Reef Check Foundation

What Reef Check Foundation does

Reef Check Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 and headquartered in Westlake Village, California, that operates the world's largest scuba-based citizen science monitoring program for tropical coral reefs and temperate kelp forests. The organization trains volunteer divers through its tiered EcoDiver certification program (EcoDiver, EcoDiver Trainer, EcoDiver Course Director) and standardized survey protocols covering fish belt transects, invertebrate transects, substrate line transects, and temperature monitoring, then aggregates the resulting data into a global database at data.reefcheck.org. Since conducting the first-ever global coral reef survey in 1997, Reef Check has accumulated over 17,000 surveys across 102 countries and territories, with 5,884 coral reef sites, 254 kelp forest monitoring sites along the West Coast of North America, and a Coastal Canary temperature logger network of 75+ California sites. The organization's offerings span core citizen-science programs (EcoDiver, Kelp Forest Monitoring, Dive into Science, Kelp Restoration, EcoExpeditions, Coastal Canary Project) and supporting products such as regional field guides, species ID cards, survey slates, transect tapes, and EcoDiver E-Kits priced $1–$149.99.

Reef Check's revenue model is dominated by contributed support — FY2024 total income of $1,647,795 was 96% contributed support ($1,581,617) and only 4% earned revenue ($66,178) — sourced from individual donations, corporate sponsors (SCE Edison, Houlihan Lokey, Dive N Surf, Google, Duckpin), major programmatic grants (SeaDoc Society ~$270,000 for 2026 projects), and multiple California state agencies including the Ocean Protection Council, State Coastal Conservancy, Coastal Commission, State Parks Outdoor Equity Program, and NOAA. Earned revenue comes from training courses ($199–$449 per participant), EcoExpedition fees (€1,460–€3,190) distributed through partners like Reef Check Italia/Coral Eye, Biosphere Expeditions, and Mora Mora Conservation/University of Marche, an annual membership program, an Adopt-a-Reef sponsorship program, and an e-commerce storefront. The organization is governed by a board led by Co-Chairs Helen Brierley and Robert McClatchy and operated by Executive Director Jan Freiwald, PhD, with 19 staff spanning program directors, regional managers across California, Oregon, Washington, and Baja California, and development/operations functions.

The customer base is hybrid: primary "customers" are recruited volunteer citizen-science scuba divers and under-resourced youth enrolled through the Dive into Science program, while downstream data and policy users include government marine resource managers, marine scientists, and ocean-enthusiast donors. Strategic positioning centers on a 25-year data moat, a global volunteer network across 40+ active chapters, and partnerships with universities (Moss Landing Marine Lab, Sonoma State), tribal nations (Tolowa Dee-ni', Coastal Chumash), and NGOs (The Nature Conservancy, Oregon Kelp Alliance, Waterman's Alliance, COBI) that anchor its restoration and equity work.

Name

Reef Check Foundation

Legal name

Reef Check Foundation

Website

https://reefcheck.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Reef Check Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that trains volunteer scuba divers as citizen scientists to monitor tropical coral reefs across 102 countries and kelp forests along the West Coast of North America, aggregating 25+ years of standardized ecological data for marine managers, researchers, and restoration partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Guided Diving & Snorkeling Excursions (boat/shore trips) (THAAAIAB), Whale Watching & Marine Mammal Tours (THAAAIAC)

Keywords

• Coral reef monitoring
• Kelp forest conservation
• Citizen science training
• Marine ecosystem restoration
• Volunteer dive certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Marina Del Rey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and charitable contributions from supporters including SCE Edison, Houlihan Lokey, Dive N Surf, Google, and Duckpin. The organization has a three-star rating from Charity Navigator.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership program offering benefits and engagement with Reef Check's conservation mission.
3. Product Sales (Sea Store): Online store selling merchandise including apparel (hats, t-shirts), accessories (buffs, stickers, towels, wristbands), field guides, species ID cards, monitoring equipment (slates, transect tapes, calipers, compasses), books, and datasheets. Prices range from $1.00 to $149.99 for products.
4. Training Course Fees: Kelp Forest Monitoring training courses ranging from $199 to $449 depending on location and format. Includes online sessions, pool training, and ocean field dives. Recertification courses also available.
5. EcoExpedition Fees: International field course expeditions with costs ranging from approximately €1,460 to €3,190, including training, accommodation, and diving activities in destinations like Indonesia, Maldives, and Madagascar. Scholarships are available.
6. Adopt-a-Reef Program: Sponsorship program allowing ocean enthusiasts to support specific survey sites for coral reefs and kelp forests through donations that fund local community scientific research and education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Reef Check Foundation trains and certifies volunteer scuba divers (EcoDivers) to conduct standardized scientific monitoring surveys of tropical coral reefs and temperate kelp forests using belt transect methodologies (fish, invertebrate, substrate) and temperature loggers. The organization operates the original global coral reef citizen science program across 102 countries and territories, the largest kelp forest monitoring program along the West Coast of North America, and complementary restoration, education, and EcoExpedition programs.

