Sea Turtle Conservancy
Sea Turtle Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Gainesville, Florida. Founded in 1959 (originally as the Caribbean Conservation Corporation), the organization protects sea turtles through research, education, advocacy, and habitat protection efforts spanning Florida and the wider Caribbean basin.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.3M
-2.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$760K
-16.0% YoY
Grant Count
42
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$18K
-16.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization's mission is to ensure the survival of sea turtles within the Caribbean, Atlantic, and Pacific through research, education, training, advocacy, and protection of the natural habitats upon which they depend.
Primary program areas include:
Florida Programs: Networking, education, advocacy, research, and grants programs based in the United States to eliminate threats facing sea turtles and preserve nesting and feeding habitats. Activities include in-water research projects in the Big Bend region of Florida, policy monitoring and advocacy at local and state levels, and Tour de Turtles—an annual educational program using satellite-tracked migrations that combines research and education into a free, interactive online program.
Tortuguero Research and Conservation: Sea turtle research and conservation based in Tortuguero, Costa Rica, with emphasis on local populations of green and leatherback turtles. This includes tagging and educational activities, research grants, fellowships, and a research assistantship program providing training to aspiring biologists.
Grantmaking
Sea Turtle Conservancy administers multiple grant programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization funds projects primarily in Florida, Texas, and New York, with significant international work in the Caribbean basin, including Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023-2024:
- Total Assets: $9,343,098
- Total Revenue (2023): $6.52M
- Total Expenses (2023): $4.49M
- Total Revenue (2024): $4,092,162
- Total Expenses (2024): $4,443,288
- Total Liabilities (2023): $582,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,343,098 | $9,610,188 | $7,318,707 |
| Revenue | $4,092,162 | $6,515,913 | $4,862,088 |
| Expenses | $4,443,288 | $4,494,238 | $3,980,501 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $256,456 | $98,341 | $43,606 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
217 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Sea Turtle Conservancy
Florida Sea Turtle Grants Program (Sea Turtle Grants Program)
Sea Turtle Conservancy
Amount
$465,000 - $490,892
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Sea Turtle Grants: Competitive Grants
Sea Turtle Conservancy
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Sea Turtle Grants: Emergency Fund
Sea Turtle Conservancy
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Godfrey | CEO | 40 | $198,444 |
| Patricia McCloskey | CFO | 40 | $99,664 |
| Laura J Forte | President | 1 | — |
| Mark D Shantzis | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Nicholas A Shufro | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Peggy M Cavanaugh | Director | 1 | — |
| Rick Cleveland | Director | 1 | — |
| Michael Feld | Director | 1 | — |
| Landon Clay | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr David W Ehrenfeld | Director | 1 | — |
| Elise Frick | Director | 1 | — |
| Anthony D Knerr PhD | President Emeritus | 1 | — |
| Kim Ogren | Director | 1 | — |
| Jeffrey Phipps | Director | 1 | — |
| Chris Rajczi | Director | 1 | — |
| Helen Stamatacos | Director | 1 | — |
| Shirley Sanchez Esq | Director | 1 | — |
| Sing Williams | Director | 1 | — |
| Alison Frey | Director | 1 | — |
| Lindsay Brown Esq | Director | 1 | — |
| Katlyn Powers CPA | Director | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
2025: Sea Turtle Grants Program awarded $465,000 to support research, conservation, and education in Florida
Sea Turtle Grants Program Awards $465000 to Research ...2025: 21 grants awarded globally for sea turtle conservation projects (2025-26 cycle)
Sea Turtle Grants Program Awards $465000 to Research ...Ongoing: Tour de Turtles educational program continues as an annual initiative combining research and education
Sea Turtle Grants Program Awards $465000 to Research ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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