The Ocean Foundation
The Ocean Foundation is the only community foundation dedicated to improving global ocean health, climate resilience, and the blue economy through partnerships, initiatives, and grantmaking.
Mission and Vision of The Ocean Foundation
The Ocean Foundation's mission is to improve global ocean health, climate resilience, and the blue economy. The organization aims to create partnerships that connect communities to informational, technical, and financial resources for effective ocean stewardship. These partnerships are pivotal in achieving the foundation's goals of sustainable ocean management and enhanced climate resilience.
Services Provided by The Ocean Foundation
The Ocean Foundation offers an array of community foundation services including fiscal sponsorship, accepting donations, working with corporations, and grantmaking. The fiscal sponsorship program simplifies the operational complexities for projects and organizations by providing necessary infrastructure and expertise. Additionally, the foundation's grantmaking program supports initiatives that advance marine conservation, with an average grant size of approximately $10,000.
Key Initiatives and Projects of The Ocean Foundation
The Ocean Foundation has launched several conservation initiatives such as Blue Resilience, Plastics, Ocean Science Equity, and Teach For the Ocean. The Blue Resilience Initiative focuses on restoring and protecting coastal ecosystems to enhance climate resilience and promote a sustainable blue economy. The Ocean Science Equity Initiative ensures that all communities have the tools to monitor and respond to changing ocean conditions. The Plastics Initiative works towards a circular economy by influencing sustainable production and consumption of plastics. The Teach For the Ocean Initiative aims to develop ocean literacy among marine educators.
Global Impact and Collaboration Efforts
The Ocean Foundation's projects span the globe, addressing issues like ocean literacy, habitat conservation, and capacity building within the marine conservation community. Over 50 percent of the foundation's grantmaking supports international projects. The foundation engages in networks, coalitions, and collaborative efforts to push for broader changes in ocean stewardship. The Ocean Science Equity Initiative includes ocean acidification monitoring and capacity building in the Pacific Islands.
Sustainable Blue Economy and Carbon Offsets
The Ocean Foundation promotes economic growth in a sustainable way through its Sustainable Blue Economy initiative. It also supports carbon offsets by backing coastal habitat restoration projects, which include activities like mangrove and seagrass restoration through the Blue Resilience Initiative. The foundation’s SeaGrass Grow initiative, featuring the first and only blue carbon calculator, aims to plant and protect coastal wetlands to fight climate change.