Ocean Uprise Grants Program
Dedicated youth activists on a mission to create meaningful impact
Are you an ocean activist with bold ideas, just looking for the support to turn them into real-world impact?
The Ocean Uprise Grants Program gives young people the chance to receive funding to carry out projects that they are excited about that simultaneously educate their local community, raise awareness for the oceans, and create substantial action on the ground.
Selected grantees receive funds to represent Ocean Uprise and, over a six-month period, design and implement initiatives that engage and educate individuals through direct action.
Through online sessions with fellow grantees, participants work closely with the Ocean Uprise team to define, refine, and strengthen their actions, ensuring alignment with Parley’s mission and body of work. Grantees receive guidance on setting timelines, budgeting, and project flow, as well as mentorship from ocean conservation experts. This hands-on experience equips grantees with practical skills in project design and implementation—supporting both real-world impact and future career pathways. A true win-win-win!
We invite young people from all walks of life to plug into initiatives and take action.
Meet Ocean Uprise Grantees
Taylen
South Africa
Growing up in Durban, a heavily polluted area in SA, Taylen is inspired by a mission to directly tackle plastic pollution and its intersectional effects on communities and the ocean. As an OU Grantee, Taylen creates initiatives that blend climate education with fun. His Cake by the Ocean initiative connects ocean advocates together for bi-weekly climate conversations with cake and tea!
Joaquin
Argentina
Joaquin’s love for public speaking and bringing community together has evolved into an initiative full of educational talks to local schools and multiple beach cleanups. His final project is an ocean fair that combines a cleanup, yoga, education, and music into a community event for the oceans.
Calah
South Africa
Moving from South Africa to Florida, Calah was exposed to ocean threats she had never experienced before. She is using her time as a Grantee to host dive-for-debris scuba dives, educational talks, and community events that bridge education and activism.
Dahlia
Turkey
As a child, Dahlia has always felt a love for nature and wildlife, but it wasn't until she moved to Turkey that she felt a deeper connection to the oceans. With the help of the Grants Program, she's building projects in Turkey and Canada to inspire initiatives through creative and artistic community-driven actions.
Victor
Brazil
Victor’s relationship with the Ocean began at age 5 when he snorkeled for the first time after surviving brain cancer. His journey as a Grantee seeks to give back to the Ocean through underwater photography, so that more people can access the invisible world below the surface.
