SolutionsFor New Ocean Projects

For New Ocean
Projects

As a fiscal sponsor, The Ocean Foundation can help reduce the complexity of operating a successful project or organization by providing the critical infrastructure, proficiency, and expertise of an NGO so you can focus on program development, fundraising, implementation, and outreach. We create a space for innovation and unique approaches to marine conservation where people with big ideas—social entrepreneurs, grassroots advocates, and cutting-edge researchers—can take risks, experiment with new methods, and think outside of the box.

Stingrays swimming in clear blue water

Services

Fiscal Sponsorship

“Fiscal Sponsorship” refers to the practice of nonprofit institutions offering their legal and tax-exempt status, together with all applicable administrative services, to individuals or groups engaged in research, projects, and activities relating to and furthering the mission of the sponsoring nonprofit organization. At The Ocean Foundation, in addition to providing the legal infrastructure of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity, with appropriate legal incorporation, IRS tax-exemption, and charitable registration, we offer our fiscally sponsored projects and organizations the following services:

  • Financial oversight
  • Business administration
  • Human resources
  • Grant management
  • Capacity building
  • Legal compliance
  • Risk management

Contact us to learn more about Fiscal Sponsorship at The Ocean Foundation.

Hosted Projects

What we refer to as our Fiscally Sponsored Funds, direct programmatic sponsorship, or comprehensive sponsorship, is ideal for individuals or groups, which lack a separate legal entity and desire support for all administrative aspects of their work. Once they become a project of The Ocean Foundation, they become a legal part of our organization, and we offer a full spectrum of administrative services so that they can effectively manage their finances, receive tax-deductible donations, enroll contractors and/or employees, and apply for grants, among other benefits. 
For this type of sponsorship, we charge 10% on all incoming revenue.* Contact us for more information on how we can start a project together.

Our Current Projects

*With the exception of public/government funding, which is charged up to an additional 5% in direct personnel costs.

Pre-Approved Grant Relationships

What we refer to as our Friends of Funds, a pre-approved grant relationship is best suited for organizations that are already legally incorporated. This can include foreign charities seeking tax-deductible support from U.S. funders, but also U.S. charities during the wait for their non-profit determination from the IRS. Through this type of fiscal sponsorship, we do not provide the administrative services related to running the project, but we do provide grant management as well as the administrative and legal infrastructure to collect tax-deductible donations. 
For this type of sponsorship, we charge 9% on all incoming revenue.* Contact us for more information on grants.

*With the exception of public/government funding, which is charged up to an additional 5% in direct personnel costs.

NNFS Logo
The Ocean Foundation is part of the National Network of Fiscal Sponsors (NNFS).

Featured Projects

Dolphin jumping in waves with surfers

Saving Ocean Wildlife

Saving Ocean Wildlife was formed to study and protect the cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sea turtles that reside or transit through the Pacific Ocean waters off the West Coast of North …

Person sitting on shore looking out to sunrise over ocean

Ocean State of Mind

“When you realize the Earth is so much more than simply your environment, you’ll be moved to protect her in the same way as you would yourself. This is the …

More projects

Get in touch to start today!

We’d love to hear about how we can work with you and your project to help conserve and protect our world ocean. Get in touch with us today!

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(202) 887-8996

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