Reef Environmental Education Foundation

Name

Reef Environmental Education Foundation

Legal name

Reef Environmental Education Foundation

Website

https://reef.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

REEF is a 30+ year marine conservation nonprofit that runs the world's largest volunteer fish sighting database (324,894+ surveys) through a global network of recreational divers, while also operating fee-based field survey eco-trips, education programs, and a new Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Key Largo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Field Survey Trips: Eco-vacation packages combining diving with citizen science fish surveys. Trips are sold directly to consumers with pricing ranging from approximately $1,695-$6,540+ per person depending on destination and accommodation type. Additional REEF Program Fees of $300-$400 per diver apply.
2. Donations and Membership: REEF accepts donations including monthly recurring 'REEF Guardians' program, memorial and honorary donations, planned giving (Legacy Society), and gifts of stock. Membership is free but drives engagement and donations.
3. Education Programs: Student expedition programs (half-day, full-day, multi-day), discovery programs, and virtual field trips at the Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo, FL.
4. Travel Insurance Partnerships: REEF partners with DAN and DiveAssure, receiving affiliate revenue from insurance purchases and memberships by trip participants.
5. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for programs like the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby and program sponsorships. Also includes cause marketing partnerships.
6. Merchandise Sales: REEF online shop selling merchandise to supporters, with 'Shop to Support' and vehicle donation programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

REEF operates citizen-science programs in which volunteer SCUBA divers and snorkelers collect and submit marine fish sighting data, building the world's largest marine fish sighting database (324,894+ surveys) used for conservation research and management. It complements this with eco-vacation Field Survey Trips, the Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo, K-12 and educator programs, invasive species (lionfish) and grouper research, and free online learning via Fishinars.

Product overview

REEF operates as a citizen science organization with a platform-plus-programs architecture centered on ocean conservation. The core product is the Volunteer Fish Survey Project, which has generated the world's largest marine fish sighting database (324,000+ surveys). Supporting programs include the Invasive Species Program (lionfish removal), Grouper Moon Project (Nassau grouper research), and Conservation Science initiatives (Grouper Spotter app, SMILE Project). The Field Survey Trips program offers eco-vacations that combine diving with data collection. Education offerings include the Ocean Exploration Center (physical facility), student/expedition programs, Fishinars (online webinars), and educator resources. The Database and Reports system provides data access, while the REEF Surveyor Toolbox supports volunteer data collection. The Internship and Fellows Programs develop future marine conservation professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteer Fish Survey Project Cornerstone citizen-science program in which volunteer SCUBA divers and snorkelers collect and report data on marine fish populations, sea turtles, and select invertebrates; has generated the world's largest marine fish sighting database with over 324,894 surveys.
• Invasive Species Program Program focused on invasive lionfish research, removal efforts, and public awareness, including the annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby, Lionfish Trap Project, and community reporting of nonnative species sightings.
• Grouper Moon Project Research initiative focused on Nassau grouper conservation, studying spawning aggregations and early life history to inform fisheries management, including education program resources and research publications.
• REEF Field Survey Trips Eco-vacation program combining diving with citizen science data collection. Led by REEF experts, trips include daily seminars, fish surveys, and visits to destinations worldwide; participants conduct fish surveys while exploring marine environments. Per-trip prices range approximately $1,695–$6,540+ per person with REEF Program Fees of $300–$400 per diver.
• Ocean Exploration Center Visitor center and museum in Key Largo, Florida featuring exhibits on marine conservation, hands-on educational programs, and public events, with accessibility features and group visit options.
• Education Programs (Student Expeditions, Discovery Programs, Virtual Field Trips) Comprehensive K-12 educational offerings including half-day, full-day, and multi-day student expedition programs, 1–2 hour discovery programs, and virtual field trips targeting students, teachers, and the general public.
• Fishinars (Marine Life Identification Webinars) Free online marine-life identification webinar series and remote-learning program, with a full archive of past sessions and upcoming live events for fish-identification education.
• Internship and Fellows Programs Career-development programs including the Marine Conservation Internship, Marine Conservation Fellowship, and Intern Alumni Network for emerging marine conservation professionals.
• Grouper Spotter Citizen-science mobile application for reporting and monitoring grouper sightings, part of REEF's Conservation Science portfolio and used in the Grouper Moon Project.

