Upcoming Webinar
How Funders Feel About AI, and What Keeps Them Saying Yes.
Wed, Oct 14 @ 2PM ET
Why Instrumentl
Full Cycle Grant Platform
By Customer
Featured
$1.1m More Per Year
The Instrumentl Impact Report
Explore
Learn
Connect
Find marine grants for ocean conservation, habitat restoration, marine biology research, and coastal resilience.
196
Available grants
$82.5M
Total funding
$20K
Median grant
Skip the search. Get matched with grants that fit your non-profit.
Smart recommendations based on your profile — in minutes.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) was created on July 1, 1970 to combine all state programs designed to protect and enhance the environment into a single agency.
DEC's Mission: "To conserve, improve and protect New York's natural resources and environment and to prevent, abate and control water, land and air pollution, in order to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state and their overall economic and social well-being."
DEC's goal is to achieve this mission through the simultaneous pursuit of environmental quality, public health, economic prosperity and social well-being, including environmental justice and the empowerment of individuals to participate in environmental decisions that affect their lives.
Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP)
Grant Description
The Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program is a competitive, statewide reimbursement grant program open to local governments and not-for-profit corporations to implement projects that directly improve water quality or habitat, promote flood risk reduction, restoration, and enhanced flood and climate resiliency, or protect a drinking water source. This funding is for construction/implementation projects, not projects that are exclusively for planning.
Maximum funding awards vary by project type. Program priorities and requirements are also subject to change from year to year. The typical annual funding available for the WQIP program is at least $75 million.
Grant funds are available for up to 75% of the application budget. Applicants must provide the remaining 25% in match funds. Additional information regarding eligible forms of match (eligible costs) is provided under each project type.
Eligible Project Types
Funding is available for the following project types: 1) Wastewater Treatment Improvement; 2) Nonagricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control; 3) Vacuum Trucks in Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Areas; 4) Land Acquisition for Source Water Protection; 5) Salt Storage and Road Salt Reduction; 6) Dam Safety Repair/Rehabilitation and Removal; 7) Aquatic Connectivity; 8) Marine District Habitat Restoration; 9) Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration and Enhancement; 10) Landfill Leachate Treatment
Marine District Habitat Restoration
Project Type Description
Projects that improve the ecological condition of waters within the marine district with the intent to support a spawning, nursery, wintering, migratory, nesting, breeding, or foraging environment for fish and wildlife, and other biota.
Not-for-profit organizations are required to complete the Vendor Prequalification process to be considered eligible to apply for this grant.
About Us
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is the official non-profit partner of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, supporting its system of 18 marine environments from Massachusetts to American Samoa and the Great Lakes to the Florida Keys. We protect these iconic places, care for marine wildlife and habitats, honor our nation’s maritime history and cultural traditions, and promote the enjoyment of these public waters through a combination of coalition-building, private fundraising and federal support.
In a quarter of a century, we’ve expanded and deepened people’s connections and access to our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes, and built partnerships with coastal communities and businesses alongside the over 629,000 square miles of public waters that belong to all Americans.
Request for Proposals (RFP)
Immersive Experience Room at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center (MDC)
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is excited to request proposals to work with the Mokupāpapa team and exhibition designer to create and install an audio visual immersive experience space on site at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center (MDC) in Hilo, Hawaii.
About
The National Sea Grant College Program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1966 and works to create and maintain a healthy coastal environment and economy. The Sea Grant network consists of a federal/university partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and 34 programs in every coastal and Great Lakes state, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium is a regional collaboration that includes 8 Sea Grant programs in 7 Northeast states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium collaborates on regional initiatives in research, education, extension, and communications—leveraging local expertise to create regional benefits and accomplishments.
American Lobster Initiative (ALI) Collaborative Research
The Sea Grant American Lobster Initiative is pleased to announce funding to support new collaborative research projects that closely align with emerging lobster industry and management needs. This request for proposals (RFP) adds to the substantial breadth of previous ALI-funded research by prioritizing projects that create “actionable science” (outputs and findings of the scientific process are useful to and usable by end-user communities) through the co-creation of information and/or products.
To reach this goal, the ALI seeks to support collaborative research practices, the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and resources/capacities amongst the many people who comprise the American lobster industry. Projects must be developed and led by collaborative research teams that include at least one fishing industry representative, such as a commercial fisherman or a representative from a commercial fishing business, including cooperatives, dealers and processors. This call emphasizes research conducted with and for the industry, offering an exciting opportunity to support and elevate industry-research-management partnerships to address current ecological, regulatory, and socio-economic challenges faced by the American lobster fishery.
