Sustainable Ocean Alliance

OceanLeadershipNetwork

Regional Hubs, The Ocean Leaders Fellowship & Micro-Grants

Grassroots Ocean Action

SOA coordinates ocean action through "Hubs": action-oriented groups organized by location or organizational affiliation that work together to promote ocean health and sustainability.

86

Hubs active in

51 countries

400+

Hub Leaders

3,000

Hub Members

$678K+

Micro-Grants Received since 2020

SOA Hubs are locally rooted teams led by early-career professionals often affiliated with universities, NGOs, or community organizations. They translate global ocean priorities into action in their own contexts, with coordination from Regional Representatives and micro-grant support.

Regional Coordination

Europe & Lusofonia

Featured Hub:

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SOA Brazil

SOA Hub Brazil brings Brazilians closer to the sea, connecting youth-led actions with traditional and local knowledge, bridging science and community practices while raising key issues nationally and across the global SOA network.

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Regional Representative: Eugénia Barroca

Eugénia Barroca, based in Portugal, coordinates 22 Hubs across three continents. Her work covers several ocean policy topics—she attended COP29 to advocate for youth and ocean inclusion in government delegations, and has been highly dedicated to SOA's Campaign Against Deep-sea Mining.

Contact

Hispanoamérica

Featured Hub:

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SOA Perú

SOA Perú is the leading youth-led organization in Peru advancing ocean conservation. SOA Perú empowers young ocean leaders through education, advocacy, and capacity-building programs. The organization plays a key role in marine conservation initiatives, from supporting the creation of marine protected areas to advocating for sustainable ocean policies.

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Regional Representative: Daniel Cáceres Bartra

Daniel Cáceres Bartra joined SOA as a Regional Representative in 2019 and has become a leading voice in the deep-sea mining campaign across Latin America and beyond, coordinating 25 Hubs.

Contact

Asia

Featured Hub

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SOA Philippines

SOA Philippines is building a thriving network of ocean advocates who drive meaningful change through local action and global partnerships for sustainable ocean future, elevating grassroots solutions, prioritizing ocean awareness, and translating international initiatives into local context.

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Regional Representative: Mary Jane Lamoste

Mary Jane (MJ) Lamoste, a marine biologist based in the Philippines and founder of the circular waste enterprise Tagpi-Tagpi, has managed ten SOA Hubs in Asia since 2022. MJ's advocacy work spans multiple initiatives, including her contribution to the award-winning Blue Quest Documentary Palawan, which highlights community managed marine protected areas in the Philippines.

Contact

Africa

Featured Hub

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SOA Nigeria

SOA Nigeria is dedicated to taking direct action, raising awareness, and building capacity to tackle pressing ocean and climate change challenges. They engage young leaders in conservation projects, policy advocacy, and community education to address issues such as marine pollution, coastal erosion, overfishing, and the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities.

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Regional Representative: Forbi Perise

Forbi Perise, based in Cameroon, began as SOA Cameroon Hub leader in 2019 and coordinates 13 SOA Hubs across Africa. A passionate environmental advocate focused on plastic pollution, Forbi has led impactful community based conservation initiatives throughout the region.

Contact

North America

Featured Hub:

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SOA University of Florida (UF)

SOA Florida has led impactful initiatives including a successful plastic awareness campaign, NOAA field trips, and research on renewable biomass resources through algal cultivation, while also tracking energy and water consumption on campus.

Regional Representative: Leila Tamale

Micro-Grants:

Catalyze Local Ocean Action

led by people historically averaging 28 years old

Build Organizational Resilience

of developing, locally-embedded NGOs

Advance Access & Literacy

among women, youth, and vulnerable peoples

From 2020-2025, $1.7M has been deployed via 480 grants

70% of micro-grant funding has gone to projects in developing countries

"Being an SOA grantee is more than a funder and recipient relationship. It's joining an empowered community of changemakers."

-Ailars David, Tanzania Hub Leader

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Ocean Leaders Fellowship

The Ocean Leaders Fellowship (OLF) Program empowers and supports exceptional young professionals in their efforts to protect and restore the health of our ocean.

Learn More

"I am truly overwhelmed by the support and mentorship I have received from the team in building competence and expertise on our journey toward creating sustainable impacts in the communities we serve."

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- Anthony Duxell Malle, Cameroon Hub Leader & 2026 OLF FEllow

"I am truly overwhelmed by the support and mentorship I have received from the team in building competence and expertise on our journey toward creating sustainable impacts in the communities we serve."

- Anthony Duxell Malle, Cameroon Hub Leader & 2026 OLF FEllow

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Grants FAQ

What are the the goals of the grants program?

To tangibly advance ocean restoration in alignment with conservation targets set by the United Nations and other global, multilateral bodies. We prioritize funding youth, women, and communities most vulnerable to the impacts of changing ocean and climate. Grants are meant to spur early-stage initiatives with the potential for long-term impact, measured by environmental and social indicators like greenhouse gas reduction and area of effective conservation.

What are the basic requirements?

Individuals or nations subject to U.S. sanctions are not eligible to receive funding, including receipients in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Kosovo, Sudan, and Syria.

As part of the due diligence process, applicants must have access to the internet to:

1) submit a form required by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for our annual tex reporting:

For United States citizens and legal entities incorporated in the United States: Form W-9.

For legal entities incorporated outside of the United States: Form W-8BEN-E.

For foreign individuals with citizenship outside of the United States: Form W-8BEN.

2) provide digital proof of identifiication and bank account information, submitted via a secure application called Ramp

3) attend a virtual meeting with SOA staff

4) access and edit a budget maintained as a Google Shees

5) digitally sign the agreement form via email from Docusign

What activities are eligible for funding?

Micro-grants are often awarded to people and organizations that need support in building their operational capacity. Therefore, we permit applicants to apply for direct project support in the form of personnel salary or personal compensation, generally up to 25% of the amount requested. Stipends, honoraria, contractual payments to vendors and other forms of payment must be classified appropriately in the budget template provided, and reporting on these expenses requires submission of standard forms.

How much can I apply for and when would I receive it?

In general, $15,000USD is the maximum grant size. The average grant size over the past five years is about $4,000 USD. Grants are typically disbursed in two installments: 80% of the overall amount within one week of the signature of the grant agreement; the remaining 20% after approval of a progress report. The average grant period (award to final report) is about 15 months.

Impact Report