What Sandwatch does

Sandwatch Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in Washington State, USA (Tax ID 86-2057581), operating a global volunteer network that engages children, youth, and adults in beach environment monitoring and climate change adaptation education. Originally launched by UNESCO in 1999 as an international project, the Foundation now coordinates participation across more than 35 countries spanning the Caribbean, Pacific, and Indian Ocean regions, facilitated through a network of regional coordinators (e.g., Mr. Andy Paul in the Caribbean) and institutional partnerships with UNESCO, the Government of Denmark, the University of Puerto Rico Sea Grant College Program, the Caribbean Academy of Sciences, and the University of the West Indies.

The Foundation's core product is the Beach Records online platform, a web-accessible tool where schools, youth groups, NGOs, and community groups can learn, record, share, and act on scientific observations using the MAST methodology (Monitoring, Analysing, Sharing information, Taking action), which UNESCO has recognized as a flagship example of education for sustainable development. Supporting products include the Sandwatch Manual (available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese), 17 training videos on YouTube in English and Spanish, CCESD (Climate Change Education Inside and Outside the Classroom) course materials, and the Sandwatch Turtle Toolkit developed with the Barbados Sea Turtle Project. The organization publishes The Sandwatcher magazine, a quarterly bulletin, and Most Significant Change Stories.

Commercially, Sandwatch operates a donations-and-grants revenue model and explicitly states it is not involved in public grant-making. All training materials, manuals, and the Beach Records platform are provided at no cost to participants, and the network is operated on a volunteer basis. Customers are primarily schools, youth organizations, NGOs, and community groups; there are no paid tiers, contracts, or monetization layers. Co-Directors Dr. Gillian Cambers and Paul Diamond lead the Foundation alongside regional coordinators, with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or external funding rounds.

Name

Sandwatch

Legal name

The Sandwatch Foundation

Website

https://sandwatchfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sandwatch Foundation is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that coordinates a volunteer network in 35+ countries using the UNESCO-recognized MAST methodology to monitor beaches and teach climate change adaptation in schools, NGOs, and community groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Beach monitoring
• Climate adaptation
• Citizen science
• Coastal conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Tacoma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Washington State, USA, Sandwatch relies on donations and potentially grants. The organization states it is not involved in public grant-making.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sandwatch operates a volunteer network of children, youth, and adults who collaborate to monitor beach environments and build climate resilience using the proprietary MAST methodology. The foundation provides a free online Beach Records platform and educational resources, enabling schools, youth groups, NGOs, and community organizations in over 35 countries to record, share, and act on scientific observations of coastal environments.

Product overview

Sandwatch is a volunteer network offering educational programs and digital tools for beach environment monitoring and climate change adaptation. The core product is the Beach Records online platform, which enables schools and community groups to record, share, and apply scientific observations using the MAST (Monitoring, Analysing, Sharing, Taking action) methodology recognized by UNESCO. Supporting products include the Sandwatch Manual (available in 4 languages), 17 Sandwatch Training Videos on YouTube, CCESD Climate Change Education course materials, and the Sandwatch Turtle Toolkit. The organization also publishes the Sandwatch Quarterly Bulletin and maintains a database of beach records from participating countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Beach Records: An online platform where schools, youth groups, NGOs and community groups can learn, record, share and apply their scientific observations to positive community action to enhance beach environments and adapt to climate change.
• CCESD Course Materials
• Sandwatch Turtle Toolkit

Products and services

• Beach Records Online Platform Web-based platform (available on laptops, tablets, and mobile phones) where schools, youth groups, NGOs, and community groups can learn, record, share, and apply scientific observations to community action using the UNESCO-recognized MAST methodology. Includes three standardized forms (About your beach, Monitoring, Action).
• Sandwatch Manual Comprehensive manual available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese that guides users through the Sandwatch methodology for beach monitoring and climate change adaptation education.
• Sandwatch Training Videos 17 five-minute training videos available on YouTube in English and Spanish, with each video relating to a chapter in the Sandwatch Manual. Produced with editorial input from the Sandwatch Foundation and UNESCO.
• Climate Change Education Inside and Outside the Classroom (CCESD) Course Materials Course materials designed to support local, contextualised action to mitigate and adapt to climate change, extending understanding of climate change and introducing the MAST approach within the context of climate change education.
• Sandwatch Turtle Toolkit Methodology and manual developed to inform and educate coastal communities about how changing coastlines affect biodiversity and beaches, with a focus on hawksbill sea turtles. Provides a structured approach for evaluating the vulnerability of sea turtle nesting beaches to climate change.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 35 countries implementing beach monitoring programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting and core.

