Our Mission:
Waters for All
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.
Our Values
- Leaders – The Foundation is uniquely positioned in marine conservation as the official non-profit partner of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. We work exclusively in National Marine Sanctuaries, and leverage this leadership position in service of impact, advocacy and relationship-building.
- People-centric – The American people are the co-stewards of our marine sanctuaries. We want to convert people into champions, influencers and advocates, and promote the idea of “people-powered marine sanctuaries.” Our program focus is inclusive, centered on the needs of the people whose economic livelihoods are centered in the gateway communities around marine sanctuaries. For the Foundation, “Waters for All” means all people.
- Connectors – The power of connection drives our ability to give agency, to spark inspiration and to extend our reach. We convene events such as Capitol Hill Ocean Week and the Funder’s Roundtable to bring together individuals and organizations to generate new ideas and new solutions. Our storytelling provides emotional touchpoints to bring more people into our circle.
- Innovators – We strive to find new processes, new partnerships and new solutions to challenges. Our innovation is grounded in the national marine sanctuary system, as a proving ground to test ideas. We are thoughtful disruptors who work with the ocean enterprise as we discover, explore and build resilience.