Ocean Funding Opportunities

31 July 2026 Schmidt Marine Technology Partners
Submission deadline: 31 July 2026 (12:00pm PST)
Funding amount: Typically USD 100,000 to 400,000
Website: https://schmidtmarine.org/proposals/
Details: Schmidt Marine supports the development of innovative ocean technologies addressing marine conservation, sustainable fisheries, habitat restoration, and ocean observation. The programme welcomes applications from universities, non-profit organisations, and start-up companies globally, funding technologies with strong conservation potential and commercialisation prospects. Focus areas include sustainable fisheries innovation, habitat restoration, ocean observing systems, and network support for the marine technology ecosystem.

1 August 2026 Oceanic Society Expedition Impact Program (autumn cycle)
Submission deadline: 1 August 2026 (awards announced 15 September)
Funding amount: USD 1,000 to 10,000
Website: https://www.oceanicsociety.org/our-work/conservation-grants/
Details: The Oceanic Society’s Expedition Impact Program funds community-based ocean conservation projects, with grants of USD 1,000 to 10,000 addressing marine plastic pollution, sustainable fisheries, climate change resilience, sustainable tourism, and behaviour change. Projects must create measurable conservation outcomes within 12 months and involve local communities. Applications are accepted twice a year, with the autumn deadline on 1 August.

3 August 2026 SOA Grant Funding to Advance 30×30 (Sustainable Ocean Alliance)
Submission deadline: 3 August 2026 (rolling review, notification within 4 to 6 weeks)
Funding amount: Up to USD 15,000 per organisation; up to USD 5,000 for unaffiliated applicants; total pool USD 50,000 to 80,000
Website: https://www.soalliance.org/stories/2026CFP
Details: Sustainable Ocean Alliance is inviting proposals from small organisations and local leaders advancing 30 per cent marine protection by 2030 (Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) through the establishment and effective management of marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures. Priority goes to coastal and island areas of high biodiversity and low income, to traditional and Indigenous governance for small-scale fishers and locally managed marine areas, and to leadership opportunities for youth, women, and Indigenous people. Organisations with an annual operating budget over USD 2 million in any of the previous three years are not eligible.

7 August 2026 Ocean Exchange Neptune Awards 2026 (Americas deadline; EMEA closed 10 July)
Submission deadline: 7 August 2026 (23:59 GMT)
Funding amount: Three awards of USD 100,000, plus two USD 50,000 Florida Environmental Impact Awards
Website: https://www.oceanexchange.org/register/
Details: Ocean Exchange’s Neptune Awards recognise solutions that advance understanding of the ocean and reduce human impact whilst supporting the blue economy, across maritime, ocean environmental, coastal resilience, and data themes. Three non-dilutive awards of USD 100,000 are offered, alongside two USD 50,000 Florida Environmental Impact Awards for solutions that can be applied in South Florida. Finalists present at the Ocean Exchange event in Fort Lauderdale on 25 to 27 October 2026.

7 August 2026 Weeden Foundation Fall 2026 Grant Cycle
Submission deadline: Letter of Inquiry (new applicants) 7 August 2026; full application 4 September 2026
Funding amount: USD 10,000 to 30,000 per grant
Website: https://weedenfoundation.org/
Details: The Weeden Foundation awards grants to 501(c)(3) organisations and international equivalents supporting biodiversity protection and habitat conservation globally. Focus areas include marine wildlife conservation and protecting endangered marine species in the Americas through research, advocacy, policy change, and habitat conservation. New applicants must submit a Letter of Inquiry by 7 August; returning grantees and invited applicants submit full proposals by 4 September. Grants are single-year only.

10 August 2026 Earth Journalism Network 30×30 Marine Conservation Media Grants (2026 to 2027)
Submission deadline: 10 August 2026 (23:59 Manila time)
Funding amount: USD 10,000 each to five media organisations
Website: https://earthjournalism.net/opportunities/media-grants-to-support-coverage-of-countries-progress-toward-the-30×30-marine-0
Details: Internews’ Earth Journalism Network is offering five media grants to newsrooms and media organisations in coastal countries to support in-depth reporting, journalist training, and other work that increases coverage of the 30×30 marine conservation target. One grant is reserved for each of Ghana, Mexico, and the Philippines, with two open to applicants from any eligible coastal country that has a marine border. Eligibility is limited to media organisations; civil society groups, academic institutions, and NGOs are not eligible, and applications focused on advocacy will not be considered.

