This episode of Nonprofit Report features The Ocean Foundation, a pioneering organization working globally to improve ocean health, strengthen climate resilience, and support sustainable blue economies.
Guests:
Mark J. Spalding, President
Interview by: Mark Oppenheim
Key Points:
- The Ocean Foundation promotes behavioral change across consumers, corporations, and policymakers to support marine conservation.
- Climate change is the ocean’s greatest threat, causing rising temperatures, acidification, and coral bleaching.
- The organization advises four investment funds to engage companies on improving ocean-related practices.
- A 90% success rate in shareholder engagement shows corporations are willing to adjust harmful behaviors.
- The Ocean Foundation operates like a community foundation for the ocean—channeling donor funds to impactful projects.
- Three major initiatives guide their work: Blue Resilience, Ocean Science Equity, and the Plastics Initiative.
Other Points on The Ocean Foundation:
The Ocean Foundation is shifting ocean advocacy from isolated efforts to strategic system change. Whether advising governments or corporations, the organization stresses that climate inaction has short-term and long-term economic costs. Their approach includes both policy and investment strategies to steer global behavior toward sustainability.
With initiatives like the Blue Resilience program, the foundation restores mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes—natural carbon sinks that also defend against storm surges. In Puerto Rico, they run the largest mangrove restoration project in the U.S., with 85% survival rates and strong community engagement.
The Ocean Science Equity Initiative builds local scientific capacity in developing coastal nations. By providing access to research, data, and fieldwork opportunities, it ensures that ocean science serves local communities. Meanwhile, the Plastics Initiative targets chemical transparency and industry partnerships to reduce marine plastic pollution at the source.
The Ocean Foundation is proving that restoring oceans and protecting our climate is not just urgent—it’s possible, through collaboration, innovation, and equity.