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The Waitt Foundation takes a hands-on, partnership-oriented approach to fund projects and campaigns aimed at ending overfishing, creating Marine Protected Areas, facilitating Marine Spatial Planning, and raising public awareness about the rapid decline in ocean health. With a particular focus on enduring public private partnerships and conservation finance, our principal goal is to support governments in achieving their own sustainable fisheries, "Blue Prosperity," and ocean conservation goals.  We make direct grants to Nongovernmental Organizations, and work closely with our global network of Public and Strategic Partners to leverage grant funds and key relationships wherever possible.  In doing so, we work closely with our government partners and grantees to learn, to build and manage programs, and to offer strategic advice and technical assistance.

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To see the urgently needed rebound in global fisheries, conservation must include positive economic development outcomes for those communities and nations seeking sustainable fisheries in their waters. Our remit in ocean conservation is not geographically restricted. Rather, we seek out projects with distinct timelines, catalytic effects, and which take advantage of public policy windows and other major world events. While the Waitt Foundation does not take unsolicited grant requests, we welcome the opportunity to work with potential Public Partners to develop ideas. Please contact us.

 

Meanwhile, we encourage all eligible grantees (such as NGOs and Academic Institutions) to consider applying for our small grants program, the Rapid Ocean Conservation (ROC) Grant Program.