WE HELP PEOPLE WHO HELP THE OCEAN

OUR MISSION

Ocean Grant’s (OG) mission is to identify the most impactful Ocean-focused organizations and to fundraise to support them.

who we are

OG is the brainchild of two Silicon Valley veterans who were passionate about the Ocean and wanted to do more to help.  Mike Davis, marketing specialist, and Jennifer Persson, licensing lawyer, co-founded OG in 2018 believing that if they could identify those organizations doing the most impactful work and fundraise to support them, they could make a meaningful difference.  They realized early on that some charities fundraise through in-kind donations like artwork, cars and yachts and, because Jennifer had started spending more time in South Florida, the yachting capital of the U.S., they pursued yacht donations as an important funding raising source. 

Underwater scene featuring a colorful coral reef with various fish swimming above it, illuminated by sunlight filtering through the water.
Founder Jennifer Persson on a sandy beach near large rocks, smiling at the camera, wearing a white blouse, black shorts, a beige hat, and pink flip-flops.

our team

Our team has expanded since 2018 to include a number of wonderfully talented people, all of whom are unpaid volunteers or consultants. We are also supported by our Board of Directors and Advisory Board Members who vary based upon the Ocean objectives we are pursuing.

Meet the Team

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Aerial view of ocean waves crashing against rocky shoreline with white foam and dark rocks scattered along the beach.

What we do

We believe every philanthropist wants to make a meaningful difference. The challenge is to figure out which organizations are best able to make that difference, That takes time and research so we do the following two things to maximize the impact of every donation:

  • Research to identify the most impactful organizations and

  • Fundraise to support them

We hope to address ten Challenges the Ocean is facing (OCEAN CHALLENGES) over time.

HOW WE WORK

A pink octopus with curled tentacles against a deep blue background.

  • 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

APPLY FOR RECOMMENDATION

If you are an Ocean-focused organization that wishes to be considered for recommendation by Ocean Grants, please apply below.

Group of volunteers in blue shirts and white caps cleaning up trash on a beach, collecting plastic bottles and debris.
Beach scene with a group of people listening to a speaker wearing a black T-shirt that says 'Surfrider Zero Waste Crew.' The group is standing on sand near the ocean, and the weather appears sunny and warm.
Two people wearing white gloves and blue shirts collecting and holding a large bag filled with plastic waste and trash on a sandy beach.
SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

Plastics, microplastics, & Marine debris

RECOMMENDED ORGANIZATIONS 

Logo of the Plastic Ocean Project featuring a blue spiral shell with blue and green text circling it, and the website URL www.plasticoceanproject.org.
Logo of Common Seas with a circle divided into two blue shades and the text 'Common Seas' next to it.
Hand-drawn graphic with the words "plastic free DELAWARE" and a green outline of the state of Delaware.
Multiple stylized handprints in various shades of yellow, beige, and brown above the word "gala" written in bold, red lowercase letters.
PADI AWARE Foundation logo with a globe and a manta ray illustration in blue.
Logo of the Sustainable Ocean Alliance with a stylized wave design in shades of blue and the acronym 'SOA' and the full name beneath.
Logo featuring a blue octopus with the text 'Debris Free Oceans' to the right of the octopus.
A red square logo with a white outline of a human figure inside a plastic bottle, with the words 'plastic pollution coalition' in white and red text underneath.
Logo with text 'Think Beyond PLASTIC' and a blue Earth globe in the center of the word 'Beyond'
Logo of Surfrider Foundation with stylized blue wave design and the organization name.
Logo for Beyond Plastics featuring blue wave graphic and text.
Logo of Californians Against Waste featuring a green recycling symbol with the outline of California and the organization's name in green text.
Blue sign with the word 'OPEN' and the slogan 'for a toxics-free future' below.
Black and white logo of Upstream with circular icon and stylized waves
Logo of Plastic Soup Foundation with a circular swirl design and text.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Ocean Grants offers three impactful ways for individuals to support our mission of funding organizations that are addressing Ocean-related challenges.

  • Your financial contribution directly fuels groundbreaking projects and research aimed at protecting and preserving our oceans for future generations. Every dollar donated makes a difference in our ability to support innovative solutions to pressing marine issues. Donate Now

  • Volunteering with Ocean Grants allows you to contribute your skills and expertise to assist in the grant-making process. By donating your time, you play a crucial role in ensuring that deserving initiatives receive the necessary funding to make a positive impact on our oceans. Email Us

  • For yacht owners who are passionate about ocean conservation, donating your yacht can provide a unique opportunity to support our cause. By contributing this valuable asset, you help Ocean Grants raise additional funds to support vital conservation efforts and marine research. Learn About Yacht Donations

Ocean water during sunset with clouds in the sky.

Ocean Grants is a public charity organized under the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law for charitable purposes and, as such, is not organized for the private gain of any person. Our EIN is #82-2869115. Our IRS determination letter is dated July 3, 2018, and states that donors can deduct contributions made to us under IRC Section 170 and that Ocean Grants is qualified to receive tax-deductible bequests, devices, transfers, or gifts under IRC Sections 2055,  2106, or 2522.