• The Caribbean Academy of Sciences - Trinidad and Tobago (CAS-TT)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024CAS-TT hosted a webinar on 'Sandwatch: An Educational Tool for Sustainable Development' in collaboration with The University of the West Indies (UWI). The seminar was supported by Society of Caribbean Industrial Engineers (SCIE), Technology and Engineering Management Society (TEMS) Chapter, and Education Society Chapter of IEEE Trinidad & Tobago Section.
• The University of the West Indies (UWI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Partnered with The Caribbean Academy of Sciences and Sandwatch Foundation to host a webinar on 'Sandwatch: An Educational Tool for Sustainable Development' at the DMME - Industrial Engineering Office of the Faculty of Engineering.
• IEEE Trinidad & Tobago Section (Societies: SCIE, TEMS, EdS)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Three chapters (Society of Caribbean Industrial Engineers, Technology and Engineering Management Society, and Education Society) of the IEEE Trinidad & Tobago Section supported the webinar on Sandwatch as an educational tool.
• Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (Seychelles)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change presented certificates to Eco-Warriors participants in Seychelles, indicating government support for the Sandwatch program in the country.
• Government of DenmarkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Provided support for the preparation of 17 Sandwatch training videos between 2012 and 2013. The videos explain each chapter in the Sandwatch Manual and are available in English and Spanish.
• University of Puerto Rico - Sea Grant College Program (UPR-SGCP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012The communications team at UPR-SGCP filmed, produced and edited 17 Sandwatch training videos with editorial input from the Sandwatch Foundation and UNESCO between 2012 and 2013.
• Barbados Sea Turtle ProjectsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008The Sandwatch Turtle Toolkit was developed with facilitation from Dr. Julia Horrocks, Director of the Barbados Sea Turtle Project, during a summer 2008 internship. The toolkit addresses the relationship between coastal geomorphology and the reproductive success of endangered Caribbean sea turtles.
• UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999UNESCO launched Sandwatch in 1999 as a network of primary and secondary school students working with local communities to monitor coastal environments. UNESCO has provided ongoing support including hosting the Sandwatch online database prototype at Paris HQ, and continues to recognize Sandwatch as a flagship educational program for sustainable development and climate change education.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reef Check Foundation: Global citizen-science network that trains volunteer divers and communities to monitor reef health using standardized survey protocols. Highly comparable to Sandwatch in its volunteer-driven, school-and-community-based coastal data collection model and emphasis on education for sustainable development.
• Earthwatch Institute: International citizen-science nonprofit that engages schools, youth, and adults in hands-on field research expeditions across marine and coastal ecosystems. Comparable mission, volunteer/school audience, and educational framing around environmental stewardship.
• CoralWatch: University of Queensland spin-out that runs a global citizen-science coral health monitoring program using simple standardized charts and a volunteer data platform. Directly comparable citizen-science marine monitoring methodology and school/community adoption model.
• Project AWARE Foundation: Scuba-diver-led nonprofit mobilizing volunteers globally for marine conservation, debris monitoring, and policy advocacy. Comparable volunteer-network GTM, marine focus, and use of standardized citizen-science tools (e.g., Dive Against Debris).
• Adventure Scientists: Nonprofit that crowdsources environmental data from volunteers in backcountry and coastal settings to support research and conservation partners. Comparable citizen-science data collection model and partnership-driven approach to environmental monitoring.

Broad incumbents

• Surfrider Foundation: Large grassroots nonprofit dedicated to beach protection with chapters worldwide, focused on water quality, coastal preservation, and plastic pollution. Comparable beach-centric mission and volunteer-driven advocacy but operates at much larger scale and broader scope than Sandwatch.
• Ocean Conservancy: Major U.S. ocean policy and cleanup nonprofit running the International Coastal Cleanup. Comparable coastal/marine advocacy focus and volunteer mobilization, but with much broader portfolio and significantly larger institutional footprint.
• The Ocean Foundation: Community foundation supporting ocean conservation through grantmaking and program partnerships across marine issues. Comparable nonprofit structure and ocean focus, with broader funding-and-program portfolio than Sandwatch's education-first model.

Emerging players

• Sea Turtle Conservancy: Nonprofit dedicated to sea turtle research and conservation through community-based monitoring programs. Directly comparable to Sandwatch's Turtle Toolkit focus on sea turtle nesting beach vulnerability, with similar volunteer/school engagement model.

Others

• GLOBE Program (NASA / NOAA): International K-12 citizen-science program for environmental data collection (atmosphere, hydrology, soil, land cover) sponsored by U.S. agencies. Comparable K-12 environmental education, standardized protocols, and global school network, but with broader environmental scope and government backing rather than nonprofit/UNESCO origin.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/sandwatch.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SandwatchFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/sandwatch.programme
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-sandwatch-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Sandwatch