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The Ocean Foundation is the first community foundation for the oceans. Here all the philanthropic tools of a community foundation are focused on ocean conservation. Our mission is to support, strengthen, and promote those organizations dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world. The Ocean Foundation is a private international grantmaking portal focused exclusively on ocean conservation. If properly pursued, “engaged, active philanthropy” improves grantee effectiveness. We do not just give away money. We serve as a resource: Giving direction, focus, and research, while promoting strategic thinking and collaboration where appropriate.  Conservation Strategy Fund has nearly 10 years of experience training more than 700 conservation professionals and environmental economists from 60 countries and 5 continents. CSF conducted the first Marine Management Training Workshop to establish a core of research capacity in the Gulf of California in 2005. In cooperation with its alumni, CSF has launched on-going coral reef valuation studies in Belize, Panama, and Brazil and has other alumni working independently on coral reef conservation in the Caribbean, Mexico, and the South Pacific.
From mapping and monitoring to managing reef resources and removing harmful debris, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) supports effective management and sound science to preserve, sustain and restore valuable coral reef ecosystems to help fulfill NOAA’s requirements under a number of mandates, including the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. The CRCP brings together expertise from NOAA's Line Offices for a multidisciplinary approach to managing and understanding coral reef ecosystems. The CRCP facilitates and supports partnerships with scientific, private, government and nongovernmental groups at local, state, federal and international levels. The CRCP also serves as the Secretariat for the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, which helps build and lead U.S. efforts to protect, restore and sustainably use the nation’s valuable coral reef ecosystems. 
Coordinated through NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, the Global Socioeconomic Monitoring Initiative (SocMon) facilitates community-based socioeconomic monitoring of coral reef areas in six regions worldwide. SocMon provides tools, training, and technical assistance to coastal communities wishing to undertake socioeconomic assessments. See www.reefbase.org/socmon to download the GCRMN Socioeconomic Manual for Coral Reef Management as well as regional guidelines for the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Western Indian Ocean. Regional SocMon programs are under development in the Pacific, Red Sea, and South Asia regions. The World Resources Institute (WRI) seeks to improve the management of coral reef ecosystems in the wider Caribbean by catalyzing the development and use of reliable information on the value of ecosystem goods and services derived from coral reefs. Beginning in two pilot countries in the Eastern Caribbean, WRI has been developing an economic valuation method that can be applied across the region. The methodology focuses on producing detailed estimates of the value of coral reef related fisheries, tourism, and shoreline protection. The project is currently underway in Belize, and is beginning work in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic this year. WRI is also developing estimates of value for both healthy and degraded coral reefs, and is working closely with governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) within each of the countries to ensure that the study results support improved coastal policy and management planning. Please read more of this Project Overview in the Guidance Documents folder in the Coral CoP Documents Library.
The Marine Management Area Science (MMAS) Program provides scientific answers to questions concerning the management of marine multiple-use and protected areas. Bringing together expertise in both social and biological sciences, the MMAS Program was designed to play a leading international effort in improving the effectiveness of marine management area regimes, particularly given that these areas are increasingly relied on a s stewardship tools among coastal nations. The MMAS Program was established in October 2005 with funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation as part of Conservation International's Center for Applied Biodiversity Science .
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