Ocean First Institute | CO Gives Day

Background Statement

Protecting Our Blue Planet – From the Heart of Colorado

This Colorado Gives Day, make waves with us. Ocean First Institute is a Boulder-based nonprofit with a bold, global mission: to protect our ocean through cutting-edge research, transformative education, and community-powered conservation. When you give, you're not just supporting a program—you’re fueling a movement.

Even far from the shoreline, Colorado is making a splash. Our team brings marine science to life through hands-on youth programs, shark and sea turtle workshops in schools, and innovative community science campaigns like our microplastics monitoring program. We connect local students to live underwater expeditions, empower them to design their own conservation solutions, and spark lifelong stewardship through discovery and storytelling.

At the same time, our scientists are working around the world to protect threatened species—advancing shark conservation, tracking plastic pollution from source to sea, and using cutting-edge eDNA technology to better understand the changing ocean. From Colorado classrooms to coastal research sites, our work is building the next generation of ocean protectors.

Your gift helps us:

Drive high-impact research that informs real-world conservation

Inspire thousands of students through immersive science programs and free workshops

Activate communities through viral storytelling and science engagement campaigns

Build a more ocean-literate world—starting right here in Colorado

🌊 Colorado cares about the ocean—because our actions ripple across the planet.

Give today. Protect tomorrow. Make waves.