To further support communities around the world in advancing the PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action, the PADI AWARE Foundation has launched the new Mission Hub Community Grant Program. The cornerstone initiative is designed to accelerate participation, education and advocacy for ocean protection.

“The Mission Hub Community Grant Program tangibly exemplifies our commitment to the Foundation’s new mission to drive local action for global ocean conservation,” says Danna Moore, Global Director of PADI AWARE Foundation. “We simply cannot reach our collective conservation goals without working collaboratively with local communities,” continues Moore.

The 2021-2022 grant cycle will provide financial resources to PADI Mission Hubs and community-based non-profits to help fund ocean protection initiatives and projects that align the PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action, in direct support of the United Nations Decade of Science for Sustainable Development. This year’s grants will focus on, but are not limited to, supporting:

• Blue carbon habitat restoration and protection to mitigate carbon emissions
• Marine debris citizen science to advocate for waste management policies
• Adopt a Dive Site participation to establish marine protected areas
• Coral reef restoration to mitigate coral habitat declines
• Vulnerable marine species protection campaigns

The PADI AWARE Foundation is pledging 12 percent of their public funds to this initiative, with the goal to be able to substantially increase funding in the next two to five years. They are also allocating 100% of donations from the 2022 PADI Member Renewal to the Mission Hub Community Grant Program.

“As a publicly funded environmental charity, we rely on individual donors from around the world to achieve urgent ocean impact,” says Moore. “We are thrilled to be able to pay it forward and support others who are committed to protecting and saving the ocean.”

To learn more about PADI AWARE Foundation’s Mission Hub Community Grant Program, visit padi.com/aware/community-grants.