When I started Oceancare Alliance, my focus was on direct action: making videos, organizing volunteers, and sharing my passion for the ocean on social media with anyone who would listen. I believed—and still do—that passion is the fuel for change. But I quickly learned that to make a bigger, more sustainable impact, I knew I had to learn a new language: the language of grants.
I wanted to support the incredible work of our partners, like Washington Sea Grant’s Orca Bowl and the Salish Sea Sciences summer programs. These programs provide the kind of hands-on, immersive science education that changes lives. But they face challenges, from shrinking budgets to the high cost of scientific equipment. I wanted to help bridge that gap, but that meant moving beyond sticker sales and into the complex world of formal fundraising.
Honestly, my dive into the world of grant foundations was overwhelming. While I had some minor traction through Benevity and its connections with the corporate world last year, I’m learning that I need more to attract more established funders and communicate in terms of missions, priorities, and processes. I spent hours researching, trying to understand what makes a proposal successful. I learned that it’s not about sending a generic request to everyone, but about finding true alignment.
I explored foundations like Stantec, whose Community Engagement program focuses on specific areas like education and the environment in the communities where they work. This taught me the importance of local connection. I looked into the George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation, which supports initiatives for at-risk youth and education. This helped me frame my goal not just as “funding science,” but as “creating equitable access for students who might otherwise be left out.” Each foundation had a unique story and a specific vision for impact, and my job was to see where our stories intersected.
Grantwatch is a great resource that I’ve used too.
With this new understanding, I began the real work: writing my more formal grant proposal in addition to a couple I submitted last year. The process forced me to think more critically about Oceancare Alliance than ever before. Instead of saying we wanted to “help.” I had to define exactly what the need was—like the funding cuts affecting environmental education—and outline specific, measurable objectives. Suddenly, the mission became tangible: to provide travel stipends for five high school teams to compete in the Orca Bowl, or to purchase modern field equipment, like ROV kits, that would give 200 students the chance to be real-world scientists.
Writing the proposal was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I’ve done. It was a fun exercise in synthesis. Wish me luck!
