Schmidt Ocean Institute concentrates its funding on advancing ocean science, technology and public engagement: large strategic gifts support research vessels and infrastructure (e.g., Falkor donation) while programmatic grants strengthen oceanographic research, monitoring (ocean acidification, genetic analysis) and STEM pipelines. They fund universities, national research bodies and sector organizations that run robotics/ROV competitions and ocean science outreach, favoring repeat partnerships with technical and educational organizations.
Schmidt Ocean Institute’s most distinctive recent grant is a $978,122 gift in 2023 to Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche for a Falkor donation. That transaction captures how the foundation operates: it funds ocean science by pairing large infrastructure support with targeted grants for research, education, and public engagement. The recent record includes university research on ocean acidification and marine genetics, support for national ocean education competitions, and funding for ocean storytelling outlets. The foundation also backs organizations that connect science to broader audiences. It gave $50,000 to Nautilus Think Inc in 2025 to produce original content on the UN Ocean Decade and ocean research, and $40,000 to the National Academy of Sciences for the Blue Dreams exhibit. Alongside those public-facing gifts, Schmidt Ocean Institute supports technical and academic work such as seawater measurements, genetic analysis, and ocean observation activities. Its grantmaking shows a mix of one-time strategic awards and repeated support for selected partners, especially in ocean STEM and communications. The pattern points to a funder that combines vessel-based scientific infrastructure with program grants that strengthen the broader ocean research ecosystem.
Ocean acidification is a clear theme in the foundation’s research support. It gave $180,000 to The Regents of the University of California in 2025 for seawater measurements to track ocean acidification, and earlier awarded $90,000 for the same purpose. Marine genetics is another research line. In 2024, the foundation gave $58,650 to the University of Rhode Island for novel approaches to analyzing genetic variations among samples, and $40,689 to Lehigh University for the same topic. Education and workforce development also appear repeatedly. Schmidt Ocean Institute gave $212,503 to the Consortium for Ocean Leadership for Ocean STEM building diverse leadership, and $100,000 to the University of South Florida Foundation Inc to support university programs that broaden access to the OCEAN STEAM fields and related blue economy workforce. For ocean robotics and student competitions, it funded the Marine Technology Society Inc $100,000 for the MATE ROV Competition and $50,000 for the MATE Inspiration ROV Competition at Mate Inspiration for Innovation.
$2.8M
$108.5M
$9.4M
$36.9M
Most grants fall between $5K and $50K, with a median of $17K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$17K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 12% of grants go to recipients in ME.
Top 8 recipient countries by grant volume for Schmidt Ocean Institute.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 43 | $1.7M | 82.7% |
| 2 | Portugal | 2 | $40K |
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Concentrated, strategic giving: a mix of a few large, one-off infrastructure gifts and multiple mid-size program grants; frequent repeat funding to a set of university and sector partners and recurring support for signature STEM outreach programs and media partners.
Notable grantees: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), University of South Florida Foundation, Consortium for Ocean Leadership, Marine Technology Society, Nautilus Think Inc.
Typical grants are mid-sized, with a p25 of $5,000, a median of $16,754, and a p75 of $50,000. The top end is shaped by a small number of large strategic awards, including the Falkor donation. The pattern also includes many smaller sponsorships and exhibit-related grants around $6,000 to $20,000. The record shows repeat funding for several organizations across multiple years, including University of South Florida Foundation Inc, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Marine Technology Society Inc, Nautilus Think Inc, and World Ocean Observatory. Schmidt Ocean Institute appears to use both cash grants and in-kind support, and its active programs include unsolicited Expressions of Interest for ship time and science communication internships.
Most grants land in the United States, which accounts for 43 grants, or 82.7% of the recipient-country distribution. Within the U.S., grant recipients include Berkeley, Tampa, Boulder, New York, Monterey, Washington, DC, Bethlehem, Kingston, and Sedgwick. Outside the U.S., recent grants also reached Rome, Madrid, the Azores, and other international recipients in France, Portugal, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, and Italy. The geographic pattern fits a national funder with some international scientific and ocean-culture support tied to research, observation, and outreach.
The foundation supports ocean science, technology, and public engagement. Recent grants include seawater measurements to track ocean acidification, genetic variation analysis, ocean STEM leadership, ROV competitions, exhibits, and ocean storytelling media. It also provides ship time and at-sea support through active programs tied to R/V Falkor (too).
