Ocean Conservancy
501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1972 that runs the world's largest volunteer beach cleanup program, mobilizes nearly 19 million volunteers globally, and develops science-based tools and policy initiatives to combat ocean plastic pollution, climate impacts, and marine biodiversity loss.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ocean Conservancy does
Ocean Conservancy is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1972 and headquartered at 1300 19th Street NW, Washington, DC, that develops science-based solutions for ocean protection. The organization operates the International Coastal Cleanup, the world's largest annual volunteer beach and waterway cleanup program, which has engaged nearly 19 million volunteers and removed over 400 million pounds of plastic and debris cumulatively over its 40-plus-year history. It serves two principal constituent groups: environmentally conscious individuals who donate and volunteer, and corporate partners seeking credible ocean-conservation alignment through multi-year cause-marketing partnerships and joint policy initiatives.
The organization's technology stack centers on citizen-science data collection. The Clean Swell mobile application enables volunteers to record and submit debris data in real time during cleanups; this data flows into the coastalcleanupdata.org platform, which aggregates four decades of marine-debris records into a global dataset. The Wildlife Impact Calculator is an online tool that estimates the number of marine animals protected by individuals collecting plastic on beaches, drawing on data from over 10,000 necropsies to relate plastic ingestion to mortality. The Green Ports Interactive Funding Tracker helps U.S. ports identify and access IRA/IIJA federal funding for sustainability and decarbonization projects. These products are complemented by the Protect Where We Play initiative, which co-creates programming with sports and entertainment brands to mobilize fan constituencies around ocean protection.
Revenue is generated primarily through individual donations (one-time gifts of $75-$250 and monthly recurring gifts of $10-$50) and multi-year corporate partnerships. Named corporate partners include Hydro Flask (Team Ocean Platinum Champion), Stanley 1913 ($5 donation per item returned through a take-back program), Bank of the West (joint Action Plan for Blue-Green Shipping Investment in the Pacific), Discovery Channel (Shark Week 2025), and United Maritime Academy Services (joint alternative-shipping-fuels report). Distribution and outreach span a multi-channel digital footprint (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Threads, TikTok, Bluesky, email), event-driven volunteer engagement, and policy advocacy in Washington, DC. The organization holds Candid Platinum Transparency 2026, BBB Accredited Charity, top Charity Navigator ratings, and EarthShare partnership status.
Ocean Conservancy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ocean Conservancy
- Legal name
- Ocean Conservancy, Inc.
- Website
- https://oceanconservancy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1972 that runs the world's largest volunteer beach cleanup program, mobilizes nearly 19 million volunteers globally, and develops science-based tools and policy initiatives to combat ocean plastic pollution, climate impacts, and marine biodiversity loss.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ocean Conservancy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ocean Conservation Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)
Keywords
Where Ocean Conservancy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ocean Conservancy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: The organization relies heavily on individual donations, with suggested amounts of $10-$250 for one-time or monthly contributions.
- Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Multi-year partnerships with brands like Hydro Flask, Stanley, and others where companies support the organization through donations or cause-marketing campaigns.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | One-time donation options |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly giving program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ocean Conservancy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ocean Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes volunteers and partners worldwide to protect the ocean. It runs the annual International Coastal Cleanup, operates the Clean Swell® mobile app and coastalcleanupdata.org platform for citizen science data collection, and provides the Wildlife Impact Calculator to quantify conservation outcomes. It also delivers the Green Ports Interactive Funding Tracker and the Protect Where We Play initiative to drive science-based action on plastic pollution, marine biodiversity, and ocean climate solutions.
Product overview
Ocean Conservancy operates a portfolio of conservation products and programs centered on ocean protection. The core offerings include the International Coastal Cleanup™ (a decades-long annual cleanup initiative), the Clean Swell® mobile app for citizen science data collection, the Wildlife Impact Calculator for quantifying marine animal protection from cleanup actions, and the Green Ports Interactive Funding Tracker for port sustainability investments. These products work together to address ocean plastic pollution, climate impacts, and biodiversity loss through science-based solutions, volunteer engagement, and policy advocacy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- International Coastal Cleanup (ICC): Annual global cleanup initiative organized by Ocean Conservancy, the world's largest volunteer effort to remove trash from beaches and waterways.
- Clean Swell
- Wildlife Impact Calculator
- Protect Where We Play
- Team Ocean
Products and services
- International Coastal Cleanup (ICC)
- Clean Swell® Mobile App
- Wildlife Impact Calculator
- Green Ports Interactive Funding Tracker
- Protect Where We Play
- coastalcleanupdata.org
Quantifiable outcome
- 400 million pounds of plastic and other trash removed from waterways
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ocean Conservancy
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ocean Conservancy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Ocean Conservancy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hydro Flask (Helen of Troy Limited)coreMulti-year partnership where Hydro Flask serves as Team Ocean Platinum Champion for the Protect Where We Play initiative, co-creating programming to mobilize sports and entertainment fans to protect oceans as a natural resource.
