The Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature (OCEAN) Grants Program has opened applications for its Community Grants of up to £250,000 (USD$308,000). The organization is seeking projects “that are committed to creating lasting change in the marine environment and for coastal communities.”
OCEAN supports a wide range of projects that work to protect the marine environment and reduce poverty. Proposals from in-country organizations that work directly with coastal communities are particularly encouraged. Previous projects have included:
- Enabling the creation of plastic recovery and transit stations at Lamu Archipelago where marine plastic pollution collects from across the Indian Ocean.
- A project in Senegal that enabled coastal communities to achieve sustainable self-reliance (as defined by the community itself), while improving the natural ecosystems of their locale.
- Empowering indigenous people and local communities in Sabah, Malaysia in the Coral Triangle, to participate in marine resource management while protecting their cultural and traditional practices, and securing their customary rights to the marine area surrounding the island.
In the first stage of the application process, applicants share the concept and ideas behind their projects. The second stage will go into more depth about how the projects will work.
Applications are open to small and medium sized, local, regional and national organizations, from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), private sector organizations, businesses, and business associations.
Government agencies and inter-governmental organizations aren’t eligible to receive funding from OCEAN, but are highly encouraged to partner with local non-profit organizations to support their projects.
Applications close February 17, 2025 and projects can extend to 2029.
