Ocean Conservancy
Ocean Conservancy is a Washington, DC-based public charity, formed in 1972. It works to protect the ocean through science, people and policy, with programs addressing biodiversity, ocean plastics and climate solutions.
Ocean Conservancy at a glance
In short: Ocean Conservancy gave $1.3M across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $45K), mostly in Alaska. 55% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,305,736
- -43.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- -32.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $45,025
- -15.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $97,908,255
- +2.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 55% first-time grantees (16 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Alaska (52% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ocean Conservancy
- Review Cycle
- Applications for the Large Marine Debris Removal Project were due by 5:00 p.m. EDT on May 31, 2026. The published subaward range was $50,000 to $200,000, with most awards expected to be $75,000–$125,000.
- Deadline
- Applications for the Large Marine Debris Removal Project were due by 5:00 p.m.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1300 19Th St Nw 8Th Floor, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 429-5609
Website: https://oceanconservancy.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ocean Conservancy funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kawerak Inc ($253K). Together the top 10 received $948K.
Grant Size Distribution
179 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 138 grants of 179 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were concentrated in Alaska (52%) and New York (27%), followed by Georgia (6%), Florida (4%) and Maine (4%). Ocean Conservancy’s Large Marine Debris Removal Project covers eligible projects in coastal United States waters, the Great Lakes, territories and freely associated states, or their adjacent waterways.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ocean Conservancy open to new grantees?
55%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 29 grantees (55%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $36K; repeat grants $56K. How we count
Medians: $16K first-time, $46K repeat.
- 34% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $389K (2019) to $2.8M (2023). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kawerak Inc Nome, AK | Environmental Monitoring | $253,000 |
| Environmental Defense Fund New York, NY | Protecting Mesopelagic | $218,000 |
| University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc Athens, GA | Preventing Ocean Plastics Research | $76,103 |
| Global Resilient Cities Network New York, NY | Urban Ocean Waste Management | $68,500 |
| Inuit Circumpolar Council Alaska Anchorage, AK | Community Outreach & Education | $66,000 |
| Trusteees of Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Oil & Gas Decommissioning Research | $62,501 |
| Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska Juneau, AK | Marine Debris Removal, Outreach & Education | $57,940 |
| Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Bethel, AK | Community Outreach & Fisheries Management | $50,050 |
| Native Peoples Action Community Fund Anchorage, AK | Fisheries Management | $50,000 |
| Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation Kennebunk, ME | Ghost Gear Removal | $46,200 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $97,908,255 | $48,811,949 | $49,486,289 | $1,305,736 | 29 | $2,097,120 |
| 2024 | $95,267,498 | $49,196,694 | $51,835,370 | $2,294,149 | 43 | $1,984,291 |
| 2023 | $96,130,718 | $48,602,165 | $51,861,192 | $2,827,247 | 61 | $626,127 |
| 2022 | $95,022,230 | $49,652,396 | $40,853,139 | $1,296,783 | 25 | $1,168,097 |
| 2021 | $84,154,444 | $55,287,830 | $31,550,814 | $965,811 | 21 | $1,602,958 |
| 2020 | $52,649,926 | $33,767,304 | $32,093,986 | $874,970 | 8 | $596,849 |
| 2019 | $49,190,567 | $30,868,502 | $30,099,043 | $389,206 | 13 | $2,564,841 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Ocean Conservancy’s mission is to unite science, people and policy to protect the ocean, today and for generations to come. Its stated program areas include protecting biodiversity, preventing ocean plastics and mitigating climate change. Its work also includes government relations, communications and efforts to advance sustainable fisheries, reduce lost fishing gear, and develop ocean-based climate solutions.
The 2025 grants included support for organizations and projects connected to environmental monitoring, mesopelagic protection, plastics research, urban ocean waste management, community outreach, fisheries management, oil and gas decommissioning research, and ghost gear removal. Among the grantees, Kawerak describes its mission as promoting the social and economic welfare of members of Alaska Native villages and traditional councils. The Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation says it facilitates collaborative research and projects to promote the health and sustainability of the American lobster fishery. Aina Momona describes itself as a community organization dedicated to environmental health and sustainability through social justice and Hawaiian sovereignty.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Ocean Conservancy reported 29 grants totaling $1,305,736. Grants ranged from $5,413 to $253,000, with a median of $30,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $253,000 to Kawerak Inc. for environmental monitoring; $218,000 to Environmental Defense Fund for protecting mesopelagic waters; $76,103 to the University of Georgia Research Foundation for preventing ocean plastics research; and $68,500 to Global Resilient Cities Network for urban ocean waste management. Other sizable grants included $66,000 to Inuit Circumpolar Council Alaska for community outreach and education, $57,940 to Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska for marine debris removal, outreach and education, and $50,050 to Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission for community outreach and fisheries management.
Ocean Conservancy also has a published application opportunity for its Large Marine Debris Removal Project, supported by NOAA’s Marine Debris Program. The competition offers cost-reimbursable subawards for eligible projects removing ghost gear or other large marine debris in coastal U.S. waters and the Great Lakes, including efforts to prevent debris from accumulating again. Eligible applicants include state, local, Tribal and territory governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofits and commercial organizations with relevant expertise. Federal agencies and their employees cannot receive funds through the competition, though federal agencies may collaborate with eligible applicants. The application requires submission of the completed application; funded projects are subject to NOAA terms and conditions and environmental compliance review.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Janis Searles Jones as chief executive officer. Listed board officers include John Sargent, chair; Sanjay A. Pingle, vice chair; Denise Godreau, secretary; and W. Bowman Cutter, treasurer. Directors listed include Claire Bernard, Erin Browne, Bonnie M. Crabtree, Colin Le Duc (until March 2025) and Laura Francis.