The Sea Grant American Lobster Initiative invites proposals for collaborative research projects to be funded from December 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028. Projects can be up to two years in duration, with a recommended duration of no less than 18 months.
This opportunity is designed to support collaborative research conducted by those affiliated with the American lobster industry (including shoreside supply chain businesses), and any public or private higher education institution, municipal, state, federal, or tribal entity, research laboratory, or other community or non-profit institution. This opportunity is not open to single investigator proposals.
A total of $400,000 is available to support up to 8 two-year project awards. Project budgets cannot exceed $100,000 (including all direct and indirect costs), and must include non-federal cost share is required for this competition. See full RFP for guidance.
About Us
Who we are
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, part of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, serves the people of Utah by managing, sustaining and enhancing the state's wildlife populations and by conserving wildlife habitat. The division also oversees hunting and fishing opportunities statewide.
As public servants, DWR employees seek to balance social- and science-based management and are eager to cultivate and strengthen partnerships with any individual, organization or agency that will commit time or other resources to benefit wildlife or expand recreational opportunities.
We want to pass along our wildlife heritage to future generations, and we want it to be in better shape than when it was passed to us. We also actively work to preserve Utah's important hunting and fishing heritage in a way that benefits wildlife and Utah residents alike.
Utah is home to diverse and abundant wildlife, and the division has received national recognition for its wildlife management, world-class fisheries and variety of non-game species. DWR consistently performs wildlife transplants for turkeys, sage-grouse, bison, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, pronghorn and river otters. Ongoing work is being done to protect sensitive species, like native cutthroat trout, and to prevent federal listing under the Endangered Species Act. Popular fisheries are regularly stocked with hundreds of thousands of pounds of fish raised in division hatcheries.
The division's innovative habitat program leads North America in restoration efforts. Through Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative and with the help of over 100 partners, the state has restored and rehabilitated nearly 2.25 million acres of land statewide.
Utah Species Protection Account
Protection, research, management and conservation
Utah's Species Protection Account — formerly the Endangered Species Mitigation Fund — has a mission to protect Utah's plant and animal species of greatest conservation need, as well as species recognized as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
The primary objective of the Species Protection Account is to direct funds toward the protection, conservation and recovery of federally listed species and species of greatest conservation need as identified in the Utah Wildlife Action Plan. Working with partners, our goal is to prevent additional species from being listed under the ESA, and work toward downlisting or delisting species already listed under the ESA.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
CDFW’s MISSION is to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public.
Natural Community Conservation Planning Local Assistance Grant Program
Description
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife seeks proposals for highest priority projects associated with the implementation of an NCCP. The intention of this Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) is to solicit proposals of the highest quality that are consistent with the goals of the NCCP Program. Proposals must address the highest priority tasks associated with the implementation of an NCCP such as:
About MNRCP
The Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program (MNRCP) awards competitive grants to projects that restore, enhance, and protect high priority aquatic resources throughout Maine. MNRCP is administered by The Nature Conservancy on behalf of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Since its launch in 2008, MNRCP has awarded over $36 million to non-profit groups, municipalities, and public agencies to help restore, enhance, or preserve wetlands and other important habitats at over 180 project sites across the state.
MNRCP was created to manage the allocation of funds collected through Maine’s In Lieu Fee Compensation Program. This voluntary program provides flexibility for regulators as well as for those seeking natural resource permits to choose a fee in lieu of more traditional permittee-responsible mitigation options. These so-called In Lieu Fees are collected by the Maine DEP and then transferred to the Natural Resource Conservation Fund administered by The Nature Conservancy.
Funds are awarded through an annual competitive grants process. Proposals are solicited each year and evaluated by a Review Committee, convened by the Maine DEP, and made up of public and nonprofit entities. Final award decisions are made in November or December of each year by the Interagency Review Team (Approval Committee) comprised of state and federal agencies. The Nature Conservancy administers the process but does not decide which proposals receive funding.
Apply
MNRCP awards competitive grants each year to projects that restore, enhance, and protect high priority aquatic resources in Maine. MNRCP funding rounds are usually announced in April or May. Public agencies, non-profit conservation organizations, tribes, and municipalities are encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent for eligible projects.
