FundingtheOcean.org was a project of Marine Watch International
Originally published on the (now archived) National Geographic blog.
7 February 2018
Given the swirling, complex, synergistic, and increasingly dire threats to the ocean (from climate change, to overfishing, to pollution), and the smaller and smaller investments the federal government is making in solutions, it is critical to effectively leverage philanthropic dollars. One of the most promising things that happened last year for ocean conservation was the launch of FundingtheOcean.org.
Philanthropy plays a large role in ocean conservation, yet it is opaque to most people. Funding decisions are often made based on long-standing relationships between foundation staff and NGO leaders. In some ways, it’s an old boys network. New NGOs and new philanthropists alike can feel lost and under-informed, and great ideas and available dollars don’t connect as they should, which is a terrible shame.
