Restoration and science are our core business at Seatrees.
But truth be told - we aren’t the ones who conduct the work on the ground. Instead, our support funds an incredible network of project partners who serve as our “boots on the ground, fins in the water” - working tirelessly across a multitude of global ecosystems to plant, monitor and research our way towards reversing the negative impacts of climate change.
We take our hats off to our partners and applaud them for their hard work. If you haven’t already, check out the Project menu where you can peruse Seatrees’ project portfolio. Here you will find more detailed information on the projects, including spatial data, UN SDG’s, Seatrees produced videos, and more.
How does Seatrees build capacity for its project partners?
Seatrees is a connector. We leverage partnerships with eco-minded brands and individuals who are eager to make a difference, and connect them with the dedicated folks on the ground getting their hands and feet dirty. We use our networking, storytelling, technical, science, and communication skills to:
- Provide much needed funding to conduct restoration (planting, protecting, researching, monitoring and reporting).
- Produce films that share authentic stories across global platforms to captivate donor interest.
- Provide access to new and emerging technology as well as training to upskill staff, improve data accuracy and accessibility, empower citizen science, and create more immersive experiences for global audiences.
- Grant access to our exclusive Seatrees Community Platform - an online portal to connect our project partners to each other, forming a global community of practitioners that share knowledge, tools, experiences and wisdom in one easy location.
- Provide co-authorship opportunities for collaborative scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals.
- Facilitate connections and networking with leading scientific institutions, such as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
- Provide access to global brands and their corresponding customer base and global network.
Interested in becoming a Seatrees Project Partner?
Seatrees is working towards our vision of supporting 100 projects by 2030. Therefore, we are always keeping our eyes peeled for enthusiastic organizations looking to partner with us to make a difference through coastal marine ecosystem restoration and science. We want to ensure we’re a good fit, so please read below to get a clear understanding of how we operate.
Seatrees projects ARE: ✅
Specific to blue carbon and coastal marine ecosystems
Think mangrove forests, kelp forests, seagrass meadows, seaweed, coral reefs, coastal watersheds, and shellfish reef restoration.
Grounded in science
Our project partners are expected to provide adequate baseline analysis and measure bi-annual impacts from their restoration efforts.
Community centered
All projects must have local community and stakeholder buy-in.
Impactful
We’re not just interested in planting, we want to know how your project will empower and build capacity for local communities well into the future.
Authentic
Storytelling is one of our greatest strengths and we’re here to help share your unique story with our global audience. We start by interviewing you - and let the story build from there!
Example of how our partners help us capture content for impact measurement:
Seatrees projects ARE NOT: ❌
Bound to a limited application window
We understand the dynamic nature of restoration, science and monitoring - seasons, tides, weather, cultural occasions, family commitments - you’re the expert, so we rely on you to tell us when funding is needed.
Solely focused on education or conservation advocacy
While these are important components for long lasting and sustainable change, we also require a restoration component to qualify as a Seatrees project.
Guaranteed annual funding
While we aim to scale our partners efforts, we do not receive guaranteed annual funding from our donors. We rely heavily on brand sponsorships and corporate social responsibility funding, which can be uncertain.. While we try our best to partner long term, ongoing funding is not guaranteed.
For funding annual staff salaries
While we understand the importance of keeping the lights on, our short-term funding model is best suited for supporting direct restoration, monitoring and reporting activities - rather than entire staff salaries. We encourage groups to seek complementary funding to ensure restoration efforts are impactful over the long term, beyond initial Seatrees funding.
Void of reporting
We require our project partners to submit bi-annual progress and impact reports to update us on community consultation, planting progress, survivability, socio-economic impacts, and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development (SDG) goals.
Void of content capture
Storytelling is our currency of communication, and a key component of what makes Seatrees unique. Although we lead film productions, we’re unable to travel to all project destinations on a regular basis. Therefore, we rely on you to help us capture content! If you need a camera, we can help you with that. If you need help learning how to make a social cut - our communications team can help you with that too! If media capture is not your jam, we may not be the right fit for you.
Void of technology
Quite the opposite in fact! We’ve been fortunate to partner with tech companies who are passionate about empowering restoration groups with science, monitoring and camera technology to build capacity on the ground. We don’t expect you to be an expert on day one. All we ask is that our partners are willing to learn and grow with us!
Exclusive to well established organizations
We understand the challenges faced by small grassroots groups, who are often under-funded and operate in a volunteer capacity - whereby items like media production, online visibility, and global networking are limited. We love grassroots groups, and a core part of our mission is to uplift and empower those who often miss out on the funding opportunities awarded to more established organizations. We want to help you grow, and we’re excited to learn how we can partner with you to make that happen!
If this feels like the right fit for the work your organization, company or institution is conducting, then we’d love to hear from you! Simply scroll down to learn more about our onboarding process.
The Project Onboarding Process
Once you complete our Stage 1 Project Intake form, we will review your information, conduct our first round of due diligence, and assess potential donor matches. Our donors usually seek specific geographies and ecosystems, thus finding the right “donor fit” will play an important role in matchmaking! Sometimes the courting process can take committed and consistent effort, while other times we land a donor match after the first date!
If we feel confident your project not only meets our criteria, but has potential to captivate our donor network, then we’ll reach out to schedule a call with you to learn more, and get to know the people behind the project!
From here, we’ll have you fill out a more extensive application, which includes your unique Theory of Change, among other important project management documentation. You will be our eyes and ears on the ground - so we take our due diligence process seriously!
Ready to get started?
Ready to get started? Fill out our Stage 1 Project Intake Form below. This simple initial screening form is designed to take no more than 30 minutes to complete (pre-coffee!).
We’re excited to hear from you and learn more about the wonderful work you are doing to restore our coastal marine ecosystems. Please do not be discouraged if we don’t get back to you right away with a donor match, sometimes this process can take months to years. Other times, it happens overnight.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Check out the Project Partners we're been working with already. To learn more, peruse our Projects menu where you'll see which organization we're working with and where
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
- Opens in a new window.