Blue Penguin Sustainability Grant
Applications are open for the Blue Penguin 2025 Sustainability Grants
What is available:
A) 10x NZD$15,000 Series A Grants
B) 3x NZD$50,000 Series B Grants
C) 1x NZD$200,000 Series C Grant
Who is invited to apply - Blue Penguin are directly approaching a small number of organisations that they view are positioned to have a positive impact in the sustainability/conservation space. If you have been sent this information please keep this confidential as we aren’t opening this process up to the broader network of all possible organisations to support.
Particular areas of interest:
Ocean Conservation
Sustainability
Marine Life and coral restoration
A summary of the planned use of funds to be submitted as part of the application process. The money needs to enable projects to happen in the next 12 months that would have not otherwise been able to move ahead, or to accelerate/upscale already established projects with a meaningful and measurable impact within a 12 month period.
Applications to be sent to [email protected] and [email protected]
A) 10x NZD$15,000 Series A Grants
B) 3x NZD$50,000 Series B Grants
C) 1x NZD$200,000 Series C Grant
Who is invited to apply - Blue Penguin are directly approaching a small number of organisations that they view are positioned to have a positive impact in the sustainability/conservation space. If you have been sent this information please keep this confidential as we aren’t opening this process up to the broader network of all possible organisations to support.
Particular areas of interest:
Ocean Conservation
Sustainability
Marine Life and coral restoration
A summary of the planned use of funds to be submitted as part of the application process. The money needs to enable projects to happen in the next 12 months that would have not otherwise been able to move ahead, or to accelerate/upscale already established projects with a meaningful and measurable impact within a 12 month period.
Applications to be sent to [email protected] and [email protected]
Category / Criteria. As a guide for the scoring process for projects done by our internal advisory committee, below are some of the major categories we take into consideration:
Global Impact Potential - On a global scale, what impact is the likely to have over a 5-10 year period?
Bang for Buck - For the money required, how do we perceive
Management of project - How confident are we that the funds will go towards the designated project
Measurability/Visibility - How clearly can we measure if the project was successful?
Likelihood of success - What is the likelihood of this project achiving its stated objectives
The start of something special - Could this plant a seed to turn into something quite meaningful over time?
Meaning What would success mean? - How significant would this success be, and could it enable something that wasn’t possible before?
Unique Contribution - Is our contribution significant in the bigger scheme of the project? Is someone else lining up to fund this if we don't Would it happen anyway?
Global Impact Potential - On a global scale, what impact is the likely to have over a 5-10 year period?
Bang for Buck - For the money required, how do we perceive
Management of project - How confident are we that the funds will go towards the designated project
Measurability/Visibility - How clearly can we measure if the project was successful?
Likelihood of success - What is the likelihood of this project achiving its stated objectives
The start of something special - Could this plant a seed to turn into something quite meaningful over time?
Meaning What would success mean? - How significant would this success be, and could it enable something that wasn’t possible before?
Unique Contribution - Is our contribution significant in the bigger scheme of the project? Is someone else lining up to fund this if we don't Would it happen anyway?
Previous supported Projects:
Rob Macfarlane and Luke Gordon for their successful application “Broad-Scale Spatio-Temporal Movements of Reef Manta Rays (Mobula alfredi) in the Yasawa Island Chain”.
Rob Macfarlane and Luke Gordon for their successful application “Broad-Scale Spatio-Temporal Movements of Reef Manta Rays (Mobula alfredi) in the Yasawa Island Chain”.

yasawa_research_proposal.pdf |
Rob Macfarlane from Barefoot Manta Resort, Fiji - for the creation of the Drawaka Conservation Trust. This new organisation will be supporting conservation efforts throughout the Yasawa Islands in Fiji. Half of the grant went towards the establishment of the trust, and the other half as seed funding for their first project. https://www.marineconservationfiji.org/
Asia Armstrong representing Project Manta and the Reef to Leaf Project run on Lady Elliot Island, Queensland, Australia. The resource funds are being used towards the purchase of a Drone + training of key staff on the use of the drone to observe behaviour of Mantarays around the Island.
Auckland University
Young Enterprise New Zealand
Leopard Shark Pup breeding program in Raja Ampat
World Ocean Day online course through Education Perfect
Outward Bound New Zealand, supporting the establishment of a North Island Facility and new courses to reach a broader range of New Zealanders
Asia Armstrong representing Project Manta and the Reef to Leaf Project run on Lady Elliot Island, Queensland, Australia. The resource funds are being used towards the purchase of a Drone + training of key staff on the use of the drone to observe behaviour of Mantarays around the Island.
Auckland University
Young Enterprise New Zealand
Leopard Shark Pup breeding program in Raja Ampat
World Ocean Day online course through Education Perfect
Outward Bound New Zealand, supporting the establishment of a North Island Facility and new courses to reach a broader range of New Zealanders