About Oceana
Protect and restore the world’s oceans through science-based policy advocacy, legal action, and public engagement.
Focus Areas
marine conservationfisheries reform / responsible fishingplastics pollutionclimate and oceansocean habitat protectiondeep-sea mining preventioninternational advocacy
Who They Fund
coastal and island communities (e.g., Fogo Island residents)environmental NGOs and campaign coalitionsacademic researchers and university centersnew/early-career environmental organizerspolicy-makers and regulatory bodies involved in fisheries governance
About Oceana
A defining thread in Oceana Inc’s recent grantmaking is the joint campaign on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, transparency, and human rights. The foundation has backed that work through several organizations, including World Wildlife Fund Inc, Center for Strategic and International Studies Inc, and Tides Center (icar), showing repeated support for policy and advocacy work tied to fisheries governance. Beyond that campaign, Oceana Inc also funded research and analysis on distant water fishing and fishmeal and fish oil supply chains through American University, alongside support for a study on the nutritional composition of bottom trawl catches at Harvard College. Its recent awards also extend into ocean-focused public engagement and environmental organizing, with grants to surf-industry environmental groups, Green Corps, and Shorefast US Fund. The pattern points to a funder that supports science-based policy work, research, coalition activity, and selected community resilience efforts connected to ocean health.
What Oceana Funds
In fisheries governance, Oceana Inc gave $180,000 to World Wildlife Fund Inc and $180,000 to Center for Strategic and International Studies Inc for the joint campaign on IUU fishing, transparency, and human rights. The same campaign also received $90,000 through Tides Center (icar), reinforcing a multi-organization effort around fisheries oversight. In research funding, the foundation awarded $52,543 to American University for work using the Aquatic Resource Trade in Species (ARTIS) database to improve and analyze patterns related to distant water fishing and fishmeal and fish oil. Oceana Inc also supported marine science with $51,790 to President and Fellows of Harvard College for a project on the nutritional composition of bottom trawl catches. Smaller grants extended to environmental organizing through Green Corps and to cultural and economic resilience work through Shorefast US Fund.
How Oceana Gives
Typical awards cluster around the middle tens of thousands: p25 is $35,000, the median is $52,543, and p75 is $90,000. The recent record shows both larger project grants and smaller sponsorship or general-support awards, including a $6,000 grant and a $12,500 grant. Several organizations appear more than once across 2023 and 2024, including Center for Strategic and International Studies Inc and Tides Center (icar), which suggests repeat support rather than one-time giving only. Oceana Inc does not fund individuals, and the profile indicates no program-related investments. The grant pattern is project-specific, with a mix of research funding, advocacy, coalition-building support, and some general support.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$345K
Total Assets
$74.7M
Total Revenue
$46.5M
Total Expenses
$45.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $35K and $90K, with a median of $53K.
25th Percentile
$35K
Median
$53K
75th Percentile
$90K
Geographic Reach
National6 states funded
About 31% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
CHRISTOPHER M SHARKEY
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