[1] Its mission is "to support, strengthen, and promote those organizations dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world.
"[2] The Ocean Foundation was founded by underwater photographer Wolcott Henry.
[3] It began as the Coral Reef Foundation with "a group of like-minded coral conservation experts, venture capitalists and philanthropy colleagues...providing both expert advice about conservation projects and easy mechanisms for giving".
[6] Under the community foundation model, The Ocean Foundation hosts donor-advised funds, pooled funds, and funders collaboratives as a grantmaking facility,[7] and receives grants through donors and corporations.
[11] Four initiatives have been launched at The Ocean Foundation to "fill gaps in conservation work"[12] The Ocean Foundation hosts fiscally sponsored projects using themes such as ocean literacy, species protection, habitat conservation, and capacity building.