Global Fishing Watch’s Open Ocean Research Grant program aims to enhance ocean governance by sharing data on human activity at sea by bringing together global research partners to maximize the impact of open marine data.
2025 Cohort
Our inaugural 2025 cohort features 10 standout projects currently working on actionable solutions for marine sustainability and fisheries management.
Submission for 2026 Are Now Closed
We’re pleased to open the 2026 cycle of our small grant program, supporting research that advances ocean governance through the use of publicly available data on human activity at sea.
The program aims to enhance our network of research partners by inviting researchers worldwide to strengthen core technologies, expand datasets and apply them to real-world ocean governance challenges.
New for 2026: A letter of intent (LOI) stage has been introduced to streamline the application process. This initial step allows Global Fishing Watch to assess alignment, confirm eligibility and provide early guidance while reducing the burden of submitting a full proposal on applicants. Only selected applicants at the LOI stage will be invited to submit a full proposal.
Award amount
- Individual category: up to US$10,000
- Group category: up to US$20,000
Key dates for 2026
- April 7: Call for letters of intent
- April 14: Informational webinar
- May 10: Submission deadline for letters of intent (LOIs must be submitted before 23:59 UTC)
- July 1: Invitation for full proposals
- August 31: Submission deadline for full proposals
- October: Award notification
- November: 2026 cohort commences.
We hosted an informational webinar on April 14th. Watch the recording.
For any questions, please contact: [email protected]