The Ocean Foundation'sSeaGrass Grow campaign promoted it's carbon offset program, a program that allows people to purchase carbon offset credits that funds seagrass planting. Seagrass habitats are up to 45 times more effective than the most pristine Amazonian rainforest in their carbon uptake abilities and provide protection and shelter to ocean habitat. For every $1 invested in coastal restoration projects, $15 in net economic benefits is created. By utilizing this unique carbon offset program, The Ocean Foundation has been able to combat ocean acidification, a result of carbon produced climate change, as well as help restore ocean habitat, and support the local communities that depend on ocean health.
When Jarrod Curry, Marketing and Operations Manager at The Ocean Foundation, attended CMG's Ocean Catalyst Workshops in 2015, he worked with fellow workshop attendees, Kristin Tieche (filmmaker) and Michele Heller (strategist), to develop a campaign promoting the SeaGrass Grow project. Together they worked to produce multiple concept pieces as part of their catalyst workshop project. Their project was so successful that after returning from the workshops, Jarrod pursued using the concept pieces as foundation for a full-fledged media campaign. He and CMG re-connected on how best to facilitate this, resulting in a matching $7,800 CMG Action Grant.
This Action Grant funded two, thirty-second videos. The goal of the videos was to educate viewers about the benefits of seagrass, especially capturing carbon dioxide and restoring coastal resiliency with a call-to-action to donate to the SeaGrass Grow program. The impact was be measured by amount of dollars raised for seagrass planting and restoration projects through use of the calculator by individuals on the SeaGrass Grow website, as well as offsets from the partner corporations and new corporate partners. The Ocean Foundation set a goal of raising $25,000 by February of 2016. CMG's Action Grant funded the production and distribution needed to complete the media campaign and enabled Jarrod to work with his original CMG workshop team, Kristin and Michele.
About the Grantee
Jarrod is the Marketing and Operations Manager at The Ocean Foundation where he oversees marketing efforts and business operations. He brings years of international experience to TOF, having lived and worked in China and the Middle East. Jarrod has a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism with a minor in Art History from West Virginia University. His diverse background includes a political action committee, a think tank, and a heavy metal magazine, among others.
The Ocean Foundation is a unique community foundation with a mission to support, strengthen, and promote those organizations dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world. Through a wide range of services they advance for innovative, customized philanthropic solutions that reflect a holistic approach to moving the needle on coastal and ocean conservation.
Project Updates and Milestones
The 2 videos were released in spring of 2016. The videos drove viewers to an interactive website detailing how to offset your carbon footprint by answering a few simple questions. Participants could then find out how to offset their carbon footprint in their household, at their business, and even on a trip. When details are submitted users learn:
1.) the exact amount of money they should donate to offset their carbon footprint
2.) the exact amount of seagrass that will be planted thru their donation
In addition to the release of the video The Ocean Foundation held a contest for two roundtrip travel tickets from JetBlue for helping to share and promote the new calculator.
The Ocean Foundation had an initial goal of $25,000 to be raised when their video was released - to date they have raised over $71,500 in donations to the SeaGrass Grow campaign and planted over 30,000 square meters of seagrass.
The Ocean Foundation: SeaGrass Grow
About the Project
The Ocean Foundation's SeaGrass Grow campaign promoted it's carbon offset program, a program that allows people to purchase carbon offset credits that funds seagrass planting. Seagrass habitats are up to 45 times more effective than the most pristine Amazonian rainforest in their carbon uptake abilities and provide protection and shelter to ocean habitat. For every $1 invested in coastal restoration projects, $15 in net economic benefits is created. By utilizing this unique carbon offset program, The Ocean Foundation has been able to combat ocean acidification, a result of carbon produced climate change, as well as help restore ocean habitat, and support the local communities that depend on ocean health.
When Jarrod Curry, Marketing and Operations Manager at The Ocean Foundation, attended CMG's Ocean Catalyst Workshops in 2015, he worked with fellow workshop attendees, Kristin Tieche (filmmaker) and Michele Heller (strategist), to develop a campaign promoting the SeaGrass Grow project. Together they worked to produce multiple concept pieces as part of their catalyst workshop project. Their project was so successful that after returning from the workshops, Jarrod pursued using the concept pieces as foundation for a full-fledged media campaign. He and CMG re-connected on how best to facilitate this, resulting in a matching $7,800 CMG Action Grant.
This Action Grant funded two, thirty-second videos. The goal of the videos was to educate viewers about the benefits of seagrass, especially capturing carbon dioxide and restoring coastal resiliency with a call-to-action to donate to the SeaGrass Grow program. The impact was be measured by amount of dollars raised for seagrass planting and restoration projects through use of the calculator by individuals on the SeaGrass Grow website, as well as offsets from the partner corporations and new corporate partners. The Ocean Foundation set a goal of raising $25,000 by February of 2016. CMG's Action Grant funded the production and distribution needed to complete the media campaign and enabled Jarrod to work with his original CMG workshop team, Kristin and Michele.
About the Grantee
Jarrod is the Marketing and Operations Manager at The Ocean Foundation where he oversees marketing efforts and business operations. He brings years of international experience to TOF, having lived and worked in China and the Middle East. Jarrod has a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism with a minor in Art History from West Virginia University. His diverse background includes a political action committee, a think tank, and a heavy metal magazine, among others.
The Ocean Foundation is a unique community foundation with a mission to support, strengthen, and promote those organizations dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world. Through a wide range of services they advance for innovative, customized philanthropic solutions that reflect a holistic approach to moving the needle on coastal and ocean conservation.
Project Updates and Milestones
The 2 videos were released in spring of 2016. The videos drove viewers to an interactive website detailing how to offset your carbon footprint by answering a few simple questions. Participants could then find out how to offset their carbon footprint in their household, at their business, and even on a trip. When details are submitted users learn:
1.) the exact amount of money they should donate to offset their carbon footprint
2.) the exact amount of seagrass that will be planted thru their donation
In addition to the release of the video The Ocean Foundation held a contest for two roundtrip travel tickets from JetBlue for helping to share and promote the new calculator.
The Ocean Foundation had an initial goal of $25,000 to be raised when their video was released - to date they have raised over $71,500 in donations to the SeaGrass Grow campaign and planted over 30,000 square meters of seagrass.
Watch The Ocean Foundation's films below!
The Ocean Foundation / One Blade of Grass (Diving version)
The Ocean Foundation / One Blade of Grass (Fishing version)