Our methodology begins with learning as much as we can about a given Ocean challenge and identifying all of the organizations and projects working to solve that challenge. See our focus areas here: Ocean challenges

We attempt to catalog all of the organizations working on a given Ocean challenge and, in addition to outbound research, we encourage organizations to apply for consideration via our website.  Our goal is to know and evaluate all organizations and projects actively working to solve a particular problem.

Once we believe we’ve identified all of the players, we build profiles for each one based on information available from websites, articles and public tax filings as well as third party sites like Candid’s GuideStar, Charity Navigator, BBB and Charity Watch. Those profiles enable us to determine which organizations are primarily or at least substantially focused on the applicable Ocean challenge, whether they are actively pursuing solutions to the problem, whether they are financially stable, whether they’ve been transparent with third party organizations etc. We then form an Advisory Board for each Ocean challenge we study, comprised of scientists, academics and other third parties knowledgeable about the focus area. We review our long and short lists with our Advisory Board and, based on their recommendations, formulate our preliminary list of Recommended Organizations. 

In some cases, we go through a final survey step to gain additional insights. Based on those survey responses together with any follow-up conversations, emails and/or site visits, we determine our list of Ocean Grants Recommended Organizations. 

Recommended Organizations are those that, through our Methodology process, have been identified as outstanding in their category and most likely to move the needle toward solving an important Ocean problem. 

To achieve this status, these organizations have proven they:

• are actively working on an important Ocean problem;

• are fiscally responsible;

• are transparent and forthcoming with information;

• have measurable metrics of effectiveness and impact; 

• have a scalable model; 

• practice good stewardship with their donors; and

• would be significantly enhanced with additional funding