Small Harbor Improvement Program
The Small Harbor Improvement Program (SHIP) promotes economic development, public access, improved commercial fishing opportunities and works to preserve, and create, infrastructure at facilities in tidewater and coastal municipalities. The SHIP program assists municipalities in improving or creating facilities, such as public wharves, piers, landings and boat ramps. There is a required 50% local share under this program. The SHIP program can provide up to $250,000 in assistance towards eligible projects.
Ongoing Program for Future Funding Assistance
This grant application is open to tidewater communities that can demonstrate a need to improve economic activity and access to a tidewater river or the ocean on publicly-accessible property. Typical types of projects funded under this program include commercial and municipal wharf improvements, hoist systems, boat ramps, gangways, stairwells to clam flats, piling replacements, etc.
The goal of this program is to promote economic development, and improve public marine infrastructure and public access. MaineDOT urges each community to contact us as soon possible with your project ideas/needs to begin the process for potential inclusion in upcoming budgets. MaineDOT will schedule site visits as needed once a letter of intent has been filed. Once a letter of intent project has been deemed eligible, the community will be able to submit an application.
Cattaraugus County Trappers Memorial Scholarship
Created by the Cattaraugus County Trappers Association, this scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school student who plans to pursue a degree in Natural Resources Conservation, Fish & Wildlife Management, Forest Management or similar area of study at a 2- or 4-year college. Financial need will be considered. Applicants must include list of outdoors sports in which they participate, a statement on importance of the role of sportsmen in conservation and management of fish and wildlife and natural resources, and information on career path in their goal statement.
Offshore Wind Science and Research RFP
Massachusetts remains committed to offshore wind as a key energy source to provide critically needed energy, spur economic development, and create good-paying jobs. MassCEC recognizes that offshore wind development occurs in a dynamic ocean environment that supports existing marine industries of economic and cultural importance, is inhabited by critically endangered wildlife, and is itself undergoing climate-induced changes. These variables, among others, present a wide range of technical, logistical, and analytical research opportunities related to the offshore wind industry, particularly now that several projects have or soon will reach commercial operation. Focused science and research activities, and the organizational capacity to conduct that science and research, are needed in the near- and long-term to inform, optimize, and catalyze industry growth.
The 2026 RFP will fund up to $2.5 million for projects aligned with priority research areas identified by MassCEC. While a broad array of research projects will be eligible to apply, this round of funding has also specified topic areas of interest within each of the following categories:
MassCEC has allocated up to $2.5 Million Dollars ($2,500,000) in funding for awards and commitments under the Solicitation. We expect that awards will range from approximately $50,000 to $500,000. An application proposing higher amounts of MassCEC funding must present a compelling case for the funding need and potential outcomes toward achieving the Objectives.
Binational Resilience Initiative Grant
The Binational Resilience Initiative (BRI) builds resilience in the Cali-Baja region by supporting binational projects that strengthen the capacity of our communities to adapt to the impacts of our changing climate. A partnership of San Diego Foundation (SDF), International Community Foundation (ICF), Resilient Cities Catalyst (RCC), and the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative (SDRCC), we are leading an innovative, community-driven process that recognizes the interdependent environmental, economic, and cultural assets in San Diego and northern Baja California and strengthens resilience by addressing climate vulnerabilities through binational collaboration and localized solutions.
The Funding Opportunity
The Binational Resilience Initiative supports projects that build resiliency in the Cali-Baja region. We will expand the network of binational partners advancing the resiliency of the region between San Diego County and northern Baja California coastal communities, as well as expand funding to generate innovative binational approaches and thriving communities. Grantmaking goals for BRI include expanding binational, scientific climate collaboration as well as advancing coastal/marine resilience from an integrated, regional approach.
Specific Criteria for BRI Coastal/Marine Grants
TryMarine Grant
The Reservoir Fish Habitat Partnership (RFHP) is seeking candidate pilot sites for evaluating two water quality treatment technologies—TryMarine and Oase Water Technology—in small urban fishing lakes (1–3 acres).
Urban fishing lakes are important community resources, providing accessible angling opportunities and supporting local outdoor recreation. Many of these lakes experience nutrient‑driven water quality impairments such as algal blooms, low dissolved oxygen, and reduced water clarity. These issues degrade fish habitat and diminish angler satisfaction.
This pilot initiative aims to identify lakes where these technologies can be tested to determine their effectiveness, feasibility, and potential for broader application across the RFHP network.
Objectives
Water Quality & Habitat Objectives
RFHP Program Objectives
Pulitzer Center
The Pulitzer Center has a bold vision: to be the venue for the world’s most innovative and consequential reporting, with journalism as the key element for mobilizing society through audience engagement strategies.
