Ocean Conservancy

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.

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

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

• Ocean conservation
• Marine debris cleanup
• Plastic pollution prevention
• Citizen science data
• Marine wildlife protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization relies heavily on individual donations, with suggested amounts of $10-$250 for one-time or monthly contributions.
2. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hydro Flask (Helen of Troy Limited)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 January 2026Multi-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)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 September 2025Stanley 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 WestcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2025Joint 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 ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2025Joint 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)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 July 2025Ocean Conservancy is a partner for Shark Week 2025, an annualDiscovery Channel programming event focused on shark conservation and marine life awareness.
• Veolia, Plastic Energy, BASFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/ourocean
• Facebookfacebook.com/oceanconservancy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocean-conservancy
• Instagraminstagram.com/oceanconservancy
• TikToktiktok.com/@oceanconservancy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ocean Conservancy