David and Lucile Packard Foundation Ocean Initiative

Enriched Foundation · Found: 2026-03-11 13:05

$480M pledged over 5 years for ocean conservation including marine plastic pollution. By invitation only - no unsolicited proposals. Focus on illegal fishing, habitat degradation, and climate impacts on oceans.

Source: https://www.packard.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Ocean-Initiative-Strategy-Overview.pdf

Funding Details

Funder

David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Funding Goal

Protect and restore the ocean for people and nature by addressing illegal/unsustainable fishing, habitat loss, and climate change through civil society, seafood supply chains, and governance interventions.

Funding Amount

~$480M total pledged over 5 years across all Ocean Initiative grantees; individual grant amounts not specified

How to Apply

By invitation only. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Interested parties may email csgm@packard.org with questions or to request more information.

Target Region

East and Southeast Asia (fisheries); Chile, Indonesia, United States (habitats); California (climate); Global

Contact

csgm@packard.org

Last Checked

2026-03-11 16:31

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Invitation only — do not submit unsolicited proposals; contact csgm@packard.org to express interest
• Organization must work in one of the target geographies: East/Southeast Asia, Chile, Indonesia, United States, or globally
• Civil society organizations, grassroots groups, research institutions, and community-based organizations are eligible

Project Scope

• Work must align with at least one focus area: global fisheries, ocean habitats & communities, or ocean-based climate solutions
• Projects should center ocean-reliant communities (Indigenous peoples, coastal communities, small-scale fishers, seafood workers) in leadership roles

Constraints

• Plastic pollution or circular economy are not listed focus areas — proposals must fit fisheries, habitats, or climate themes
• North Sea and Baltic Sea are not among the target geographies for this initiative
• For habitat/MPA work, focus is specifically on Chile, Indonesia, and the United States — other regions are out of scope

Summary

The Packard Foundation's Ocean Initiative is a major 10-year program committing approximately $480 million over five years to ocean conservation globally. The initiative targets three interconnected threats to ocean health: illegal and unsustainable fishing, habitat loss, and climate change. Work is organized across three strategic focus areas — Global Fisheries, Ocean Habitats & Communities, and Ocean-Based Climate Solutions — and operates at local, national, regional, and global scales. The Global Fisheries focus targets East and Southeast Asia, funding capacity-building for ocean-reliant communities, seafood supply chain transparency, and implementation of international fisheries and labor rights agreements. The Ocean Habitats focus funds area-based marine conservation (MPAs, Indigenous territories, TURFs) specifically in Chile, Indonesia, and the United States, plus global seabird conservation. The Ocean-Based Climate Solutions focus centers on responsible floating offshore wind development in California as a model for equitable and nature-positive energy development. A defining principle is the centering of ocean-reliant communities — including Indigenous peoples, coastal communities, small-scale fishers, and seafood workers — as leaders in designing and implementing conservation solutions. The initiative funds civil society organizations, research institutions, and grassroots groups. It explicitly does not accept unsolicited proposals; all grantmaking is by invitation only. The program reflects a systems-change approach, integrating governance reform, supply chain accountability, and community empowerment. Contact for inquiries is csgm@packard.org, though funding decisions remain at the foundation's sole discretion through its invitation-only model.

Historical Context

The Ocean Initiative Strategy Overview was published May 16, 2025, outlining a 10-year strategic outlook. The $480M figure represents a multi-year commitment over approximately 5 years. No prior grant rounds or historical cycles are described in the document.

Why it was added

Major foundation with $480M ocean commitment including marine plastics

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