Founded in 2006 by Jon Sawyer, the Center is an essential source of support for enterprise reporting in the United States and across the globe. The thousands of journalists and educators who are part of our networks span more than 80 countries. Our work reaches tens of millions of people each year through our news-media partners and an audience-centered strategy of global and regional engagement.
Africa - Impact Seed Fund
Themes:
The Impact Seed Funding (ISF) is a micro-scale education grant that aims to support a range of education activities that can enrich the perspectives and knowledge on the socio-ecological challenges, solutions, and innovation about issues of rainforest, oceans, climate and labor crisis impact to the university/school community, specifically students and educators.
The main objective of the grant is to cultivate more curious, informed, empathetic communities on the underreported issues of Oceans and Climate change. Ultimately it aims to inspire change of perspectives, narratives, and actions amongst the communities. The Africa ISF projects will put the Pulitzer Center’s Climate & Labor, Rainforest, Transparency and Governance as well as Oceans Reporting Network (ORN) stories at the center of its engagement and activities.
The Africa ISF will provide micro-scale grants to:
Requirements
Type of Activities
Examples of successful ISF grant activities and outputs may include, but are not limited to:
Student Engagement:
Mobility/local Community Engagement:
Support for Research Activities:
World Wildlife Fund
Since our founding in 1961, WWF has been committed to protecting nature and its resources. We understand that nature is our planet’s greatest asset, intrinsically linked to human survival — and that it needs our help. Our work to reverse nature loss and conserve biodiversity has never been more urgent.
As the world’s leading conservation organization—with offices on six continents and in nearly 100 countries—our global reach includes the world’s most critical forests, river systems, wetlands, savannas, and ocean habitats. By conserving these places and supporting sustainable livelihoods within them, we can keep the Earth in balance for people, wildlife, and the planet.
Environmental and Social Impact Grant
WWF’s Russell E Train Education for Nature Program (EFN) invites proposals focused on collaborative capacity building related to (i) environmental and social impacts and risks of development projects on ecosystems and their services and (ii) enhancing inclusive conservation and sustainable development. The Environmental and Social Impact Grant aims to provide competitive financial support to teams and institutions working in Kenya, Tanzania, and Madagascar focusing on enhancing capacities to address environmental and social impact assessment capacity building needs with an emphasis on local communities and local practitioners.
The proposals should target diverse audiences involved in addressing social and environmental issues associated with the execution and management of conservation and development initiatives, particularly with a focus on WWF key goals including climate, food, forests, freshwater, oceans, and wildlife.
Marine grants provide funding to support ocean conservation, sustainable fisheries, and marine research initiatives. The following grants help nonprofits protect marine ecosystems, combat pollution, and promote sustainable practices for ocean health.
Find 58 funding opportunities for marine-focused initiatives, with $63.8M available. Instrumentl supports organizations with grant-matching tools, deadline reminders, and funder research to advance marine conservation efforts.
Nonprofits, research institutions, conservation organizations, and government agencies focused on marine conservation, oceanography, and sustainable fisheries are eligible to apply. Many grants also support climate resilience and coastal restoration efforts.
Marine grants generally have the highest concentration of deadlines in Q2, with 27.1% of grant deadlines falling in this period. If you're planning to apply, consider prioritizing your applications around this time to maximize opportunities. Conversely, the least active period for grants in this category is Q1.
Marine grants fund projects that promote ocean conservation, sustainable fishing practices, marine biodiversity protection, and climate change adaptation. Funders seek to advance marine research and protect aquatic ecosystems.
On average, grants that support marine life and related research provide funding between $1,000 and $51,250,000, with typical awards falling around $116,250 (median) and $1,519,513 (average). These insights can help nonprofits align their funding requests with what grantmakers typically offer in this space.
Organizations such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Pew Charitable Trusts, and marine-focused private foundations provide Marine grants.
State and local governments also provide funding for marine biology research, and ocean and coastal conservation. Some corporate funders like Restore America’s Estuaries also offer fundings through their National Estuary Program Watersheds Grant Program.
To improve grant success, nonprofits should:
Not sure how much to request in a grant application? Learn how to calculate the right amount with our grant request sizing guide.
Instrumentl makes it easier for marine researchers and conservation groups to find and apply for grants. It helps them discover the right funding opportunities, keep track of deadlines, and understand what funders are looking for. This way, organizations can manage their applications more efficiently and focus on protecting our oceans. Discover how the University of Illinois centralized grant information to make work more collaborative and efficient.