Ocean Conservancy is led by Janis Searles Jones, Chief Executive Officer since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 13 of 28 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Janis Searles Jones
Chief Executive Officer
President & CEO → CEO, 2020
CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
$375K (2019) → $688K (2025)
John Sargent
Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bonnie M. Crabtree
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Colin Le Duc
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Claire Bernard
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erin Browne
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Troy Templeton
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Rosenthal
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Francis
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Shang
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ty Stiklorius
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Denise Shiffman
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ian McAbeer
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Dorsett
Vice President & Conservation
Vice President Conservation Policy & Programs → Vice President & Conservation, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$199K (2019) → $243K (2025)
Emily Woglom
Former Executive Vice President
Executive Vice President → Former Executive Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$236K (2019) → $298K (2025)
George Leonard
Chief Scientist
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$149K (2019) → $208K (2025)
Kenneth Donaldson
Chief Financial Officer
Vice President Finance, Administrator & CFO → CFO, 2021
CFO → Chief Financial Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$170K (2019) → $260K (2025)
Malissa Lash
Deputy Chief of Development
Senior Director & Resource Development → Vice President & Resource Development, 2022
Vice President & Resource Development → Deputy Chief of Development, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$133K (2019) → $220K (2025)
Sarah Humphries
Former CDO
Chief Development Officer → Chief of Development, 2024
Chief of Development → Former CDO, 2025
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$210K (2019) → $206K (2025)
Scott Highleyman
Senior Advisor
Vice President & Arctic Programs → Senior Advisor & Ocean Conservancy, 2024
Senior Advisor & Ocean Conservancy → Senior Advisor, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$160K (2019) → $203K (2025)
Jeffrey Watters
Vice President & External Affairs
Senior Director & Conservation Policy → Vice President & External Affairs, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$136K (2020) → $203K (2025)
Katherine Andrews
Chief Conservation Officer
Chief of Strategy → Chief Conservation Officer, 2025
On filings since 2021
45 hrs/week
$231K (2021) → $299K (2025)
Sarah Beiderman
Chief of Staff
On filings since 2024
45 hrs/week
$177K (2024) → $193K (2025)
Adrienne Thomas-Loftin
Chief People & Culture Officer
New on the 2025 filing
45 hrs/week
$205K (2025)
Jenna Dipaolo Colley
Chief Brand & Communications Officer
New on the 2025 filing
45 hrs/week
$251K (2025)
W. Bowman Cutter
Treasurer
Director → Secretary, 2020
Secretary → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Denise Godreau
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sanjay A. Pingle
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (28)
- Former: Suzanne H. Woolsey (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Adrienne Loftin (2022–2024) — Chief People & Culture Officer
- Former: Steve Gibbs (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Julia Roberson (2019–2023) — Vice President & Communications
- Former: Lawrence Wagenberg (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Jenny Flores (2020–2023) — Co-Chair
- Former: Robin Schulman (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Jeremy Milo (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Kelly Luck (2019–2022) — Senior Director, Foundation & Government Support
- Former: Michelle Frey (2019–2022) — Senior Director & Digital Outreach
- Former: Steve Strongin (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Teresa Parsons (2019–2022) — Senior Director & Conservation Support
- Former: William E Martin (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Jeanie C Nelson (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Trishna Gurung (2020–2022) — Senior Director & Communications
- Former: Anne Merwin (2021–2022) — Vice President & Conservation
- Former: Richard Sheard (2021–2022) — Senior Director & Shipping Emissions
- Former: Daniel Oros (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Edward M Miller (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Michael Orbach (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Tom Weaver (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Lawrence Amon (2019–2020) — CFO
- Former: Oswald Schmitz (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Thomas Allen (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Jean Nelson (2019) — Director
- Former: Kathleen Justice-Moore (2019) — Director
- Former: Steve Henn (2019) — Director
- Former: Susan Ruffo (2019) — Director Int'l Initiatives
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $688K, to Janis Searles Jones (Chief Executive Officer). 13 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ocean Conservancy
How much does Ocean Conservancy give each year?
Ocean Conservancy gave $1.3M across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.3M across 43 grants.
What is Ocean Conservancy's typical grant size?
Ocean Conservancy's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $45,025, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ocean Conservancy that year got $36K on average.
Where does Ocean Conservancy give grants?
Ocean Conservancy gives mostly in Alaska: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (27%) and Georgia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Anchorage, AK (6 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Miami, FL (2 grants).
Does Ocean Conservancy give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Ocean Conservancy's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Outreach & Education" (12 grants), "Marine Debris Removal, Outreach & Education" (4 grants) and "Marine Debris Removal" (3 grants).
Who are Ocean Conservancy's largest grantees?
Ocean Conservancy's largest 2025 grantees include Kawerak Inc ($253,000), Environmental Defense Fund ($218,000) and University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc ($76,103), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ocean Conservancy?
Ocean Conservancy reported $97.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $48.8M.
What does Ocean Conservancy fund?
Ocean Conservancy’s mission is to unite science, people and policy to protect the ocean, today and for generations to come. Its stated program areas include protecting biodiversity, preventing ocean plastics and mitigating climate change. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ocean Conservancy?
Ocean Conservancy has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check oceanconservancy.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Ocean Conservancy's EIN?
Ocean Conservancy's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7245152. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 20, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 31, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ocean Conservancy's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ocean Conservancy funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ocean-conservancy-morg_ddca1666ae4b4a4c8fa1b3fc6c235f72
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237245152_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ocean Conservancy funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ocean-conservancy-morg_ddca1666ae4b4a4c8fa1b3fc6c235f72},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ocean Conservancy's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Ocean Conservancy down — hundreds of funders to go?