Product overview

Reef Check Foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of citizen science programs focused on monitoring and restoring tropical coral reefs and temperate kelp forests. Its core offerings include the EcoDiver Program for tropical coral reef monitoring (with regional variants for Indo-Pacific, Caribbean, and Hawaii), the Kelp Forest Monitoring Program for West Coast ecosystems, and the Dive into Science Program for youth education. Supporting these programs are educational products including field guides, species identification cards, training manuals, underwater datasheets, and survey equipment kits. The organization also conducts EcoExpeditions to international reef locations, operates a kelp restoration program across multiple California and Oregon sites, and maintains a global database of over 17,000 reef health surveys spanning more than 25 years of monitoring data.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dive into Science Program: A scuba and scientific diving certification course providing hands-on training in marine science and ocean conservation for youth and young adults from under-resourced and tribal communities.
• EcoDiver Program
• Kelp Forest Monitoring Program
• Kelp Restoration Program

Products and services

• EcoDiver Program A certification program that trains scuba diver volunteers to conduct standardized coral reef health surveys worldwide using Reef Check's scientific monitoring protocols. Includes three certification tiers: EcoDiver (basic volunteer diver), EcoDiver Trainer, and EcoDiver Course Director.
• Kelp Forest Monitoring Program A citizen science program that trains scuba divers to monitor the health of kelp forest ecosystems along the West Coast of North America, including California, Oregon, Washington, and Baja California. Tracks climate change impacts, surveys fish and invertebrate populations, and monitors marine protected areas.
• Kelp Forest Monitoring Training Course A training course teaching volunteers the skills to complete Reef Check Kelp Forest Monitoring survey protocols, including safe diving practices, research diving techniques, sampling design, species identification, and marine ecology. Upon completion, participants receive a Reef Check Kelp Forest Monitoring Specialty Certification (NAUI).
• EcoDiver E-Kit & Certification Card A certification package available for different tropical regions (Indo-Pacific, Caribbean, Hawaii) that includes training materials, survey protocols, species identification guides, and an official certification card upon completion of the EcoDiver course.
• Dive into Science Program A progressive 30-month, three-phase program that provides hands-on training in Open Water, Advanced, and Rescue scuba certification, AAUS scientific diving, and Reef Check citizen science subtidal reef health monitoring protocols for youth and young adults from under-resourced and tribal communities.
• EcoExpeditions International field courses and expeditions to coral reef destinations (Indonesia, Maldives, Madagascar) that provide training in coral reef monitoring methods and award participants with international tropical EcoDiver certification upon completion.
• Coastal Canary Project A climate change monitoring initiative that deploys temperature loggers at over 75 kelp forest survey sites along California's coastline to detect temperature fluctuations and track climate change impacts on marine ecosystems.
• Kelp Restoration Program A restoration initiative testing methods to reduce purple sea urchin populations and promote bull kelp recovery at multiple sites in California and Oregon, including Big Sur, Mendocino County, Tankers Reef, and Caspar Reef. Works with commercial urchin divers and community volunteers.
• Adopt-a-Reef Program A sponsorship program allowing ocean enthusiasts to support specific coral reef or kelp forest monitoring sites, providing funding for scientific research, education, and community engagement at the adopted location.
• Reef Check Training Scholarships Scholarships covering registration fees for Kelp Forest Monitoring Training Courses and providing stipends for additional expenses to qualified applicants experiencing financial barriers to participation.
• Reef Check Global Database A comprehensive online database containing over 17,000 coral reef and kelp forest health surveys collected by EcoDivers and citizen scientists worldwide since 1997. Data is available for public access and is used by marine resource managers and policymakers.
• Field Guides Regional underwater field guides for identifying coral reef species, available for Indo-Pacific, Hawaii, Caribbean/Atlantic, and Pacific regions. These guides accompany the EcoDiver certification program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17,000+ surveys completed across 102 countries and territories since 1997
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• COBI (Comunidad y Biodiversidad, A.C.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration with COBI to train fishing cooperatives in Baja California for kelp forest monitoring. In March 2026, two more fishing cooperatives were trained, expanding community-based monitoring capacity.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing restoration at Albion Cove is being conducted in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, Moss Landing Marine Lab, Sonoma State University and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
• Moss Landing Marine LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Albion Cove restoration collaboration, contributing research expertise and scientific diving capabilities.
• California Department of Fish and WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for kelp restoration projects including Tankers Reef and Caspar Cove, providing Scientific Collecting Permits and regulatory oversight. Collaboration on urchin culling programs.
