Intro music
Welcome to World Ocean Radio...
Ocean wave and wind
I’m Peter Neill, Founder of the World Ocean Observatory.
One definition of philanthropy is as follows: Philanthropy is more than giving—it’s the art and act of improving the world with purpose. It is the thoughtful use of one’s resources—money, time, influence, or expertise—to strengthen communities, support shared values, solve problems, and build a legacy. From ancient civilizations to modern digital platforms, philanthropy has shaped societies across all political, cultural, and religious traditions.
How to date has ocean science and policy been funded? In Europe, it is mostly through government grants, augmented by a few larger private international foundations and corporate sponsorships. In the United States, government grants have been key for research support, while private and corporate foundations, driven by tax incentives, have accounted more for conservation practice and support for private environmental organizations doing the work coastwise and in the ocean worldwide.
In 2025, CEA Consulting published a comprehensive report analyzing US grant patterns of growth, geographical distribution, and ocean issue areas. The amount donated by the top 20 private foundation funders grew over the decade, 2015 to 2024, by over 500%, from $633 million to $1.2 billion per annum--predominantly supporting science (25%), protected areas and habitat protection (23%), and fisheries and aquaculture (20%). Suffice it to say that is a very considerable sum and of tremendous benefit to our understanding of marine systems and strategies for ocean sustainability--very much a mission of improving the world with purpose.
All of this is part of the international movement for ocean awareness, public engagement, and response to related conditions of climate, applied knowledge, and measurable results. But I belabor the often-quoted here assessment of the international response to the ocean climate challenge by the UN Secretary General as “too little, too late.” That is a very disappointing outcome, a disturbing estimate of purpose and effect which cannot have been much improved by the dramatic cuts in the US government support of marine science and research and the inevitable reassessment by donors of the consequence of their giving.
The question must be asked: is this outcome as much a comment on what we have done as it is what we have not done? Have we funded only half the solution, too focused on data, theory, and planning and less focused on implementation, regulation, enforcement, public education and engagement. The outcry against defunding marine protected areas or the dismantling of the global ocean observing system implemented by the US in the last weeks has been minimal – a few articles, a few outraged op-eds -- lost in the noise and dismay of so much else abandoned.
Should we redefine our purpose? Should we explore alternatives, funding things we haven’t done as another path for transformation of knowledge to action? How will the foundations respond? Double-down on the past? Ask for fresh ideas and new solutions? One of the most disconcerting aspects of not-for-profit funding is the constant messages on foundation websites: no unsolicited applications accepted. That has been a statement of their confidence and certainty in what they have declared as most important work, no exceptions need apply.
Might this be not just a moment of outrage, but rather a time for opportunity: to redress and return to past work for certain, but perhaps also to open to fresh ideas, strategies, programs with similar purpose, perhaps new art and act for purposeful improvement of the world? Perhaps it is the moment for a re-dedication of resources-— yes, money, time, influence, or expertise—to consider new ways to strengthen communities, support shared values, solve problems, and build a legacy for the ocean that give so much, and expects so little in return.
We will discuss these issues, and more, in future editions of World Ocean Radio.
