knowledge sharing between Indigenous monitors, university researchers, and coastal communities—bridging science and traditional wisdom
* We build international relationships that open doors to conferences, collaborations, and global networks

Small communities. Big ocean impact.