National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

What National Marine Sanctuary Foundation does

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established around 2001 as the official private-sector partner of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland with 51-100 employees, it operates a portfolio of programs organized under three mission areas — Conservation and Restoration, Science and Technology, and Education and Outreach — that steward the U.S. National Marine Sanctuary System. Core programs include Mission: Iconic Reefs (a multi-partner initiative aiming to restore nearly three million square feet of the Florida Reef Tract across seven sites), the Gear Innovation Program (testing pop-up and ropeless fishing gear, with 880 trials logged as of June 30, 2025), the Sanctuary Community Fund (over $1 million distributed to 16 community-led projects in its second round), and signature community-science efforts such as Team OCEAN, Ocean Count, and the Marineland Right Whale Project (260 volunteers contributing 8,000 hours in 2024). It also operates the Gray's Reef Ocean Discovery Center in Savannah, Georgia and runs Capitol Hill Ocean Week, a 25-year annual ocean policy conference in Washington, D.C.

The Foundation's 'technology stack' is purpose-built for a conservation nonprofit rather than a software company: a WordPress-based public website, a donor CRM at secure.marinesanctuary.org, brand-asset hosting via Brandfolder, and operational data systems such as the water-quality buoy telemetry at Mallows Bay that feeds Maryland DNR's Eyes on the Bay program at 15-minute intervals. Revenue is generated entirely through donations from individuals, corporate partnerships (notably Hilton Global Foundation for Florida Keys cleanup), and grant funding from federal and philanthropic sources — there is no commercial product pricing or customer-paid subscription model. The Foundation serves a diverse stakeholder set including coastal and indigenous communities (e.g., Gullah Geechee, Pacific Island groups), educators and students, the commercial fishing industry, tourism operators, and peer conservation organizations.

The 2026 operating posture reflects a deliberate scaling phase: a new President and CEO (Joel R. Johnson), a newly created VP of Programs role (Hans Cole), three additional trustees with energy, climate, and urban-economic-development expertise, a published 2026-2029 Strategic Plan, and the reopening of a flagship visitor center in Savannah — all coordinated around a unifying 'Waters for All' mission intended to extend reach beyond traditional conservation audiences to coastal economic stakeholders.

Name

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

Legal name

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

Website

https://marinesanctuary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving as the official private-sector partner of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, running conservation, science, and education programs across the U.S. National Marine Sanctuary System for coastal communities, educators, the fishing industry, and tourism stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Marine conservation
• Ocean education
• Habitat restoration
• Whale conservation
• Coral reef restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver Spring

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Foundation relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to support marine conservation programs, sanctuary stewardship, and educational initiatives. The website features a prominent donate button and multiple ways to give.
2. Corporate Partnerships: The Foundation offers corporate partnership opportunities for companies seeking to support marine conservation while aligning with their sustainability goals. Partnership with Hilton Global Foundation for Florida Keys cleanup is an example.
3. Grant Funding: The Foundation receives and distributes grant funding for conservation projects. The Sanctuary Community Fund provides grants to community-led projects in national marine sanctuaries. The Foundation also received grants such as $62,500 for Mallows Bay water quality monitoring.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is the official nonprofit partner of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, supporting the U.S. National Marine Sanctuary System through conservation, education, and outreach programs. It delivers named initiatives including large-scale coral reef restoration (Mission: Iconic Reefs), whale entanglement reduction via gear innovation testing, community science volunteer programs, and grant-making through the Sanctuary Community Fund.

Product overview

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation operates as a nonprofit partner to NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, offering a portfolio of conservation programs and initiatives organized around three core mission areas: Conservation and Restoration, Science and Technology, and Education and Outreach. Key programs include Mission: Iconic Reefs (large-scale coral restoration in Florida Keys), the Gear Innovation Program (testing ropeless fishing gear to prevent whale entanglements), and Capitol Hill Ocean Week (annual policy conference). The foundation supports community science through Team OCEAN and Ocean Count programs, operates the Gray's Reef Ocean Discovery Center, and administers the Sanctuary Community Fund for community grants. The organization also conducts whale conservation efforts, marine debris removal, and educational outreach at aquariums nationwide, unified by its 'Waters for All' mission to protect ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW): Annual conference bringing together ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes policy stakeholders in Washington, D.C.
• Sanctuary Community Fund
• Mission: Iconic Reefs
• Gear Innovation
• Community Science

