Marine Debris
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Adopt The Blue
PADI AWARE Foundation Community Grant Program:
Funding Criteria
Funding Cycles
The PADI AWARE Community Grants fund projects that align with PADI's Blueprint for Ocean Action. Applications are assessed on conservation need, community feedback and available budget.
Current Funding Cycle
Applications are currently closed. The next round opens in 2027 and dates will be posted here once they are confirmed.
If you are thinking of applying, use the time to prepare. The funding criteria, evaluation criteria and reporting requirements below are current and will not change before the next round opens.
PADI AWARE Project Guidelines
Grants will be awarded to ocean protection initiatives and projects that directly advance the PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action, and PADI AWARE's mission, to drive local action for global conservation. Project proposals should focus on the following areas.
- Multiplying Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
- Protecting Endangered and Vulnerable Marine Species
- Accelerating Coral Reef Recovery and Restoration
- Ridding the Oceans of Marine Debris
- Reducing and Offsetting the Dive Industry's Carbon Footprint
For inspiration on aligning with Project Guidelines, please Meet Our Grantees.
Funding Criteria
Community Grants are intended to assist in the development and delivery of grassroots conservation projects and support outcome-driven activities. They support the purchase of equipment and consumables, communications, travel, and project related administrative costs. Proposals to fund capital expenditures or contributions towards the purchase of fixed assets will not be considered.
- PADI AWARE Foundation is open to funding non-profit ocean conservation-related organizations and/or PADI Dive Centers.
- The maximum grant amount is $10,000 USD. Any request exceeding this amount may be disqualified from the review process
- All non-profit organizations must submit a recent financial statement confirming your organization's annual budget is less than 1 million USD
Evaluation Criteria
Each proposal will be assessed on the following evaluation criteria:
- Alignment with established PADI AWARE Project Guidelines
- Ability to meet project goal and objectives
- Clearly defined needs and plans with measurable outcomes
- Organizational capacity and experience
- Your local partners, the project's feasibility, and budget
Applications are independently reviewed by the Community Grant review panel and members of the PADI AWARE Board of Directors. Please follow the link for information regarding our Privacy Policy.
Reporting Requirements
All grantees are expected, as part of their funding agreement, to provide a Project Report on the outcomes of the agreed upon project at the end of the funding cycle.
Your organization will receive an email from the PADI AWARE Grants Department prior to the due date with instructions and the link to complete the online Project Report form.
The final project report will be due within 1 month of the end of the project. Please refer to your Funding Agreement for specific information. Completion of the Project Report is necessary for any future funding eligibility and for our reporting purposes.
Please do not send in the form via email.
How to Apply
All potential applicants will be required to complete an initial Eligibility Quiz. If your organization meets the requirements of the Eligibility Quiz you will be sent an email with a link to the application.
Please do not share the application link provided to you. It is specific to your organization and the project you submitted in the Eligibility Quiz.
The application must be completed in its entirety and submitted with a Project Budget online with the link that is provided to you. No applications will be accepted via email.
We have created a helpful step by step How To Guide to assist in the grant application process. Please also see links below to further resources.
Funding
If your organization is granted funds through this process you will receive an email notification along with a Funding Agreement.
The Funding Agreement must be signed by an authorized representative of the organization and returned to the PADI AWARE Foundation within the provided time frame.
Grantees must provide bank details matching the name of their organization for the wire transfer of funds. No funds will be sent to an individual's bank account.
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