14 August 2026 2027 Blue Park Awards
Submission deadline: 14 August 2026
Funding amount: Recognition awards and cash prizes
Website: https://marine-conservation.org/blueparks/nominate/
Details: Marine Conservation Institute is accepting nominations for the 2027 Blue Park Awards, recognising marine protected areas that meet science-based standards for conservation effectiveness. Blue Parks, endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade, awards cash prizes and recognition to marine protected areas that safeguard marine biological diversity and contribute to global ocean protection targets.

14 August 2026 OceanX Education Impact Challenge
Submission deadline: 14 August 2026
Funding amount: Funding support for project development, mentorship, access to immersive labs and residencies, and potential OceanXplorer participation (amounts not specified)
Website: https://oceanx.org/education/education-impact-challenge/
Details: OceanX is inviting global teams of two to five (age 18 and over) working in creative technology, design, storytelling, science communication, and education to develop immersive learning experiences that help audiences understand ocean science, exploration, and discovery. Participants choose from four challenge tracks (bioluminescence, microbial ecosystems, extreme ocean environments, and deep-sea exploration) and propose concepts that could become interactive exhibits, games, installations, virtual environments, or participatory experiences.

14 August 2026 Seabed Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization in the Pacific (US Department of State)
Submission deadline: 14 August 2026
Funding amount: USD 7,000,000 total, two awards expected; individual awards USD 2,000,000 to USD 7,000,000; cooperative agreement, no cost-sharing
Website: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/aef0ef94-6736-4037-ba00-251b5c4cc2c4
Details: The US Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs, is running an open competition for a US institution, company, or organisation to conduct ocean mapping, seabed exploration, habitat and resource characterisation, and data management in Pacific Island Countries. Eligible applicants are US-based for-profit organisations, educational institutions, and not-for-profit organisations including think tanks and civil society groups, with or without 501(c)(3) status.

15 August 2026 OceanX Science Impact Challenge 2026
Submission deadline: 15 August 2026
Funding amount: All-expenses-paid travel to OceanXplorer for the winning team; professional development and internship opportunities for finalists
Website: https://oceanx.org/science-impact-challenge/
Details: OceanX is inviting graduate students, emerging professionals, and practitioners in data visualisation, design, AI, computational science, and marine science to compete in the 2026 Science Impact Challenge. Teams of two to three will work remotely from August through December 2026 to develop innovative 3D visualisation prototypes that address real-world challenges in interpreting and communicating complex oceanographic datasets. The winning team earns an all-expenses-paid mission aboard the OceanXplorer research vessel to test their solution at sea.

21 August 2026 Resilient California Summit Scholarship
Submission deadline: 21 August 2026 for full consideration (award notifications by 31 August 2026)
Funding amount: Up to USD 2,500 towards registration, lodging, and transportation
Website: https://resilientcaliforniasummit.org/
Details: Scholarship assistance of up to USD 2,500 is available towards registration, lodging, and transportation for the inaugural Resilient California Summit, held from 20 to 22 October 2026 in Sacramento. It is open to nonprofit and community-based organisations, local government representatives, Tribal community members, academic institutions, youth, students, and other community leaders working on equity and climate justice in California. Awards are first-come, first-served, with consideration for need and eligibility.

30 August 2026 Bow Seat True Blue Fellowship
Submission deadline: 30 August 2026 (23:59 ET)
Funding amount: Up to USD 2,500
Website: https://bowseat.org/programs/true-blue-fellowship/
Details: Bow Seat’s True Blue Fellowship supports young people using creativity to drive environmental action, providing funding, peer support, and capacity-building to grow projects that protect the ocean, waterways, and climate. Eligible applicants are individuals, groups, or organisations led by people aged 16 to 24 worldwide, with new or emerging projects less than two years old. Projects must address ocean, waterway, and climate issues through a creative arts lens.