Products and services

• Mission: Iconic Reefs

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 3 million square feet of coral reef to be restored through Mission: Iconic Reefs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Gray's Reef National Marine SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2026Partnership to celebrate the grand reopening of the Ocean Discovery Center in Savannah, Georgia, offering free educational programs and interactive exhibits about marine ecosystems.
• Savannah Downtown Business AssociationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 February 2026Partner in the grand reopening celebration of the Gray's Reef Ocean Discovery Center, supporting local business involvement and community engagement.
• Maryland Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2018Five-year partnership to monitor water quality at Mallows Bay on the Potomac River, a site being considered for national marine sanctuary designation. The Foundation provided a $62,500 grant for a monitoring buoy and equipment while the department handles deployment, maintenance, and data management.
• Smithsonian Environmental Research CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2018Donating use of a fish telemetry receiver to track movements of tagged fish for research studies at Mallows Bay.
• NOAA Office of National Marine SanctuariescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Foundation is the official nonprofit partner of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, directly supporting programs and projects at individual sanctuary sites, across the System, and in the watersheds that connect to them.
• Hilton Global FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to keep the Florida Keys clean through conservation and environmental stewardship initiatives.
• Coral Restoration FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in Mission: Iconic Reefs, collaborating on the restoration of nearly three million square feet of the Florida Reef Tract at seven key reef sites.
• Mote Marine Laboratory and AquariumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Mission: Iconic Reefs coral restoration initiative in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
• The Florida AquariumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Mission: Iconic Reefs coral restoration initiative, contributing to one of the largest coral restoration strategies ever proposed.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Mission: Iconic Reefs, contributing expertise and resources to large-scale coral reef restoration in the Florida Keys.
• Reef RenewalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Mission: Iconic Reefs, collaborating on coral restoration techniques and implementation at key reef sites.
• University of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Mission: Iconic Reefs, providing research support and scientific expertise for coral restoration efforts.
• NOAA Office of Habitat ConservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner in Mission: Iconic Reefs, providing federal oversight and funding coordination for the coral restoration initiative.
• Florida Keys National Marine SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost sanctuary for Mission: Iconic Reefs, where restoration activities take place across seven key reef sites covering nearly three million square feet.
• California Ocean Protection CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in gear innovation initiative to reduce whale entanglement, providing funding and policy support for testing innovative fishing gear.
• California Department of Fish and WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in collaborative, science-based gear innovation project to trial fishing gear that reduces entanglement risk in California trap fisheries.
• NOAA FisheriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner supporting gear innovation testing program to reduce large whale entanglements in fishing gear.
• California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStakeholder group collaborating on solutions to reduce entanglement risk in the Dungeness crab fishery through gear innovation.
• Pacific States Marine Fisheries CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in preventing whale entanglement through collaborative research and gear testing initiatives.
• Visit SavannahmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal tourism partner supporting the Gray's Reef Ocean Discovery Center and promoting coastal Georgia as a destination for ocean recreation and education.
• Savannah Area Chamber of CommercemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business organization partner recognizing the connection between healthy oceans and healthy economies, supporting coastal Georgia's environmental and economic prosperity.
• National Geographic Pristine SeasmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of Conservation Innovation Award at Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2024 for significant contributions to marine conservation through exploration and sound science.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oceana: Largest international advocacy organization focused exclusively on ocean conservation, running policy campaigns on fisheries, habitat protection, and pollution. Comparable in mission, US presence, and donor-funded advocacy model targeting marine-policy outcomes.
• Ocean Conservancy: National nonprofit focused on ocean health through policy advocacy, science, and public engagement, including the International Coastal Cleanup. Comparable as a similarly sized advocacy-and-program nonprofit targeting marine conservation outcomes in US waters.
• Coral Restoration Foundation: Specialized nonprofit operating the world's largest in-situ coral restoration program in the Florida Keys. Directly comparable as an existing NMSF partner with overlapping Florida Reef Tract restoration activities and shared donor pools.
• Marine Conservation Institute: Science-based nonprofit focused on securing strong protection for the world's most important marine areas through the Marine Protection Atlas and policy advocacy. Comparable as a marine-focused nonprofit operating in the same marine protected-area policy ecosystem as NMSF.
• The Ocean Foundation: Marine-focused grantmaking and capacity-building nonprofit that channels philanthropic capital to ocean conservation projects; comparable as a US-based marine nonprofit combining grantmaking, advocacy, and programmatic delivery alongside other ocean-focused organizations.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation nonprofit operating marine, freshwater, and terrestrial programs. Comparable as an active NMSF Mission: Iconic Reefs partner with substantially larger resources, serving as a benchmark for scaling marine habitat restoration.
• World Wildlife Fund (US): Global conservation nonprofit running major ocean programs including fisheries improvement and marine protected areas. Comparable as a substantially larger incumbent with overlapping ocean habitat, species, and policy portfolios.
• Environmental Defense Fund: Large US environmental nonprofit using science, economics, and partnerships to drive environmental outcomes across ocean, climate, energy, and ecosystems. Comparable as a larger incumbent nonprofit with a marine portfolio that overlaps with NMSF's habitat and fisheries advocacy.

Emerging players

• SeaQuest Composting / Sea Legacy: Ocean conservation nonprofit combining storytelling, expeditions, and policy advocacy. Comparable as a smaller, mission-aligned ocean nonprofit combining content marketing and conservation grants, with partial overlap in advocacy and donor-base profiles.
• Re:wild: Species-and-ecosystems-focused conservation nonprofit working on marine and terrestrial protection with corporate and foundation partnerships. Comparable as a similarly sized conservation nonprofit with donor-funded programs targeting biodiversity and habitat outcomes overlapping with NMSF's mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/marinesanctuary
• Facebookfacebook.com/marinesanctuary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-marine-sanctuary-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/marinesanctuaryfdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Marine Sanctuary Foundation