- Stanley 1913 (PMI WW Brands)coreStanley 1913 launched a take-back program where for each item returned, PMI WW Brands donates $5 to Ocean Conservancy, supporting circular economy goals and ocean conservation.
- Bank of the WestcoreJoint release of Action Plan for Blue-Green Shipping Investment in the Pacific, identifying four investment pillars for the investment community to support clean shipping.
- United Maritime Academy ServicescoreJoint report on alternative shipping fuels and pathways for U.S. transition to zero-emission fuels, identifying green hydrogen as the only option meeting Paris Agreement targets.
- Discovery Channel (Warner Bros. Discovery)minorOcean Conservancy is a partner for Shark Week 2025, an annualDiscovery Channel programming event focused on shark conservation and marine life awareness.
- Veolia, Plastic Energy, BASFminorKey companies mentioned in market reports as active in the ocean plastic recycling industry alongside Ocean Conservancy.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ocean Conservancy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Surfrider Foundation: U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on beach cleanups, coastal water quality, and reducing ocean plastic pollution. Directly comparable to Ocean Conservancy in mission, volunteer-led cleanup programs, citizen-science data collection, and reliance on individual donations plus corporate partnerships.
- Oceana: Largest international ocean-focused advocacy nonprofit, working on fisheries, plastics, and climate via science-based policy campaigns. Comparable to Ocean Conservancy in marine conservation scope, advocacy-led model, and reliance on major institutional donors and grant-makers.
- Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: Marine wildlife conservation nonprofit focused on direct-action campaigns to protect marine ecosystems and species. Comparable mission (ocean conservation, biodiversity) and operationally similar nonprofit/advocacy structure serving environmentally conscious individual supporters.
- 5 Gyres: Nonprofit focused on ending plastic pollution through science, education, and policy advocacy, including plastic-pollution research and TrashBlitz citizen-science app. Closely comparable to Ocean Conservancy on plastics mission and use of citizen science data, but at a smaller scale.
- The Ocean Foundation: U.S.-based 501(c)(3) dedicated exclusively to ocean conservation through grantmaking, partnerships, and projects across marine protected areas, ocean acidification, and plastics. Highly comparable to Ocean Conservancy in mission, structure, and donor base.
Emerging players
- Plastic Pollution Coalition: Global nonprofit coalition working to end plastic pollution through advocacy, education, and brand engagement. Overlaps with Ocean Conservancy's plastics mission and corporate accountability work but is primarily an advocacy network rather than a volunteer-cleanup organizer.
- Marine Conservation Institute: U.S.-based nonprofit focused on marine protected areas, ocean policy, and seafloor mapping (e.g., Marine Protection Atlas). Directly comparable marine conservation niche to Ocean Conservancy's biodiversity work, though smaller and more research-oriented.
Broad incumbents
- The Nature Conservancy: One of the world's largest environmental nonprofits with significant ocean/coastal conservation programs alongside land, freshwater, and climate work. Comparable as a large 501(c)(3) conservation organization funded by major donors and corporate partners, but with a much broader portfolio than Ocean Conservancy's ocean-only focus.
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation nonprofit with substantial marine/ocean programs including fisheries, marine protected areas, and oceans policy. Comparable funding model (corporate partnerships, individual donations) and policy advocacy depth, but operates across many species/ecosystems rather than ocean-only.
- Greenpeace USA: Environmental advocacy organization with campaigns on oceans, plastics, and climate using direct-action and policy pressure. Comparable to Ocean Conservancy in science-based advocacy and donor-supported mission, though much larger and more confrontational in approach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ocean Conservancy social profiles
Digital presenceOcean Conservancy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Ocean Conservancy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ocean Conservancy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ocean Conservancy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ocean Conservancy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ocean Conservancy
What does Ocean Conservancy do?
Ocean Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes volunteers and partners worldwide to protect the ocean. It runs the annual International Coastal Cleanup, operates the Clean Swell® mobile app and coastalcleanupdata.org platform for citizen science data collection, and provides the Wildlife Impact Calculator to quantify conservation outcomes. It also delivers the Green Ports Interactive Funding Tracker and the Protect Where We Play initiative to drive science-based action on plastic pollution, marine biodiversity, and ocean climate solutions.
Is Ocean Conservancy a public or private company?
Ocean Conservancy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ocean Conservancy founded?
Ocean Conservancy was founded in 1972. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Ocean Conservancy based?
Ocean Conservancy is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ocean Conservancy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships.
Who are Ocean Conservancy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Surfrider Foundation, Oceana, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, 5 Gyres and The Ocean Foundation. Emerging players are Plastic Pollution Coalition and Marine Conservation Institute. Broad incumbents are The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Greenpeace USA.
Does Ocean Conservancy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ocean Conservancy.
What industry is Ocean Conservancy in?
Ocean Conservancy's product category is Ocean Conservation Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation, with a secondary code of BPADALAI, Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management. Its NAICS code is 813312.