What Seacology does

Seacology is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991 by ethnobotanist Dr. Paul Alan Cox and Ken Murdock, headquartered in Berkeley, California. The organization operates a conservation grant-making model under which it funds island communities globally to protect vulnerable ecosystems (forests, mangroves, seagrass, coral reefs, and marine areas) in exchange for community benefits such as schools, water systems, solar power, and ecotourism infrastructure. Project development and monitoring are carried out through a global network of approximately two dozen field representatives working with 400+ island communities across 74 countries, with 482 projects completed and 1.6 million acres protected since inception.

The organization's core product portfolio centers on Conservation Projects (grant-funded initiatives), supplemented by the Seacology Fellows giving program ($2,500 minimum), the Seacology Expeditions ecotourism travel program, the annual Seacology Prize ($10,000 award recognizing island conservation leaders), and the Play for the Mangroves youth sports-and-education initiative launched in 2021. Affiliate entities exist in the UK, Germany, and Japan to support international fundraising. The technology stack is modest: a WordPress-based website (seacology.org) supporting one-time and recurring donations, an email newsletter, and standard social media presence; no proprietary software, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

Seacology's revenue model is donations-driven, with funding sourced from individual donors (one-time gifts at $25–$1,000, monthly from $10), corporate sponsors led by the Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation (172+ projects supported), and foundation grants including the 2024 Lipman Family Prize ($250,000). The organization explicitly declines government funding. Go-to-market is event- and community-led, leveraging earned media (BBC, CNN, The Guardian), the annual Seacology Prize, ecotourism expeditions, and field representative networks rather than paid acquisition. Financial figures are not publicly disclosed; awards history (2020 Nobel Peace Prize nomination, UN Momentum for Change Award, Lipman Family Prize, Green Sports Alliance Community Impact Award) indicates a credible, mid-sized environmental nonprofit with diversified donor relationships and stable operating cadence.

Name

Seacology

Legal name

Seacology

Website

https://seacology.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Seacology is a Berkeley, California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds island communities worldwide to protect forests, mangroves, and marine ecosystems in exchange for community benefits such as schools and solar power, operating across 74 countries through a global field representative network and donations-driven funding model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reef, Island & Coastal Ecotours (mangroves, lagoons, sea caves) (THAAAIAE), Marine Wildlife & Coastal Nature Tours (Whale/Dolphin Watching, Sea Kayaking) (THAAAEAD), Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Island conservation
• Marine protected areas
• Environmental grant programs
• Community-based conservation
• Biodiversity preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Seacology operates as a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded entirely by individual donors, foundations, and corporate sponsors. No government funding is received.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major foundations and corporations provide significant funding, including Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation (funding 172+ projects), and various named foundations. No government funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Seacology is a nonprofit conservation organization that provides grants to island communities for material benefits such as schools, water systems, solar power, and ecotourism infrastructure in exchange for commitments to protect forests, mangroves, seagrass, coral reefs, and marine habitats. The organization operates Conservation Projects as its core offering, with supporting programs including Play for the Mangroves (youth sports + mangrove conservation), Seacology Expeditions (eco-tourism trips), the Seacology Prize (annual award), and the Seacology Fellows Program ($2,500+ giving tier).

Product overview

Seacology operates as a nonprofit conservation organization with a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on protecting island ecosystems and cultures. The core offering consists of Conservation Projects—grant programs that provide material benefits to island communities in exchange for protecting natural resources. Supporting programs include Play for the Mangroves (youth sports combined with environmental education), Seacology Expeditions (eco-tourism travel program), and the Seacology Prize (annual recognition award). The Seacology Fellows Program provides a structured giving pathway at higher contribution levels. All programs are designed around Seacology's win-win model that gives island communities economic incentives to preserve their natural environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation Projects Grant-funded conservation initiatives supporting island communities to protect forests, mangroves, seagrass, marine ecosystems, and other habitats in exchange for community benefits like schools, water systems, and ecotourism infrastructure.
• Play for the Mangroves Youth sports program that pairs sports participation with mangrove education and conservation activities. Provides free sporting equipment and uniforms, organizes local teams and competitions, and includes hands-on environmental education through field trips to mangrove forests.
• Seacology Expeditions Eco-tourism adventure program offering trips to island destinations where participants visit Seacology projects, meet local communities, and experience island environments including coral reefs and rainforests.
• Seacology Prize Annual award of $10,000 presented to an islander for exceptional achievement in preserving island environments and cultures. Includes a trip to the United States for a public award ceremony.
• Seacology Fellows Program Annual giving program requiring minimum donation of $2,500, offering exclusive benefits including invitations to special events and early notice about expedition opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 482 projects completed across 74 countries
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Green Sports AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSeacology joined the Green Sports Alliance as a member. Play for the Mangroves program received the Community Impact Award from the Green Sports Alliance in 2025.
• California Academy of SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with California Academy of Sciences on Seacology Expeditions to Fiji, creating joint conservation travel programs. Also collaborating on conservation cruise through Central America in 2028.
• 11th Hour RacingminorGTM or Marketing Partner11th Hour Racing is mentioned as a sponsor associated with Play for the Mangroves program materials (corinna halloran listed as author on the Play for the Mangroves page).
• Breds-Treasure Beach FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWell-established conservation and community-development NGO in Jamaica working with Seacology on the Play for the Mangroves program launch in Jamaica in 2025.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Rare: Nonprofit that partners with coastal fishing communities on marine conservation and behavior-change campaigns. Comparable to Seacology's community-incentives model in coastal/island geographies.
• Rainforest Trust: Nonprofit that purchases and protects threatened habitats (with significant island tropical-forest overlap). Comparable grant-funded, donor-supported protected-area model, though not island-exclusive.

Direct peers

• Blue Marine Foundation: UK-based ocean conservation nonprofit focused on establishing marine protected areas and sustainable fisheries. Closely comparable to Seacology in marine-focused, island/coastal, project-driven nonprofit model.
• Coral Reef Alliance: Marine-focused nonprofit working on coral reef conservation with community partnerships across tropical geographies. Strongly comparable to Seacology on reef and island work; Seacology's Communications Director previously worked there.
• Reef Check Foundation: Nonprofit focused on citizen-science reef monitoring and marine conservation worldwide. Shares Seacology's marine/island focus and community-engagement approach, but emphasizes volunteer-driven monitoring over grant-funded habitat protection.
• Island Conservation: Specialist nonprofit focused exclusively on preventing extinctions on islands through invasive-species removal and habitat restoration. Closest direct peer to Seacology's island-only focus and community-partnership conservation model.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Major global conservation NGO working on biodiversity, climate, and oceans across many geographies. Overlaps with Seacology on marine/island conservation and on mobilizing philanthropic and corporate capital for protected-area outcomes.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation NGO with extensive marine and island portfolio work. Comparable to Seacology in mission and donor-supported nonprofit model, but operates at a much larger scale and broader programmatic remit.
• Fauna & Flora International: Long-established international conservation NGO with island species recovery and habitat protection programs. Comparable in operating model (donor-funded, project-based, conservation outcomes) and in working with island biodiversity hotspots.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the world's largest environmental NGOs, with active ocean and island programs and a heavy focus on habitat protection and sustainable financing. Comparable to Seacology in mission (protecting natural habitats) but vastly larger in budget and scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/live/3UN4B2Z_8Ys
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seacology
• Xx.com/seacology
• Facebookfacebook.com/Seacology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Seacology