The New York based Foundation Center has launched an online portal allowing ocean conservationists and supporters to easily track current and past funding to global marine conservation efforts at Fundingtheocean.org.

The website notes that the ocean covers 71 per cent of the earth’s surface, but since 2009 it has received less than one per cent of all philanthropic funding. The ocean is currently facing severe threats from overfishing, pollution, and climate change.

Tail of a Humpback whale at the Silver Bank, Dominican Republic. Photo credit: Eladio Fernandez.

According to Bradford K. Smith, president of Foundation Center, “This is a critical moment for the ocean. The decisions we make now will shape the ocean’s future, and the future of the lives and livelihoods of those that depend on it.”

FundingtheOcean.org aims to increase the awareness of ocean philanthropy and drive funding and conservation efforts by providing a hub of centralised data for conservationists and funders. This free site contains an interactive map giving users the ability to find funders, grants, and recipients by geographic area.

A resource center in the portal provides vital knowledge, including reports and case studies. The data means new users could analyse others successes and failures to form new ideas and approaches. The platform also features an online community providing a forum for individuals and organizations involved in ocean conservation around the world to collaborate and share information.

These resources will allow funders and doers to spend less time mining for data and more time making a difference.

For more, see Alliance magazine’s special feature on climate philanthropy.

Amanda Aguilar is a student at the University of California, Davis, and is currently an editorial intern with Alliance.