• Oregon Kelp Alliance (ORKA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReef Check Oregon works collaboratively with ORKA to monitor and assess effectiveness of restoration efforts across five sites along the Oregon coastline.
• Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Tankers Reef kelp restoration monitoring effort, providing sanctuary oversight and scientific collaboration.
• Giant Giant Kelp Restoration (G2KR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Tankers Reef restoration monitoring, contributing to collaborative restoration science efforts.
• Waterman's AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading recreational culling efforts at Caspar Cove in Mendocino County since 2020. Reef Check staff and volunteers conduct additional monitoring to track effectiveness.
• California Fish and Game CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdopted amendment in December 2020 allowing divers with California sport fishing license to take unlimited purple and red sea urchins at Tankers Reef and Caspar Cove for kelp restoration.
• Reef Check Italia / Coral EyecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organizing international field courses on coral reef monitoring at Bangka Island, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Provides training facilities, instructors, and expedition logistics.
• Biosphere ExpeditionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOrganizing Maldives EcoExpeditions combining reef monitoring with whale shark research. Markets and manages expedition logistics for volunteer participants.
• Mora Mora Conservation / University of MarchecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizing Madagascar EcoExpeditions with 14-day field courses at Sakatia Island. University of Marche academic partnership providing scientific leadership.
• Outward Bound AdventurescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Dive into Science pilot program in 2019. Non-profit dedicated to engaging urban communities of color in nature-based activities for over 60 years.
• Native Like WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntertribal group partner for collaborative Dive into Science programs, providing culturally relevant programming for tribal youth.
• Coastal Chumash CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Dive into Science program building Chumash capacity for kelp forest monitoring and proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary stewardship. Sanctuary will protect 5,500+ square miles of ocean.
• Tolowa Dee-ni' NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected Reef Check to train Natural Resources staff and community members for kelp monitoring and restoration under California Ocean Protection Council Sea Grant.
• Sonoma State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Albion Cove restoration collaboration, contributing research expertise.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors): Global dive certification body that issues certifications similar to Reef Check's EcoDiver program. Acts as an ecosystem enabler and industry partner rather than a direct competitor, sharing the certified-diver-pool beneficiary base.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Office of National Marine Sanctuaries: Federal agency operating marine sanctuaries and funding reef/kelp monitoring. Plays an adjacent role as both a key funder and data consumer for Reef Check's ecosystem rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Project AWARE Foundation: Dive-industry supported nonprofit engaging scuba divers in marine conservation, debris removal, and policy advocacy. Comparable dive-community-driven GTM and training/certification engagement model.
• Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL): International nonprofit focused on coral reef conservation through community engagement, scientific research, and partnerships with local stakeholders. Highly comparable to Reef Check's tropical monitoring mission and citizen science engagement model.
• Ocean Conservancy / Reef-World Foundation: International nonprofit promoting coral reef conservation through the Green Fins dive operator program. Comparable in global dive-sector engagement and tropical reef conservation focus.
• Marine Conservation Institute: Nonprofit focused on marine protected areas, ocean science, and conservation policy. Shares Reef Check's MPA monitoring focus and use of scientific data to inform marine management decisions.
• Blue Marine Foundation: UK-based ocean conservation nonprofit focused on marine protected areas and sustainable fishing. Comparable mission-driven approach to reef/kelp protection with donor-funded restoration initiatives.

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Conservancy: Large, established US marine conservation nonprofit with broad ocean advocacy, science, and policy programs. Comparable to Reef Check in mission and donor-funded nonprofit model but operates at much larger scale and advocacy scope.
• Surfrider Foundation: Coastal and ocean conservation nonprofit with strong volunteer chapter network along the US coast. Comparable community-led conservation model with overlapping US West Coast geographic focus and grassroots volunteer engagement.

Emerging players

• Reef Restoration Foundation: Specialized nonprofit focused on active coral reef restoration and outplanting. Comparable to Reef Check's restoration efforts but concentrates on active intervention rather than citizen science monitoring.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/reefcheck
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/reefcheckfoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/reefcheckfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/reefcheckfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Reef Check Foundation