Oak Foundation - Marine Food Systems and Livelihoods Sub-Programme

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Enriched Private · Found: 2026-03-10 14:33

Oak Foundation Environment Programme includes Marine Food Systems and Livelihoods sub-programme. Total grants USD 466 million in 2024. Specific ocean grants include: USD 750,000 to Oceana Inc (Andy Sharpless Ocean Innovation Fund), USD 632,911 to Rewilding Britain (marine and terrestrial conservation), USD 200,000 to High Seas Alliance, USD 425,000 to ZSL Coastal Ecosystem Recovery Programme.

Source: https://oakfnd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/The-Environment-Programmes-people-centred-approach-to-grant-making.pdf

Funding Details

Funder: Oak Foundation
Funding Goal: Support efforts that protect the food security of coastal and Indigenous communities while ensuring the health of marine ecosystems, including enhancing governance of small-scale fisheries, building resilience to climate change, empowering communities, conserving fish stocks and habitats, and increasing transparency and labour rights in fisheries
Funding Amount: Average award USD 900,000; range USD 25,000 to USD 10 million. Multi-year grants typical. (25.000 € – 10.000.000 €)
Deadline: Rolling basis (Rolling)
How to Apply: Invitation-only process. Programme officers initiate contact with organisations, or unsolicited letters of enquiry can be submitted via the Oak Foundation website. Occasional Requests for Proposals posted on their careers page. Multi-step process: idea exchange, concept note, full application, due diligence.
Target Region: Africa, Asia, Latin America (for Marine Food Systems); Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe (for Nature and People)
Contact: Submit letter of enquiry: https://oakfnd.org/submit-enquiry/
Official Page: https://oakfnd.org/programmes/environment/
Last Checked: 2026-03-15 14:11

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Must be a not-for-profit organisation
Strong alignment required with Oak Foundation's programme priorities (marine food systems, nature and people, or regenerative landscapes)
Applicants must have robust internal processes and controls, clear strategy, and capacity to thrive (due diligence required)

Project Scope

Geographic focus: Africa, Asia, Latin America (marine); Southern Africa, SE Asia, Europe (nature)
People-centred approach required — projects must centre the needs of affected communities

Required Documents

Invitation-only process in most cases; unsolicited letters of enquiry possible if alignment is strong

Constraints

Multi-year grants typical; both core and project support available

Summary

Oak Foundation's Environment Programme funds work that places people and communities at the heart of environmental conservation and sustainability. The programme operates through three sub-programmes: Marine Food Systems and Livelihoods, Nature and People, and Regenerative Landscapes. The Marine Food Systems and Livelihoods sub-programme focuses on protecting food security of coastal and Indigenous communities while maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. Priority areas include governance of small-scale fisheries, climate resilience, community empowerment, fish stock conservation, and labour rights and transparency in fisheries supply chains. Geographic focus is Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with preference for projects that have regional or global impact. The Nature and People sub-programme promotes coexistence of communities and biodiversity through a living landscapes approach, safeguarding biodiversity while supporting community livelihoods. It also addresses illegal wildlife trade. Initiatives are funded in Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe. The Regenerative Landscapes sub-programme supports regenerative agriculture and rewilding, focusing on buffer zones outside protected areas and communal lands in Southern Africa. The grant-making process is largely invitation-only, with programme officers identifying and inviting organisations. Unsolicited letters of enquiry are accepted when strong alignment exists. Grants range from USD 25,000 to USD 10 million, with an average of USD 900,000. The majority are multi-year in duration, supporting both core/general operating support and project-specific grants. Oak provides approximately 300+ grants per year on a rolling basis.

Historical Context

Oak Foundation has been making grants since 1998. The Environment Programme places people and communities at the heart of grant-making, adopting this people-centred approach in 2021. The foundation makes 300+ grants per year. Has supported Oceana since 2001.

Why it was added

Major European foundation with documented marine grants totaling over USD 2 million to ocean-specific organizations

Sources

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