About The Ocean Foundation

Our vision is for a regenerative ocean that supports all life on Earth.

As the only community foundation for the ocean, The Ocean Foundation’s 501(c) (3) mission is to improve global ocean health, climate resilience, and the blue economy. We create partnerships to connect all peoples in the communities in which we work to the informational, technical, and financial resources they need to achieve their ocean stewardship goals.

Because the ocean covers 71% of the Earth, our community is global. We have grantees, partners, and projects on all of the world’s continents. We engage with donors and governments involved in ocean conservation anywhere in the world.

What We Do

Networks Coalitions and Collaboratives

Conservation Initiatives

We’ve launched initiatives on the topics of ocean science equity, ocean literacy, blue carbon, and plastic pollution to fill gaps in global ocean conservation work and build lasting relationships.

Community foundation services

We can turn your talents and ideas into sustainable solutions that promote healthy ocean ecosystems and benefit the human communities that depend on them.

Our History

Successful ocean conservation is a community effort. With the growing awareness that the work of individuals could be supported within a community problem-solving context, photographer and founder Wolcott Henry led a group of like-minded coral conservation experts, venture capitalists, and philanthropy colleagues in establishing the Coral Reef Foundation as the first community foundation for coral reefs — thus, the first coral reef conservation donors’ portal. Among its early projects was the first national poll about coral reef conservation in the United States, unveiled in 2002.

After the Coral Reef Foundation’s inception, it quickly became clear that the founders needed to address a broader question: How can we support donors interested in the conservation of coast and ocean ecosystems, and re-imagine the well-known and accepted community foundation model to best serve the ocean conservation community? Thus, in 2003, The Ocean Foundation was launched with Wolcott Henry as founding Chair of the Board of Directors. Mark J. Spalding was brought in as President shortly thereafter.

A Community Foundation

The Ocean Foundation still operates using known community foundation tools and deploying them in an ocean context. From the beginning, The Ocean Foundation has been international, with well over two-thirds of its grants supporting causes outside the United States. We have hosted dozens of projects and worked collaboratively on every continent, on our one global ocean, and in most of the seven seas.

Applying our breadth and depth of knowledge about the global ocean conservation community to vet projects and reduce risk to donors, The Ocean Foundation has supported a diverse portfolio of projects that includes work on marine mammals, sharks, sea turtles, and seagrass; and launched headline conservation initiatives. We continue to seek out opportunities to make all of us more effective and to make every dollar for ocean conservation stretch a little further.

The Ocean Foundation identifies trends, anticipates and responds to urgent issues related to ocean health and sustainability, and strives to strengthen the knowledge of the ocean conservation community as a whole.

We continue to identify both the solutions to threats that face our ocean, and the organizations and individuals best suited to implement them. Our goal remains to achieve a level of global awareness that ensures we stop taking so much of the good stuff out and stop dumping bad stuff in — in recognition of the life-giving role of our global ocean.

President, Mark Spalding speaks to young ocean lovers.

Partners

How can you help? If you recognize the value of investing resources in strategic ocean solutions or want a platform for your corporate community to participate in, we can work together on strategic ocean solutions. Our partnerships take many forms: from cash and in-kind donations to cause-related marketing campaigns. Our fiscally sponsored projects also work with partners on many different levels. These cooperative efforts are helping to restore and protect our ocean.

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REVERB: Music Climate Revolution logo

REVERB

The Ocean Foundation is partnering with REVERB through their Music Climate…
Golden Acre Logo

Golden Acre

Golden Acre Foods Ltd are based in Surrey, United Kingdom.  We source…
PADI logo

PADI

PADI is creating a billion torchbearers to explore and protect the ocean. T…
Lloyd’s Register Foundation logo

Lloyd’s Register Foundation

Lloyd’s Register Foundation is an independent global charity that builds gl…

Mijenta Tequila

Mijenta, a certified B Corp, had partnered with The Ocean Foundation, the o…
Dolfin Home Loans logo

Dolfin Home Loans

Dolfin Home Loans is committed to giving back to ocean cleanup and conserva…
onesource coalition

OneSource Coalition

Via our Plastics Initiative, we joined the OneSource Coalition to engage in…

Perkins Coie

TOF thanks Perkins Coie for their pro bono support.

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton

TOF thanks Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton for their pro bono support…

NILIT Ltd.

