About National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
To support and advance the protection, understanding, and stewardship of the United States' national marine sanctuaries through conservation and restoration, science and technology, education and outreach, and community partnerships.
Focus Areas
Conservation and RestorationScience and TechnologyEducation and OutreachHabitat ProtectionCommunity Funds and Local ChaptersPolicy & Advocacy (Capitol Hill Ocean Week)
Who They Fund
coral populations and marine benthic communities (shallow to deep)coastal and island communities (Guam, Micronesia, USVI, CNMI, Hawaii, Florida Keys, Gulf of Mexico)resource managers and sanctuary programs (national marine sanctuaries, restoration practitioners)youth and informal learners (education programs, fellowships, public exhibits)
About National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Mission: Iconic Reefs is one of the clearest markers of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s grantmaking style: it backs large, technical coral-restoration work tied to a specific sanctuary initiative. In the recent grants list, the foundation awarded $1,009,006 to Coral Restoration Foundation for restoration and monitoring of EDR, and $949,202 to Mote Marine Laboratory for the same effort in 2024. Those awards sit alongside other multi-year grants that support coral nursery capacity, grazer production, and long-term monitoring in sanctuary-linked restoration programs. The foundation funds a mix of science, restoration, education, and public interpretation. Its portfolio includes deep-sea coral research, coral bleaching response, exhibit development, marine resources education, and capacity-building for sanctuary partners. Several grants are tied to Florida Keys work, but the grant list also reaches into the Gulf of Mexico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, and marine education efforts in the Northeast and Gulf Coast. The pattern is hands-on and implementation-oriented, with grants used for infrastructure, field operations, restoration scaling, and community-facing programming.
What National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Funds
Coral restoration is a major thread in the foundation’s recent awards. It gave $626,959 to Coral Restoration Foundation for restoration and monitoring of EDR and coral bleaching emergency response, and $264,000 to The Florida Aquarium Inc for ex-situ production of elkhorn coral and long-spined sea urchins for Mission: Iconic Reefs. The foundation also supports deep-water and mesophotic research. Mississippi Aquarium received $507,498 for deep water octocorals and exhibit work, while Lehigh University received $440,544 for connectivity of mesophotic and deep-sea coral populations in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Education and interpretation are another visible area. Gulf of Maine Research Institute received $286,916 for a marine resources education program, and Audubon Nature Institute received $275,000 for mesophotic coral exhibit installation and interpretation. The grant list also includes university-led work in Guam, the CNMI, and Hawaii that combines restoration with regional coordination.
How National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Gives
Typical grant size sits at $19,745 at the 25th percentile, $25,799 at the median, and $133,018 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also shows a small number of very large awards, including seven-figure and high six-figure grants tied to restoration and sanctuary programs. The foundation operates as a regular funder and does not fund individuals. The grants list shows repeated recipients across multiple years, including Coral Restoration Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory, University of the Virgin Islands, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and Temple University, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. Some programs accept expressions of interest, while others are listed as competitive or informational opportunities.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$5.6M
Total Assets
$15.5M
Total Revenue
$36M
Total Expenses
$35.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $20K and $133K, with a median of $26K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$26K
75th Percentile
$133K
Geographic Reach
National34 states funded
About 2% of grants go to recipients in FL.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
JOEL JOHNSON
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Funds
Top 3 recipient countries by grant volume for National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 170 | $16.7M | 98.8% |
| 2 | Guam | 1 | $185K |
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