Ocean Defenders Alliance
Ocean Defenders Alliance (ODA) is a Huntington Beach, CA–based 501(c)(3) (EIN 32-0065856) that organizes volunteer boat and dive crews to remove abandoned fishing gear, nets, lines, plastic, and other marine debris. The website documents active cleanup operations in California and Hawai‘i, volunteer opportunities, donation options, and programs such as a student scuba scholarship.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
An established nonprofit focused on ocean debris cleanup or marine-technology solutions with capacity to execute and report on a discrete, $50k-scale project and preferably connected to the funder's network or reachable by introduction.
Good Fit
- • Clear mission alignment with ocean debris cleanup or marine technology for debris removal
- • Capacity to manage a one-time project-scale grant around $50,000 with measurable outputs
- • Track record of program delivery and ability to provide concise impact reporting
- • Existing relationships or credible introductions into the funder's community
- • Project proposals that are discrete, outcome-focused, and time-limited rather than open-ended operating requests
Geography
The observed 2024 grant was made to a single state (Connecticut) and the latest-year footprint is concentrated in one state, so geographic reach in the records is narrow.
Recipient Variety
In the latest year only one distinct recipient received funding and across three years no grantees repeated, so the observed recipient set is very small.
New Applicants
The lone 2024 grantee was a new recipient, which shows entry is possible, but direct evidence of regular turnover is limited and no public application process was found; therefore unfamiliar applicants may occasionally gain support but selection appears selective and infrequent.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