NILIT Ltd. is a privately owned, international manufacturer of nylon 6.6 fi…

Barrell Craft Spirits

Barrell Craft Spirits, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is an independen…

Ocean and Climate Platform

The Ocean Foundation is a proud partner of the Ocean and Climate Platform (…

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles has become the first United States professional spo…

SKYY Vodka

In honor of the relaunch of SKYY Vodka in 2021, SKYY Vodka is proud to ente…
International Fund for Animal Welfare (I.F.A.W.) logo

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

TOF and IFAW collaborate on areas of mutual interest relatin…
BOTTLE Consortium logo

BOTTLE Consortium

The Ocean Foundation is partnering with the BOTTLE Consortium (Bio-Optimize…

ClientEarth

The Ocean Foundation is working with Client Earth to explore the relationsh…
Marriott logo

Marriott International

The Ocean Foundation is proud to partner with Marriott International, a glo…
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (N.O.A.A.) logo

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Ocean Foundation is working with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmosphe…

National Maritime Foundation

The Ocean Foundation is working with the National Maritime Foundation to fa…
Ocean-Climate Alliance logo

Ocean-Climate Alliance

TOF is an active member of the Ocean-Climate Alliance which brings leading…
Global Partnership on Marine Litter

Global Partnership on Marine Litter

TOF is an active member of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML)….

Credit Suisse

In 2020 The Ocean Foundation collaborated with Credit Suisse and Rockefelle…
GLISPA Logo

Global Island Partnership

The Ocean Foundation is a proud member of GLISPA. GLISPA aims to promote ac…
CMS Logo

Centre for Marine Sciences, UWI

TOF is working with the Centre for Marine Sciences, University of the West…
Conabio Logo

CONABIO

TOF is working with CONABIO in the development of capacities, the transfer…
FullCycle Logo

FullCycle

FullCycle has joined forces with The Ocean Foundation to keep plastics out…
Universidad del Mar Logo

Universidad del Mar, Mexico

TOF is working with Universidad del Mar- Mexico- by providing affordable eq…
OA Alliance Logo

International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification

As an Affiliate Member of the Alliance, TOF has committed to elevating the…
Yachting Pages Media Group Logo

Yachting Pages Media Group

TOF is working with Yachting Pages Media Group on a media partnership to ad…
UNAL Logo

Universidad Nacional de Colombia

TOF is working with UNAL to restore seagrass beds in San Andres and study h…
National University of Samoa Logo

The National University of Samoa

TOF is working with The National University of Samoa by providing affordabl…
Eduardo Mondlane University Logo

Eduardo Mondlane University

TOF is working with Eduardo Mondlane University, Faculty of Sciences- Depar…
WRI Mexico Logo

The World Resources Institute (WRI) México

WRI Mexico and The Ocean Foundation join forces to reverse the destruction…
Conservation X Labs Logo

Conservation X Labs

The Ocean Foundation is joining forces with Conservation X Labs to revoluti…
Restore America's Estuaries Logo

Restore America’s Estuaries

As an Affiliate Member of RAE, TOF works to elevate the restoration, conser…
Palau International Coral Reef Center Logo

Palau International Coral Reef Center

TOF is working with the Palau International Coral Reef Center by providing…
UNEP’s-Cartagena-Convention-Secretariat Logo

UNEP’s Cartagena Convention Secretariat

TOF is working with UNEP’s Cartagena Convention Secretariat to identify pot…
University of Mauritius Logo

The University of Mauritius

TOF is working with the University of Mauritius by providing affordable equ…
SPREP Logo

SPREP

TOF is working with SPREP to exchange information on developments and curre…
Smithsonian Logo

The Smithsonian Institution

TOF is working with the Smithsonian Institution to promote the recognition…
REV Ocean Logo

REV Ocean

TOF is cooperating with REV OCEAN on vessel cruises that examine ocean…
Pontifica Universidad Javeriana Logo

Pontifica Universidad Javeriana, Colombia

TOF is working with Pontifica Universidad Javeriana- Colombia- by providing…
NCEL Logo

NCEL

TOF works with NCEL to provide ocean expertise and learning opportunities t…
Gibson Dunn Logo

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

TOF thanks Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP for their pro bono support. www….
ESPOL, Ecuador Logo

ESPOL, Ecuador

TOF is working with ESPOL- Ecuador- by providing affordable equipment to mo…
Debevoise & Plimpton Logo

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

TOF thanks Debevoise & Plimpton LLP for their pro bono support. https:/…
Arnold & Porter Logo

Arnold & Porter

TOF thanks Arnold & Porter for their pro bono support. https://www.arno…
Confluence Philanthropy Logo

Confluence Philanthropy

Confluence Philanthropy advances mission investing by supporting and c…
Roffe Logo

Roffé Accessories

In honor of the Summer 2019 launch of their Save the Ocean apparel line, Ro…
Rockefeller Capital Management Logo

Rockefeller Capital Management

In 2020, The Ocean Foundation (TOF) helped launch the Rockefeller Climate S…
que Bottle Logo

que Bottle

que Bottle is a California-based sustainable product design company special…
North Coast

North Coast Brewing Co.

