Waitt Institute

Ted Waitt established the Waitt Foundation in 1993 to reflect his family’s heartfelt commitment to give back to the community by “helping good people do great things” through research and education. Since then, the foundation has donated over $125 million to non-profit and charitable organizations both at home and abroad. With the rapid decline of marine life and resources, the primary mission of the Waitt Foundation is to restore our oceans to full productivity. To achieve this, we direct our efforts toward facilitating the creation of marine protected areas, engaging stakeholders to improve the management of fisheries, fostering sustainable solutions, and raising public awareness through a network of collaborative NGO’s and foundations. Our vision is to restore the seas to full productivity for future generations. Funding partnerships and projects in conjunction with its grantees and two institutes, the Waitt Foundation supports a variety of national and international programs concentrating on ocean conservation initiatives and marine related issues. By increasing global awareness, our goal is to reverse the current decline of ocean life while inspiring humanity to make informed choices that contribute to a healthy marine ecosystem The foundation’s current funding priorities are focused on creating, strengthening, and expanding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and promoting Sustainable Socioeconomic Fishing Solutions.