Oceans 5

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Enriched Philanthropic Network · Found: 2026-03-10 13:21

International funders collaborative where philanthropists coordinate funding strategies to end overfishing, establish marine reserves, and combat illegal fishing through aligned grant-making.

Source: https://oceans5.org/what-we-fund

Funding Details

Funder: Oceans 5
Funding Goal: Fund results-oriented marine conservation projects globally, with a focus on combating overfishing, establishing marine protected areas (MPAs), and constraining illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing through aligned collaborative grantmaking among member philanthropists.
Funding Amount: Grants typically range from $100,000 to $1.8 million over 1–3 years, based on observed grant database records. (100.000 € – 1.800.000 €)
How to Apply: No public open call or online application portal found. Oceans 5 operates as an invitation-based and relationship-driven funders' collaborative. Applicants should contact the secretariat directly at info@oceans5.org to explore fit and initiate engagement.
Target Region: Global, with priority for Asia, Latin America, Caribbean, Africa, Pacific Island nations, and the European Union
Contact: info@oceans5.org
Last Checked: 2026-03-11 18:19

Application Checklist

Eligibility

International NGOs must provide substantial matching contributions alongside Oceans 5 funding
Priority given to national, indigenous, and local organizations in underserved regions (Asia, Latin America, Africa, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, EU)

Project Scope

Project must target fisheries management reform or marine protected area establishment at national or international policy scale
Project must be time-bound and involve multiple organizations working toward shared policy objectives

Required Documents

Demonstrate cross-sectoral collaboration with government agencies, grantees, and co-funders
No public application portal — contact info@oceans5.org directly to initiate dialogue

Constraints

Bold policy outcomes required — local-only benefits are deprioritized; preference for initiatives with national or international precedent-setting potential

Summary

Oceans 5 is an international funders' collaborative bringing together 17–19 member foundations — including Bloomberg Philanthropies, Packard Foundation, and Arcadia Fund — to coordinate grantmaking for marine conservation. Rather than running an open call, the collaborative pools philanthropic capital and strategic alignment to fund "time-bound efforts involving multiple organizations working toward common policy objectives." Grants typically range from $100,000 to $1.8 million and run for 1–3 years, with a cumulative portfolio of over 292 grants documented in their database. The program's two primary pillars are: (1) Marine Protected Areas — contributing to 30% ocean coverage by 2030, with geographic priorities in the Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and the EU; and (2) Fisheries Management — tackling IUU fishing through market-side reform (EU, US, Japan, China), technology deployment for traceability, regulation of distant-water fleets, and small-scale fishery models in developing regions. Projects are selected for measurable policy impact at national or international scale, not purely local benefit. Eligibility has a notable structural feature: national, indigenous, and local organizations in priority regions are preferred, while international NGOs must provide substantial matching contributions. Projects are expected to demonstrate bold policy outcomes, cross-sectoral collaboration, and government engagement. The collaborative does not appear to run a public application portal; engagement is relationship-driven and by direct contact with the secretariat. Oceans 5 is not focused on plastic waste, circular economy, or coastal infrastructure topics. Its geographic emphasis on underserved regions in the Global South (Asia, Africa, Latin America, Pacific Islands) means that North Sea and Baltic Sea-focused organizations are outside the primary priority areas, though the EU is mentioned as a relevant zone for MPA and fisheries policy advocacy.

Historical Context

Oceans 5 has funded over 292 grants documented in their grant database, including major multi-year grants in China, Japan, Brazil, Germany, and globally. Grant records from 2023–2024 show active grantmaking at scale. The organization supports the Joint 30x30 Funding Initiative alongside other donor-directed funds.

Why it was added

Major donor collaborative specifically focused on ocean conservation; coordinates strategic philanthropic funding

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