Yes. The record shows repeat grants to University of South Florida Foundation Inc, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Marine Technology Society Inc, Nautilus Think Inc, and World Ocean Observatory across multiple years, suggesting ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards.
The grant-size distribution is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $16,754 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. That indicates many grants are modest, with a smaller number of larger strategic awards above that range.
It offers unsolicited Expressions of Interest for ship time and in-kind support aboard R/V Falkor (too), including onboard technology, operational support, and collaborative expedition resources. The active programs also include science communication internships and artist residencies aboard the vessel.
The foundation funded the Consortium for Ocean Leadership for Ocean STEM building diverse leadership, the University of South Florida Foundation Inc for broader access to OCEAN STEAM fields and blue economy workforce programs, and the Marine Technology Society Inc for the MATE ROV Competition. It also supported Nautilus Think Inc and the National Academy of Sciences for ocean content and exhibits.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 3 | France | 2 | $10K | 3.9% |
| 4 | Italy | 1 | $978K | 1.9% |
| 5 | Spain | 1 | $34K | 1.9% |
| 6 | Chile | 1 | $5K | 1.9% |
| 7 | Puerto Rico | 1 | $5K | 1.9% |
| 8 | Germany | 1 | $2K | 1.9% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Regents of the University of California | Berkeley, CA | $180,000 | 2025 | Seawater measurements to track ocean acidification |
| Marine Technology Society Inc | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | MATE ROV Competition |
| University of South Florida Foundation Inc | Tampa, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | To support university programs that broaden access to the OCEAN STEAM fields and related blue economy workforce |
| University Corporation for Atmospheric Research | Boulder, CO | $99,831 | 2025 | National Oceans Science Bowl 2024 |
| Marine Technology Society Inc | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | MATE ROV 2024 Competition and Championship |
| Nautilus Think Inc | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | To produce original content on the UN Ocean Decade and ocean research |
| MONGABAYORG CORPORATION | Menlo Park, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | Scientific Expeditions series |
| Fundacion TBA21 | Madrid | $34,000 | 2025 | UN Ocean Decade confeence |
| World Ocean Observatory | Sedgwick, ME | $15,000 | 2025 | World Ocean Explorer Exhibits 2024 |
| Marine Technology Society Inc | Washington, DC | $6,000 | 2025 | Marine Technology Society Sponsorship - Oceans (Global) Student Poster Competition |
| Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | IEEE AUV Symposium 2024 |
| Smithsonian Institution | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | Summit on Ocean Biodiversity reception |
| Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | IEEE Marine Imaging Workshop 5 |
| Escuela Rural San Miguel Conimo | Ancud | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the ship-to-shore connection with local public school |
| Gordon Research Conferences | East Greenwich, RI | $5,000 | 2025 | Gordon Research Conference on Ocean Mixing |
| Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences | East Boothbay, ME | $5,000 | 2025 | OceanHackWeek 2024 |
| Envision Excellence in STEM Education | Cleveland Heights, OH | $4,000 | 2025 | National STEM Festival -- student scholarships |
| Society for In Vitro Biology Incorporated | Millersville, MD | $3,000 | 2025 | SIVB 16th International Conference sponsorship |
| IOOS Association | Silver Spring, MD | $500 | 2025 | IOOS Committee Meeting Jul 2024 |
| UNIVERSITY CORPORATION FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH | BOULDER, CO | $112,184 | 2024 | NATIONAL OCEAN SCIENCES BOWL |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA FOUNDATION INC | TAMPA, FL | $100,000 | 2024 | FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY PEERSIDE PROGRAM |
| UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND | KINGSTON, RI | $58,650 | 2024 | URI NOVEL APPROACHES TO ANALYZING GENETIC VARIATIONS AMONG SAMPLES |
| MATE INSPIRATION FOR INNOVATION | MONTEREY, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | MATE INSPIRATION ROV COMPETITION |
| NAUTILUSTHINK INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | NAUTILUS OCEANS CHANNEL MAGAZINE 2023 |
| LEHIGH UNIVERSITY | BETHLEHEM, PA | $40,689 | 2024 | LEHIGH NOVEL APPROACHES TO ANALYZING GENETIC VARIATIONS AMONG SAMPLES |
| WORLD OCEAN OBSERVATORY | SEDGWICK, ME | $15,000 | 2024 | WORLD OCEAN EXPLORER EXHIBITS |
| MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $6,000 | 2024 | MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY SPONSORSHIP OCEANS (GLOBAL) STUDENT POSTER COMPETITION |
| MAP THE GAPS | SEATTLE, WA | $5,000 | 2024 | MAP THE GAPS SYMPOSIUM 2023 |
| SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | INTERACTIVE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY FOR COSTA RICA SCHOOL EXHIBIT |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHARLES DARWIN FOUNDATION FOR THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS | VALHALLA, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | CONNECTING THE GALAPAGOS COMMUNITY TO OUR OCEANS |
| UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO MAYAGUEZ | MAYAGUEZ | $4,536 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH CRUISE |
| DRI RESEARCH FOUNDATION | RENO, NV | $2,000 | 2024 | NETWORK FOR OCEAN WORLDS RETREAT |
| GEOMAR HELMHOLTZ CENTRE FOR OCEAN RESEARCH KIEL | — | $2,000 | 2024 | GEOMAR OCEAN VOLCANISM WORKSHOP 2023 |
| CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE | ROME | $978,122 | 2023 | FALKOR DONATION |
| CONSORTIUM FOR OCEAN LEADERSHIP | WASHINGTON, DC | $212,503 | 2023 | OCEAN STEM BUILDING DIVERSE LEADERSHIP |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | BERKELEY, CA | $90,000 | 2023 | SEAWATER MEASUREMENTS TO TRACK OCEAN ACIDIFICATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA FOUNDATION INC | TAMPA, FL | $82,225 | 2023 | OCEAN STEM BUILDING DIVERSE LEADERSHIP |
| MATE INSPIRATION FOR INNOVATION | MONTEREY, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | MATE INSPIRATION ROV COMPETITION |
| NAUTILUS THINK INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | NAUTILUS OCEANS CHANNEL MAGAZINE |
| NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | WASHINGTON, DC | $40,000 | 2023 | BLUE DREAMS EXHIBIT |
| KING BAUDOUIN FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2023 | 2022 OCEAN FELLOWSHIP RUN BY TBA21-ACADEMY |
| AIR CENTRE | AZORES | $20,000 | 2023 | AD AIR CENTRE_2022 SYMPOSIUM ON ADVANCES IN OCEAN OBSERVATION |
| WORLD OCEAN OBSERVATORY | SEDGWICK, ME | $18,508 | 2023 | 2022 GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WORLD OCEAN OBSERVATORY | SEDGWICK, ME | $12,470 | 2023 | 2022 WORLD OCEAN EXPLORER VIRTUAL AQUARIUM DEEP SEA EXHIBIT |
| MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $6,000 | 2023 | MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY SPONSORSHIP OCEANS (GLOBAL) STUDENT POSTER COMPETITION |
| IFREMER | PLOUZNE | $5,072 | 2023 | 2022 MARINE IMAGING WORKSHOP |
| INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | 2022 AUV SYMPOSIUM |
| UNESCO | PARIS | $5,000 | 2023 | UN DECADE OF OCEAN SCIENCES CONFERENCE |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $5,000 | 2023 | 2022 IRSO MEETING RECEPTION |
| MAP THE GAPS | SEATTLE, WA | $2,500 | 2023 | 2022 MAP THE GAPS SYMPOSIUM |
The Regents of the University of California
$180,000Seawater measurements to track ocean acidification
Marine Technology Society Inc
$100,000MATE ROV Competition
University of South Florida Foundation Inc
$100,000To support university programs that broaden access to the OCEAN STEAM fields and related blue economy workforce
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
$99,831National Oceans Science Bowl 2024
Marine Technology Society Inc
$50,000MATE ROV 2024 Competition and Championship
Nautilus Think Inc
$50,000To produce original content on the UN Ocean Decade and ocean research
MONGABAYORG CORPORATION
$35,000Scientific Expeditions series
Fundacion TBA21
