What Billion Oyster Project does

Billion Oyster Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 and headquartered on Governors Island in New York City, operating under The New York Harbor Foundation. Its mission is to restore one billion live oysters to New York Harbor by 2035; as of the most recent reporting the organization has installed approximately 150 million oysters across roughly 19 acres of reef and recycled over 3 million pounds of oyster shells. Restoration is delivered through a vertically integrated supply chain: oyster, clam, and scallop shells are collected from 100+ partner restaurants by The Lobster Place, cured for one year on Governors Island, and used as substrate for juvenile oysters (spat) grown in nurseries before deployment on reef-ball structures across NYC field stations including Brooklyn Bridge Park, Williamsburg (Domino Park), Canarsie, Soundview Park, and Tottenville (Living Breakwaters with SCAPE Studio). The organization couples restoration with K-12 STEM education delivered through 100+ NYC schools, an Oyster Research Station (ORS) network of fixed underwater monitoring labs, Oyster Research Tank (ORT) classroom kits, an 80+-lesson curriculum, and a co-located public high school — the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School — that originated the project.

The nonprofit generates funding from individual donations, an annual membership program with perks at partner restaurants, corporate volunteer day packages priced at $7,500–$10,000 for the 2026 season, event sponsorships for the Billion Oyster Party ranging $2,500–$50,000, branded merchandise through Threadless, and a diversified base of institutional grants from the National Science Foundation, 11th Hour Racing (three consecutive years), The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, the Hudson River Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Long Island Sound Future Fund, Con Edison, Two Trees, the NYC Council, and a $500,000 federal congressional appropriation secured via Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for a one-acre reef in Flushing Bay, Queens. Engagement is community-led through ~15,000 volunteers, an Ambassador Program, Oyster Social dining events, the Annual Student Symposium on Governors Island, and City of Water Day activations across all five boroughs.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed and no venture or private equity investment is reported; the operating model is grant-, donation-, and event-dependent. Geographic operations are explicitly restricted to New York Harbor, and the combination of permitting complexity, supply-chain integration, partner-school depth, and the Harbor School relationship forms the primary structural barriers to replication.

Name

Billion Oyster Project

Legal name

Billion Oyster Project, Inc.

Website

https://billionoysterproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Billion Oyster Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered on Governors Island that restores oyster reefs to New York Harbor through shell recycling, K-12 STEM education, and volunteer engagement, targeting one billion oysters by 2035.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Ecological Restoration Services

NAICS

Aquaculture (1125)

akta.pro primary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pollution Control & Environmental Remediation (Booming, Skimming, Shoreline Cleanup) (TLAHAIAH)

Keywords

• Oyster reef restoration
• Marine conservation education
• Shell recycling program
• Harbor ecosystem restoration
• Coastal restoration nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Individual Contributions: Individual donors contribute funds to support restoration and education initiatives. Gifts of $500 or more include the opportunity to dedicate 2,000 oysters in the donor's name or in honor of a loved one. The organization is a 501(c)(3) with Tax ID 27-2918478.
2. Annual Membership Program: Annual membership offering perks including oyster vouchers at partner restaurants, 15% merchandise discount, early access to Billion Oyster Party tickets, private tours, and invitations to members-only programming.
3. Corporate Volunteer Day Fees: Corporate teams pay engagement fees for dedicated volunteer days on Governors Island. 'The Half Shell' package at $7,500 serves teams up to 15 people; 'The Big Oyster' package at $10,000 serves teams up to 30 people, including ferry tickets, tours, catered lunch, and hands-on restoration supervised by BOP crew.
4. Event Sponsorships and Program Support: Corporate sponsorships for the annual Billion Oyster Party (ranging $2,500–$50,000), event activations, and program support funding for education and restoration efforts. Additional revenue from Lunch & Learn sessions at corporate offices.
5. Merchandise Sales: Online merch store offering apparel and accessories including sweatshirts and baby onesies through the Threadless platform. Proceeds support restoration work.
6. Corporate Partnerships: Champagne Telmont became Official Champagne of Billion Oyster Project, integrating the organization into local fundraising and programming efforts as part of Telmont's sustainability mission 'In the Name of Mother Nature.'

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Billion Oyster Project restores oyster reefs to New York Harbor using recycled shells collected from NYC restaurants as substrate for juvenile oyster settlement. The organization runs a vertically integrated program that combines large-scale reef installation with hands-on public education, including K-12 STEM curriculum, underwater Oyster Research Stations (ORS), indoor Oyster Research Tanks (ORT), and volunteer/ambassador field programs. Revenue is generated through individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, annual memberships, and paid corporate volunteer experiences.