31 August 2026 OceanLove Innovation Awards 2026
Submission deadline: 31 August 2026
Funding amount: Seed funding up to USD 10,000, plus a place at a global bootcamp for selected participants
Website: https://oceandecade.org/news/oceanlove-innovation-awards-2026-open-applications-following-huge-success-in-2025/
Details: Organised by OceanLove and endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade, the awards invite ideas for new products, tools, campaigns, or initiatives that measurably contribute to ocean conservation. There are three categories: the Wavemakers Award for education, youth, and awareness movements; the Living Sea Award for innovations protecting marine life and ecosystems; and the Blue Circle Award for circular economy and pollution solutions. Winners are announced on 11 October at a ceremony in Los Angeles.

1 September 2026 Ocean Grants Foundation $10,000 Bonus Grant
Submission deadline: 1 September 2026 (see flag)
Funding amount: USD 10,000 (single award)
Website: https://www.oceangrants.org/apply-grant
Details: Ocean Grants Foundation, a US public charity established in 2018, is offering a single bonus grant of USD 10,000 to one ocean-focused organisation, selected through the foundation’s own research and advisory-board methodology rather than a scored competitive proposal. The award is open to organisations working on ocean conservation, innovation, and positive change for marine environments. The winner will be announced on 15 December 2026.

7 September 2026 2026 Brilliant Blue Challenge
Submission deadline: 7 September 2026
Funding amount: Team prizes and recognition (amounts not specified)
Website: https://brilliantlabs.typeform.com/BrilliantBlue26
Details: Brilliant Labs is inviting student teams (ages 12 to 18) to compete in the global Brilliant Blue Challenge, an annual ocean innovation competition endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade. Teams of two to five students select from three categories (marine renewable energy, marine autonomous systems, or healthy marine life) and develop innovative solutions to real-world ocean challenges. Top teams receive prizes, mentorship from industry experts, and opportunities to present to panels of judges.

7 September 2026 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest 2026 (NOAA)
Submission deadline: 7 September 2026 (Labor Day)
Funding amount: Not applicable (recognition contest, no cash prize)
Website: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/photo-contest.html
Details: NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is inviting photographers, divers, boaters, paddlers, beachgoers, students, and scientists to share images from the 18 national marine sanctuaries and other ocean and Great Lakes places. The 2026 contest runs across four categories: Life in Motion, Sanctuaries and You, The Water’s Edge, and Ripples From the Past. Entrants must be aged 13 or over, and winners will be announced in October 2026.

30 September 2026 California Ocean & Coastal Amateur Photography Contest
Submission deadline: 30 September 2026 (5:00pm)
Funding amount: Not applicable (free-entry recognition contest, no cash award)
Website: https://www.coastal.ca.gov/photo/
Details: The California Coastal Commission runs this free annual amateur photography contest celebrating California’s coast and Pacific Ocean, its coastal communities, and native ocean and coastal wildlife. Entry is open to all amateur photographers (those earning less than half their income from photography), and images must be taken in California and show native species in natural settings. Marine mammals must be photographed from 50 yards or more.

12 October 2026 Ferris Olson Family Foundation for Ocean Stewardship (FOFFOS)
Submission deadline: 12 October 2026
Funding amount: Varies by project
Website: https://foffos.org/
Details: The Ferris Olson Family Foundation for Ocean Stewardship is accepting applications for its 2026 grant cycle. Established in 2022 as a 501(c)(3) charitable giving foundation, FOFFOS awards annual grants to organisations working in ocean and coastal conservation. Applicants must hold 501(c)(3) status. Applications are reviewed and awarded by the FOFFOS board on merit.

Opens 1 November 2026 PADI Foundation Grant Program (2027 cycle)
Submission deadline: 15 January 2027 (applications open 1 November 2026)
Funding amount: Typically USD 5,000 to 12,000
Website: http://www.padifoundation.org/
Details: The PADI Foundation funds research and education projects that expand knowledge of aquatic environments, improve understanding of diving physiology and diver safety, and address challenges facing ocean and coastal ecosystems. Grants typically range from USD 5,000 to 12,000, with larger budgets considered for diving-physiology research related to diver safety. There are no nationality restrictions, and proposals may address both scuba and freediving.