The Biodiversity Funders Group (BFG) is a professional association of environmental, conservation, and climate and energy grantmakers. BFG was founded in 1987 to encourage funders to work together and leverage their resources. Today, approximately 75 funding institutions, predominantly private foundations, are formal members, while more than 200 other grantmaking institutions benefit from activities as program partners.

How does the Biodiversity Funders Group connect with ocean funders?
BFG is a unique blend of learning organization, professional association, and network for collaboration on a very individualized and intimate scale. Because of our relatively small size and membership configuration, BFG is responsive, nimble, and — above all—relevant. We are a (virtual for now) forum for funders to connect and learn together and we foster engagement which leads to deep, productive, and sustained collaboration.

We provide regular opportunities to “go deep” on a variety of issues with marine conservation as a core area of focus. In a “normal” year, marine conservation funders would have opportunities to participate in several funder-only webinars; receive a variety of updates, research, and reports; and attend a multi-day annual meeting featuring experts, policy makers, changemakers, and other leaders in the field.

In reviewing “A Decade of Ocean Funding 2010-2020 Landscape Review,” what struck you the most in terms of how the field has changed over the past decade?
The most obvious shift for me is the exponential increase in resources directed toward ocean-related climate initiatives which is encouraging, and I hope serves as a catalyst for attracting others.

I was also heartened by how many funders are deeply interested in and committed to incorporating Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) principles into their operations and grantmaking. This is a learning journey for many funders, and they are showing strong appetite to advance this critical work in the conservation space.

Read the full article about ocean conservation funding at Our Shared Seas.