$34,000UN Ocean Decade confeence
World Ocean Observatory
$15,000World Ocean Explorer Exhibits 2024
Marine Technology Society Inc
$6,000Marine Technology Society Sponsorship - Oceans (Global) Student Poster Competition
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
$5,000IEEE AUV Symposium 2024
Smithsonian Institution
$5,000Summit on Ocean Biodiversity reception
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
$5,000IEEE Marine Imaging Workshop 5
Escuela Rural San Miguel Conimo
$5,000To support the ship-to-shore connection with local public school
Gordon Research Conferences
$5,000Gordon Research Conference on Ocean Mixing
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
$5,000OceanHackWeek 2024
Envision Excellence in STEM Education
$4,000National STEM Festival -- student scholarships
Society for In Vitro Biology Incorporated
$3,000SIVB 16th International Conference sponsorship
IOOS Association
$500IOOS Committee Meeting Jul 2024
UNIVERSITY CORPORATION FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH
$112,184NATIONAL OCEAN SCIENCES BOWL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA FOUNDATION INC
$100,000FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY PEERSIDE PROGRAM
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
$58,650URI NOVEL APPROACHES TO ANALYZING GENETIC VARIATIONS AMONG SAMPLES
MATE INSPIRATION FOR INNOVATION
$50,000MATE INSPIRATION ROV COMPETITION
NAUTILUSTHINK INC
$50,000NAUTILUS OCEANS CHANNEL MAGAZINE 2023
LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
$40,689LEHIGH NOVEL APPROACHES TO ANALYZING GENETIC VARIATIONS AMONG SAMPLES
WORLD OCEAN OBSERVATORY
$15,000WORLD OCEAN EXPLORER EXHIBITS
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY INC
$6,000MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY SPONSORSHIP OCEANS (GLOBAL) STUDENT POSTER COMPETITION
MAP THE GAPS
$5,000MAP THE GAPS SYMPOSIUM 2023
SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATION
$5,000INTERACTIVE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY FOR COSTA RICA SCHOOL EXHIBIT
FRIENDS OF THE CHARLES DARWIN FOUNDATION FOR THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
$5,000CONNECTING THE GALAPAGOS COMMUNITY TO OUR OCEANS
UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO MAYAGUEZ
$4,536TO SUPPORT STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH CRUISE
DRI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$2,000NETWORK FOR OCEAN WORLDS RETREAT
GEOMAR HELMHOLTZ CENTRE FOR OCEAN RESEARCH KIEL
$2,000GEOMAR OCEAN VOLCANISM WORKSHOP 2023
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE
$978,122FALKOR DONATION
CONSORTIUM FOR OCEAN LEADERSHIP
$212,503OCEAN STEM BUILDING DIVERSE LEADERSHIP
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
$90,000SEAWATER MEASUREMENTS TO TRACK OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA FOUNDATION INC
$82,225OCEAN STEM BUILDING DIVERSE LEADERSHIP
MATE INSPIRATION FOR INNOVATION
$50,000MATE INSPIRATION ROV COMPETITION
NAUTILUS THINK INC
$50,000NAUTILUS OCEANS CHANNEL MAGAZINE
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
$40,000BLUE DREAMS EXHIBIT
KING BAUDOUIN FOUNDATION
$30,0002022 OCEAN FELLOWSHIP RUN BY TBA21-ACADEMY
AIR CENTRE
$20,000AD AIR CENTRE_2022 SYMPOSIUM ON ADVANCES IN OCEAN OBSERVATION
WORLD OCEAN OBSERVATORY
$18,5082022 GENERAL SUPPORT
WORLD OCEAN OBSERVATORY
$12,4702022 WORLD OCEAN EXPLORER VIRTUAL AQUARIUM DEEP SEA EXHIBIT
MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY INC
$6,000MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY SPONSORSHIP OCEANS (GLOBAL) STUDENT POSTER COMPETITION
IFREMER
$5,0722022 MARINE IMAGING WORKSHOP
INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS
$5,0002022 AUV SYMPOSIUM
UNESCO
$5,000UN DECADE OF OCEAN SCIENCES CONFERENCE
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION
$5,0002022 IRSO MEETING RECEPTION
MAP THE GAPS
$2,5002022 MAP THE GAPS SYMPOSIUM
Current and upcoming funding from Schmidt Ocean Institute that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Open to ocean science and technology development projects seeking support at sea; applicants submit an expression of interest.
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