Protecting the Ocean (Bloomberg Ocean Initiative) Grant

About this grant

The Bloomberg Ocean Initiative, launched in 2014, addresses threats to ocean health including pollution, overfishing, and ecosystem degradation that impact billions of people and marine species. The initiative partners with coastal communities, nonprofits, governments, and research institutions to advance data-driven solutions that protect marine ecosystems, strengthen ocean governance, and build ocean resilience. It focuses on regions with vital coral reef systems, major fishing nations, and places where fish is a primary source of nutrition. Activities include establishing and managing marine protected areas, advancing sustainable fisheries, strengthening transparency at sea, and supporting communities dependent on healthy oceans. The initiative also works to protect the world's most resilient coral reefs and advance protection across the high seas. Since 2014, Bloomberg Philanthropies has committed more than $635 million to ocean conservation, supporting turning commitments into protection through work with governments and scientists, local conservation and fisheries management with coastal communities and nonprofits, and data-driven strategy and transparency using satellite monitoring and artificial intelligence to track commercial fishing activity and curb illegal fishing.

Key requirements

• ✓Focus on data-driven solutions for marine ecosystem protection
• ✓Partnership with coastal communities, nonprofits, governments, or research institutions
• ✓Address threats from pollution, overfishing, or other ocean pressures
• ✓Advance ocean governance and marine conservation outcomes

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for Protecting the Ocean (Bloomberg Ocean Initiative)?

Eligibility covers organisations in GLOBAL; nonprofit, charity, research-institution, local-authority, community-group, university.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Ocean and blue economy funding covers marine conservation, sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, coastal resilience and ocean technology. Support comes from public research bodies, development finance and ocean-focused foundations. Calls often favour projects that involve coastal communities and that can be monitored at sea.