New England Aquarium - Marine Conservation Action Fund (MCAF)

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

25 years of small grants supporting local ocean conservation projects worldwide, community-based marine conservation

Source: https://www.neaq.org/about-us/press-room/press-releases/marine-conservation-action-fund-celebrates-25-years-of-supporting-local-ocean-conservation-projects-around-the-world/

Funding Details

Funder: New England Aquarium - Marine Conservation Action Fund (MCAF)
Funding Goal: Support community-based marine conservation projects in low- and middle-income countries, spearheaded by local conservation leaders. Fund locally-led, evidence-based solutions to pressing ocean conservation issues including protection of at-risk marine species, sustainable fisheries, habitat restoration, and community-based stewardship.
Funding Amount: MCAF grants range from $1,000 to $12,000 USD (1.000 € – 12.000 €)
Deadline: Rolling basis (Rolling)
How to Apply: Submit a funding inquiry by email to Program Manager Emily Duwan at eduwan@neaq.org. Once received, MCAF staff will advise whether a full proposal is invited. Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis by MCAF Staff and experts from the global MCAF community, who provide feedback during the review process.
Target Region: Global (low- and middle-income countries)
Contact: Emily Duwan, Program Manager: eduwan@neaq.org
Official Page: https://www.neaq.org/conservation-and-research/marine-conservation-action-fund/
Last Checked: 2026-03-15 12:40

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Project leader must be a national of the low- or middle-income country where the work takes place
Project must be in a low- or middle-income country

Project Scope

Project must address locally-informed, evidence-based ocean conservation issues
Project must involve collaboration with local stakeholders and communities

Required Documents

Initial inquiry must include: project description paragraph, project lead bio, approximate budget and timeline
Full proposal only submitted upon invitation from MCAF staff

Constraints

Grant range: $1,000 to $12,000 USD per project

Summary

The Marine Conservation Action Fund (MCAF) is a small grants and fellowship program operated by the New England Aquarium, based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Since its founding in 1999, MCAF has supported over 250 community-based marine conservation projects in more than 60 countries across six continents, investing over $1.8 million in locally-led ocean conservation work. The programme's primary objective is to support community leaders in low- and middle-income countries who are developing locally-informed, evidence-based solutions to pressing ocean conservation challenges. Priority thematic areas include protection of endangered marine species (sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, manta rays), marine habitat restoration, sustainable fisheries management, community-based marine monitoring, and creation of marine protected areas or sanctuaries. Geographically, the program targets low- and middle-income countries globally across all continents. Project leaders must be nationals of the country where the work takes place. There is no restriction by region — projects have taken place across Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and elsewhere. Eligible applicants are individual conservation leaders and local organizations. A fellowship program (MCAF Fellows, launched 2015) provides long-term support for proven conservation leaders. An Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) program targets emerging leaders with limited career experience. Both programs provide mentoring, networking, and capacity-building in addition to financial support. Grants range from $1,000 to $12,000 USD per project. Applications are submitted via email inquiry; full proposals are invited at MCAF staff discretion after an initial review. Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis with no fixed deadline. No co-funding requirements are stated.

Historical Context

MCAF was founded in 1999 by the New England Aquarium. As of 2024, it has supported over 250 projects in more than 60 countries across six continents and invested over $1.8 million. In 2015, MCAF launched its Fellows Program for proven conservation leaders. An Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) program for emerging leaders with only a few years of experience has also been established. The UN Ocean Decade endorsed MCAF's 'The Ripple Effect — Capacity Sharing for the Ocean' collaboration.

Sources

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