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Welcome to the Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature (OCEAN) Homepage

This is the online application portal for the UK Government funded OCEAN Grants Programme. Please register an account or login to an existing account to start an application for funding or continue working on an existing application. You can login / register by clicking the buttons in the top right of this screen or in the panel at the bottom left of the page.
 

Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature (OCEAN)

OCEAN is a new competitive grants scheme that will support innovative proposals from local coastal communities and organisations that aim to deliver marine protection and reduce poverty worldwide. It is part of the UK Government's Blue Planet Fund - a £500 million programme supporting developing countries to protect the marine environment and reduce poverty - and aims to support the people and communities most impacted by declining ocean health and climate change through funding local solutions to local problems. OCEAN's overall goal is to place the ocean on a path to recovery, and for local communities and nature to thrive side by side. To achieve this, grants will be awarded through two different funding pathways:

Community Grants

Community Grants will support projects led by small to medium, local, in-country organisations working in an eligible country. Projects should deliver local solutions to local problems by increasing the capacity of local communities and organisations to tackle marine and poverty issues. Key eligibility criteria for the pathway includes:

  • Grant Amount: Up to £250,000
  • Project Duration:  From one year up until 31 March 2029
  • A full list of eligible countries will be available when our guidance for Round 2 is published in due course
  • Eligible Organisations: Local / in-country organisations and communities groups with an annual income of less than £1 million
  • Project Activities: Projects should focus on developing the capacity of local communities and organisations, alongside protecting, managing or restoring the marine environment and reducing poverty.

Partnership Grants

Partnership Grants will support projects led by medium to large organisations that partner with locally led organisations and have the capacity to deliver projects at scale. Projects should deliver local solutions to local problems by partnering with and working alongside local communities and organisations to tackle marine and poverty issues. Key eligibility criteria for the pathway includes:

  • Grant Amount: £250,000  to £3 million
  • Project Duration:  From one year up until 31 March 2029
  • A full list of eligible countries will be available when our guidance for Round 2 is published in due course
  • Eligible Organisations: Medium to large, well-established organisations.
  • Project Activities: Projects should focus on creating partnerships with local organisations, to scale up existing activities and aim to reach higher numbers of people, alongside protecting, managing or restoring the marine environment and reducing poverty.
  • Partnerships: All projects must partner with at least one local / in-country organisation registered in the same country as the project.

For further information about whether your project is eligible for funding or the types of activities that OCEAN will support, please consult our Guidance for Applicants.

 

Guidance & Support

 

Please note this guidance will be updated for Round 2.

There is also specific guidance documents available to support you with your application, including guidance on how to use Flexi-Grant. We recommend that you read the available guidance before starting your application form. Links to these are copied below:
    If you have consulted this guidance and still have any questions about how to use the Flexi-Grant system, your application, or any other queries, then please do not hesitate to contact our Helpdesk on - helpdesk@oceangrants.org.uk - and a member of the OCEAN Administration Team will be in touch to offer support.

     

    Templates

     

    Please note templates will be updated for Round 2.

    Word version of application forms:

    Templates required to be uploaded with your application:

    Partnership Grants Stage 1:

    Community Grants Stage 2:

    • Available upon invite via the application forms.


      Status of Application Rounds

      You can only work on an application when the fund is open. The status of any current and/or upcoming applications rounds are detailed below:

      Community Grants

      Stage 1: Currently  CLOSED - Opening Date: 6th January 2025; Closing Date: 17th February 2025 23:59 GMT.

      Stage 2: Currently CLOSED - Opening Date: to be accessed by invitation only; Closing Date: 30 June 2025.

      Partnership Grants

      Stage 1: Currently  CLOSED - Opening Date: 13th January 2025; Closing Date: 24th March 2025 22:59 GMT (23:59 BST).

      Stage 2: Currently CLOSED -  to be accessed by invitation only.