North Coast Brewing Co. partnered with The Ocean Foundation to establish th…
Luke's Lobster Logo

Luke’s Lobster

Luke’s Lobster partnered with The Ocean Foundation to establish The Keeper…
Loreto Bay Logo

Loreto Bay Company

The Ocean Foundation created a Resort Partnership Lasting Legacy Model, des…
Kerzner Logo

Kerzner International

The Ocean Foundation worked with Kerzner International in the design and cr…
jetBlue Airways Logo

jetBlue Airways

The Ocean Foundation partnered with jetBlue Airways in 2013 to focus on the…
Jackson Hole Wild Logo

Jackson Hole WILD

Every fall, Jackson Hole WILD convenes an industry summit for media profess…
Huckabuy Logo

Huckabuy

Huckabuy is a Search Engine Optimization software company based out of Park…
Fragrant Jewels Logo

Fragrant Jewels

Fragrant Jewels is a California based bath bomb and candle company, and the…
Columbia Sportswear Logo

Columbia Sportswear

Columbia’s focus on outdoor conservation and education make them a leading…
Alaskan Brewing Co. Logo

Alaskan Brewing Company

Alaskan Brewing Co. (ABC) is dedicated to crafting really good beer, and re…
Absolut Vodka Logo

Absolut

The Ocean Foundation and Absolut Vodka began a corporate partnership in 200…
11th Hour Racing Logo

11th Hour Racing

11th Hour Racing works with the sailing community and maritime industries t…
SeaWeb Seafood Summit Logo

SeaWeb International Sustainable Seafood Summit

2015 The Ocean Foundation worked with SeaWeb and Diversified Comm…
Tiffany & Co. Logo

Tiffany & Co. Foundation

As designers and innovators, customers look to the company for ideas and in…
Tropicalia Logo

Tropicalia

Tropicalia is an ‘eco resort’ project in the Dominican Republic. In 2008, F…
EcoBee Logo

BeeSure

At BeeSure, we design products with the environment always in mind. We deve…

Staff

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., The Ocean Foundation staff is made up of a passionate team. They all come from diverse backgrounds, but share the same goal of preserving and caring for our world ocean and its inhabitants. The Ocean Foundation’s Board of Directors is comprised of individuals with significant experience in marine conservation philanthropy as well as esteemed professionals in ocean conservation. We also have a growing international advisory board of scientists, policy makers, educational specialists, and other top experts.

Fernando

Fernando Bretos

Program Officer, Wider Caribbean Region
Anne Louise Burdett headshot

Anne Louise Burdett

Consultant
Andrea Capurro headshot

Andrea Capurro

Chief of Program Staff
Board of AdvisorsBoard of DirectorsSeaScape CircleSenior Fellows

Financial Information

Here you will find tax, financial, and annual report information for The Ocean Foundation. These reports provide a comprehensive guide to the Foundation’s activities and financial performance throughout the years. Our fiscal year begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th of the following year. 

Ocean cliff crashing waves

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice

Whether it means directly instituting changes or working with the marine conservation community to institute these changes, we’re striving to make our community more equitable, diverse, and inclusive at every level.

Scientists at our Ocean Acidification Monitoring Workshop in Fiji check water samples in the lab.

Our Sustainability Statement

We cannot approach companies to learn more about their sustainability goals unless we can walk-the-talk internally. Practices TOF has embraced toward sustainability include: 

  • offering public transportation benefits to staff
  • having bike storage available in our building
  • being thoughtful about necessary international travel
  • opting out of regular housekeeping while staying in hotels
  • using motion detection lights our office
  • using ceramic and glass plates and cups
  • using real utensils in kitchen
  • avoiding individually packaged items for catered meals
  • ordering reusable cups and utensils at events outside our office when possible, including an emphasis on sustainable alternatives to plastic materials (with post-consumer plastic resin materials as a last resort) when reusable cups and utensils are not available
  • composting
  • having coffee maker that uses grounds, not individual, single-use plastic pods
  • using 30% recycled paper content in copier/printer
  • using 100% recycled paper content for stationary and 10% recycled paper content for envelopes.
About The Ocean Foundation: A horizon shot of the ocean
Feet in the sand at the ocean