Quantifiable outcome

• 324,894+ fish surveys conducted by citizen scientists
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DAN (Divers Alert Network)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerREEF partners with DAN to offer travel insurance programs for divers. DAN contributes a portion of proceeds from insurance purchases and new memberships using referral code 2008703. Many dive operators require travelers to have dive accident insurance provided by DAN or equivalent.
• DiveAssurecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerREEF partners with DiveAssure offering custom referral programs for travel insurance packages. DiveAssure contributes a portion of proceeds from insurance purchased through affiliate links. Both partners provide diversified coverage options for dive and travel insurance needs.
• UC San Diego ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerREEF partners with UC San Diego to offer 2.5 Post-Baccalaureate Graduate level credits for educators participating in field survey trips. This provides professional development opportunities for teachers and connects REEF with academic credentials.
• Buddy Dive Resort (Bonaire)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-standing partnership with Buddy Dive Resort as host for annual field survey trips and REEF's resident naturalists Ned and Anna DeLoach. The resort provides accommodations, diving operations, and is home to REEF's co-founders for their annual fish identification programs.
• Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrice Semmens, Ph.D., REEF Science Advisor and lead scientist on Grouper Moon Project, is an associate professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. This academic partnership provides scientific rigor and institutional credibility to REEF's research programs.
• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOAA utilizes Anna DeLoach's work and REEF's citizen science data for marine research and education. REEF conducts field survey trips to NOAA-designated marine sanctuaries including Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
• National GeographicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Geographic has utilized Anna DeLoach's exemplary underwater videography work for various media projects, elevating REEF's visibility in marine conservation media.
• Aggressor FleetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Aggressor Adventures for liveaboard field survey trips to destinations including Belize Aggressor IV, providing luxury liveaboard diving experiences combined with REEF's citizen science programs.
• NAI'A Liveaboard (Fiji)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with NAI'A luxury liveaboard for South Pacific field survey expeditions in Fiji. The world-renowned vessel provides diving operations for REEF trips exploring Fiji's Bligh Waters and surrounding regions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Reef Check: Reef Check runs a global volunteer scuba diver citizen science program monitoring reef health worldwide, founded in 1997 — the closest direct comp to REEF's Volunteer Fish Survey Project in mission, methodology, and audience.
• PADI AWARE Foundation: AWARE is the dive industry's conservation nonprofit, mobilizing PADI divers for marine debris, marine life protection, and citizen science — a direct peer channeling the same recreational diving volunteer base into conservation outcomes.
• Coral Reef Alliance: CORAL is a global reef-focused NGO combining community-based conservation, sustainable tourism, and science — directly comparable as a reef conservation nonprofit with a programmatic model similar to REEF.
• Surfrider Foundation: Surfrider is a volunteer-driven coastal/ocean nonprofit with chapter-based activism, beach cleanups, and water quality citizen science — directly comparable to REEF in grassroots volunteer mobilization for ocean protection.

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Conservancy: Ocean Conservancy is a large, established marine conservation nonprofit (founded 1972) with broader advocacy, policy, and trash cleanup programs, but overlaps with REEF in mobilizing volunteers for ocean data and protection.
• The Nature Conservancy: TNC is a global conservation powerhouse that funds and operates marine programs including reef restoration — a broad incumbent that overlaps with REEF on marine science, donor base, and Florida Keys geography.
• Conservation International: CI is a large international conservation NGO with significant marine and biodiversity science investments, comparable to REEF in using data and partnerships to drive ocean policy, though at far greater scale and scope.

Others

• National Geographic Society: National Geographic funds marine exploration and citizen science (e.g., Pristine Seas) and has utilized REEF co-founder Anna DeLoach's imagery — an enabling/funder peer that overlaps in ocean storytelling but not direct service.
• Marine Stewardship Council: MSC certifies sustainable fisheries using science-based standards — adjacent to REEF in marine data use for conservation outcomes, though operating a certification/label model rather than volunteer citizen science.

Emerging players

• EarthEcho International: EarthEcho is a youth ocean education nonprofit founded by Philippe Cousteau Jr., comparable to REEF in mobilizing young people and educators around marine conservation, though smaller and education-led rather than data-led.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/REEF_org
• Facebookfacebook.com/REEF.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reef-environmental-education-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/reef_org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Reef Environmental Education Foundation