Foundation Grants
Community Vital Signs
About Us
"They call it sea blindness because we turn our backs to the sea," says Dutch conservationist Wietse van der Werf.
"We're inward looking as our lives and the world happens on land."
So he decided to do something about it.
As an engineer on ships in Antarctica, van der Werf witnessed the effects of climate change and found himself "witnessing the effects of climate change with my own eyes," he tells the New York Times.
So he founded Sea Ranger Service, "a business in fields in which traditionally only charities and philanthropic funds have made an impact," he says.
Instead of focusing on one issue at a time, Sea Ranger Service focuses on multiple issues at once.
For example, it aims to restore 1 million hectares of ocean biodiversity and train 20,000 young people for maritime careers by 2040.
It also deals with unemployment in the marine industries and illegal activity in protected areas.
"I spent a few years investigating the dark corners of the fishing industry and noticed high unemployment in the coastal areas with very few opportunities for young people," van der Werf tells the Times.
So the idea of a tiered service was born.
"These problems access each other's solution," he says.
Read the Entire Article
Selected Foundation News
A customized collection of news from foundations from around the Web.
The Green Climate Fund is the world's biggest dedicated fund designed to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate changeand it's looking for new investments. Henry Gonzalez, the...more
Two of the world's biggest financial institutions have come together to call for an end to plastic pollution. In a joint statement, Triodos Bank and Triodos Investment Management say it's...more
"The future of our nation hinges upon its young,educated, and socially conscious demographic," State Bank of India CEOjay Prakash says in a press release. Prakash is referring to the roughly 1...more
"When I met with Gibson and a fellow trustee, Ronnie Greenwood, we quickly established a working relationship to consider how music students at [the University of the West of Scotland's] Ayr Campus...more
Nancy Brinker is the founder of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer charity, but she's also the author of a best-selling memoir about her own battle with the disease. So it was only...more
A team of University of Pittsburgh health sciences students has won a " Healthy Equity Innovation Award" at a national case competition for their plan to deal with a pandemic involving...more
"By investing in our employees' holistic well-being, we are setting a new standard for what it means to be a truly people-first organization in the healthcare industry." So says John Sebastian,...more
WhenBilha Obaigwa arrived in the US from Kenya in 2019, she had already earned a bachelor's degree in law back home in her native Kenya. So she set out to pursue a master's degree in health law...more
"People often ask me why I chose wood. The answer is, that was the material that was available to me," said Thaddeus Mosley at SculptureCenter's annual gala in New York City last night. The...more
"When your peers are staring at you, waiting for instruction, it makes it hard to want to experiment, or create the sense of dynamism or play that brings music to life." So says James Spinazzola,...more
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Why People Buy from Social Enterprises?
The Guardian has compiled a list of responses to its latest open thread, and has announced the winner of the social enterprise gift hamper packed with presents.