Product overview

Billion Oyster Project is a nonprofit organization operating a single integrated program focused on restoring oyster reefs to New York Harbor through public education initiatives. The core offering consists of oyster reef restoration combined with hands-on education programs including Oyster Research Stations (ORS) and Oyster Research Tank (ORT) for monitoring and learning, supported by the Shell Recycling Program that partners with 100+ NYC restaurants. Their education portfolio includes K-12 STEM curriculum, the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School partnership, and the Annual Student Symposium. Engagement programs include the Ambassador Program, public and corporate volunteering, and Oyster Social events. The flagship annual fundraiser is the Billion Oyster Party. A Membership Program provides restaurant perks and merchandise discounts. These components work together to achieve the organization's goal of restoring 1 billion oysters to New York Harbor by 2035.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oyster Reef Restoration Core restoration initiative deploying recycled shell substrate and concrete reef structures (reef balls) across New York Harbor to rebuild oyster reef habitat that historically covered 220,000 acres of the estuary. Target goal of restoring 1 billion oysters by 2035.
• Shell Recycling Program Partnership program with over 100 NYC restaurants in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens to divert oyster shells from landfills. Shells are collected by The Lobster Place, cured for one year at Governors Island, and used as substrate for juvenile oyster settlement.
• Oyster Research Stations (ORS)

Quantifiable outcome

• 150 million live oysters restored to New York Harbor
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Champagne TelmontcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 May 2026Champagne Telmont became the Official Champagne of Billion Oyster Project as part of its sustainability mission 'In the Name of Mother Nature.' The partnership integrates BOP into Telmont's local fundraising and programming efforts in New York. Telmont also partnered with BOP to sponsor Oyster Social dining events, serving Champagne Telmont at ABC Kitchens DUMBO events and other venues.
• The Pew Charitable TrustscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Billion Oyster Project partnered with The Pew Charitable Trusts to expand restoration of native oysters in New York waters. The partnership combines BOP's experience in restoring oysters in challenging environments with Pew's capacity to convene experts and develop comprehensive solutions, boosting state-wide restoration efforts.
• The Lobster PlacecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Lobster Place serves as BOP's shell collection operator, emptying restaurant shell buckets Monday through Friday on a schedule that fits restaurant needs. Collected shells are transported to curing sites on Governors Island for processing before use in reef restoration.
• Urban Assembly New York Harbor SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Urban Assembly New York Harbor School is a public high school on Governors Island focused on maritime career preparation. BOP grew out of this school and continues to operate from the same campus. Students participate in BOP restoration activities and the school offers seven CTE programs of study including maritime-related fields.
• Waterfront Alliance and NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBillion Oyster Project is a regular partner in the annual City of Water Day, a region-wide celebration of waterways and urban climate resiliency organized by Waterfront Alliance and the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program. BOP hosts multiple activations across all five boroughs during this event.
• NYC 100+ Restaurant Partners (Shell Collection Program)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 100 restaurants in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens divert oyster shells from landfills through BOP's shell collection program. Restaurants set aside shells in BOP-provided collection buckets. Major partners include Grand Banks, Island Oyster, The Mermaid, The Smith, Cull and Pistol, and many others.
• Canarsie Community Development Inc (CCDI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCDI is a community organization in Canarsie, Brooklyn, focused on emergency preparedness and community resilience. BOP partnered with CCDI for outreach around the Canarsie Oyster Reef installation at Paerdegat Basin and conducted a t-shirt fundraising campaign donating net proceeds to CCDI's emergency action planning work.
• Double Discovery Center (Columbia University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOP partnered with the Double Discovery Center through Columbia University to deliver its first summer education program, taking twelve students to waterfront locations across the five boroughs to experience various aspects of the restoration process.
• Living Breakwaters / SCAPE StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOP partners with SCAPE Studio on the Living Breakwaters coastal resiliency project in Tottenville, Staten Island, installing oysters on and around the green infrastructure designed by SCAPE through the HUD-sponsored Rebuild By Design competition.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Regional players

• Save the Sound: Long Island Sound-focused environmental nonprofit running habitat restoration, water quality advocacy, and volunteer programs; comparable restoration model in an adjacent regional estuary.
• NYC Audubon: NYC urban wildlife nonprofit running harbor-based habitat restoration, education, and volunteer engagement — overlapping target geography and audience with BOP.
• Hudson River Foundation: Funded and partnered with BOP on the largest regional oyster reef project to date; comparable estuary science and restoration work focused on the Hudson.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation organization with major marine and coastal programs including oyster reef work; broader portfolio but overlapping restoration and science capabilities.

Direct peers

• Tampa Bay Watch: Florida nonprofit restoring oyster reefs and coastal habitats through volunteer-based programs and school education, closely paralleling BOP's model.
• Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana: Louisiana-based nonprofit restoring coastal habitat including oyster reefs through volunteer and education programming; directly comparable coastal-restoration-plus-public-engagement model.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: The largest independent restoration organization dedicated to Chesapeake Bay, running oyster reef restoration, K-12 environmental education, and advocacy — the same vertically integrated model BOP uses at smaller scale.
• Oyster Recovery Partnership: Maryland-based nonprofit running large-scale shell recycling and oyster reef restoration with restaurant partnerships, directly paralleling BOP's shell collection and reef installation model.
• Restore America's Estuaries: National alliance of coastal restoration organizations; comparable in mission (estuarine habitat restoration including oyster reefs) and federal advocacy positioning.
• Galveston Bay Foundation: Texas-based nonprofit operating oyster reef restoration, school education programs, and volunteer field days — the same urban-estuary restoration + public engagement model BOP runs in NYC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/billionoyster
• Facebookfacebook.com/billionoysterproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-york-harbor-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/billionoyster

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Billion Oyster Project