OCEAN Grant Programme UK - Marine Community Grants

Enriched International · Found: 2026-03-10 22:14

UK Blue Planet Fund OCEAN grants for marine protection and poverty reduction in developing countries

Source: https://oceangrants.org.uk/

Funding Details

Funder

UK Blue Planet Fund / OCEAN Grants Programme (administered by NIRAS)

Funding Goal

Fund locally-led projects that protect the marine environment and reduce poverty in developing countries, by supporting community-centred initiatives across the full range of marine and coastal challenges including sustainable fisheries, marine protected areas, coastal resilience, and pollution reduction. Projects must embed local communities at the centre of decision-making.

Funding Amount

Community Grants: up to GBP 250,000. Partnership Grants: GBP 500,000 to GBP 3 million. Total programme investment up to GBP 60 million (2024-2029). (500.000 € – 3.000.000 €)

Deadline

Round 2 application window is now closed. Future rounds expected; sign up to mailing list for updates. Programme runs until 2029. (periodic)

How to Apply

Applications through the Flexi-Grant online portal at ocean.flexigrant.com. Partnership Grants use a two-stage process with some applicants invited to an in-depth discussion with the Expert Committee. Community Grants available for organisations with income under GBP 1 million. Helpdesk available at helpdesk@oceangrants.org.uk.

Target Region

Developing countries globally (coastal and marine environments); focus on communities most acutely impacted by climate change

Contact

helpdesk@oceangrants.org.uk | https://oceangrants.org.uk/contact/

Last Checked

2026-05-07 05:34

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Organisation must be a CSO, NGO, private sector, or business (not government/IGO)
• Community Grants: annual income must be under GBP 1 million
• Partnership Grants: must partner with a locally-led in-country organisation

Project Scope

• Project must be based in a developing country and focus on marine/coastal environment and poverty reduction
• Local communities must be embedded at the centre of project decision-making

Required Documents

• Apply via Flexi-Grant portal at ocean.flexigrant.com
• Partnership Grants: two-stage application process, may include Expert Committee interview

Constraints

• Round 2 is closed; monitor mailing list for future rounds before March 2029

Summary

The Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature (OCEAN) Grants Programme is a competitive global grant initiative funded by the UK Government through its Blue Planet Fund (GBP 500 million portfolio). OCEAN aims to support locally-led marine and coastal projects in developing countries, addressing the dual challenges of ocean health decline and coastal poverty. The programme is administered by NIRAS and operates through two funding pathways: Community Grants (up to GBP 250,000 for small to medium local organisations with income under GBP 1 million) and Partnership Grants (GBP 500,000 to GBP 3 million for medium to large organisations partnering with locally-led entities). Thematic scope is broad but ocean- and coastal-focused: sustainable fisheries management, marine protected areas and habitat conservation, coastal resilience and climate adaptation, pollution reduction (including marine litter and plastic), biodiversity, and the social and economic wellbeing of coastal communities. The programme explicitly targets SDG14 (Life Below Water) and notes this SDG received only 0.01% of all SDG funding in 2019. Projects from across all marine thematic areas are welcomed, with a strong emphasis on community empowerment, gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI). Eligible activities include community-based conservation projects, sustainable livelihood development for coastal communities, capacity building for local organisations, marine environment monitoring and management, and scalable partnership models combining technical expertise with local implementation. Projects must embed local communities at the centre of decision-making. Geographic scope covers developing countries globally, particularly those where communities are most acutely impacted by climate change and ocean degradation. There is no fixed country list, but emphasis is on regions where coastal communities depend on the ocean for food security and livelihoods — consistent with Africa, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. Eligible applicants include CSOs, NGOs, private sector organisations, businesses, and business associations. Government agencies and intergovernmental organisations may partner but cannot receive funds directly. For Partnership Grants, applicants must demonstrate capacity to work at scale and must partner with locally-led in-country organisations. Budget structure: Community Grants up to GBP 250,000 per project; Partnership Grants GBP 500,000 to GBP 3 million. Total programme envelope is GBP 60 million running to March 2029. Round 2 is currently closed; future rounds are anticipated.

Historical Context

The OCEAN Grants Programme is part of the UK Blue Planet Fund (GBP 500 million total), jointly managed by Defra and FCDO. Round 1 opened in February 2024. Round 2 grantees were announced (GBP 14 million awarded). Programme is scheduled to run through March 2029. Administered by NIRAS.

Sources

• https://oceangrants.org.uk/
• https://oceangrants.org.uk/apply/
• https://oceangrants.org.uk/apply/partnership-grants/
• https://oceangrants.org.uk/apply/community-grants/

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