Capacity Building

At The Ocean Foundation, we believe in breaking down barriers to access. That’s why we’re working to build the science, policy, resource, and technical capacity of our global community.

Connecting Communities to Affordable Innovation

Ocean Science Equity

Bringing Scientists Together for Change

Ocean Science Diplomacy

Increasing Coastal Habitat Restoration

Blue Resilience

We Do This By:

Mobilizing Financial Resources
Distributing Scientific and Technical Tools
Conducting Technical Trainings
Providing Expert Guidance

Mobilizing Financial Resources

We combine Official Development Assistance (ODA) and private funds to grow the pot of philanthropic support – which can fill some gaps we see in the typical flows of development finance.

We secure governmental funds and help donor countries fulfill their ODA commitments to promote development and increase the welfare of recipient countries.

We raise dollars from private foundations, which is often tied to specific issues and/or geographic areas.

We provide mechanisms for U.S. donors to give internationally to projects that would otherwise not have access to those funds.

We marry these funds and combine our support with the distribution of scientific and technical tools and trainings.

Through this approach, we do our part to ultimately work toward untying donor country dependence on the aid agencies.

Dugong surrounded by yellow pilot fish in the ocean

Distributing Scientific and Technical Tools

Our Ocean Science Equity Initiative involves building the scientific and technical capacity of practitioners leading ocean acidification initiatives worldwide and in their home countries.

We connect local communities and R&D experts to design affordable, open-source technological innovations, and facilitate the exchange of technical equipment, gear, and spare parts needed to keep equipment functioning.

Conducting Technical Trainings

Ocean Science

We bring scientists together through multi-year joint research projects to find solutions to the ocean’s biggest problems. Leveraging resources and pooling expertise between countries makes research plans more robust and deepens professional relationships that last for decades.

OA Monitoring Kit Trainings

EquiSea

Ocean Policy

We educate decision makers at international, national, and sub-national levels about the state of our changing coasts and ocean. And, when invited, we support the development of resolutions, legislation and policies for a more sustainable future.

Mexican Senate Training

OA Policy Guidebook

Plastics Initiative

Sustainable Blue Economy

Ocean Literacy

We support the development of marine education community leaders and empower students of all ages to translate ocean literacy into conservation action. If more marine educators are trained to teach people of all ages about the ocean’s influence on us, and our influence on the ocean, and in a way that effectively inspires individual action, then society as a whole will be better equipped to make informed decisions to protect ocean health. Our vision is to create equitable access to marine education programs and careers throughout the world.

Coastal Restoration

We work to determine the best places for mangrove and seagrass restoration projects, planting techniques, and cost-effective long-term monitoring approaches.

We increase coastal habitat restoration capacity through training workshops and instructional materials on restoration, monitoring, and regenerative agricultural practices.

Blue Resilience

Providing Expert Guidance

Career Coaching

We offer informal advice to students, new professionals, and even mid-career practitioners, and provide paid internships to provide exposure to both ocean conservation and community foundation operations.

Mentoring

Our mentoring capabilities include:

Ocean literacy and community engagement: Support for COEGI mentorship program

Ocean acidification monitoring: Support for Pier2Peer program

Philanthropic Giving

We work to promote our giving philosophy about the direction ocean philanthropy should go in the future, as well as offer advice to individual philanthropists and small and large foundations wishing to develop a new ocean giving portfolio or to refresh and revise current direction.

Ocean-Centric Advising

We serve as a Member of the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. We also serve as third party ocean advisor to Rockefeller Capital Management.