About the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation

The Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation whose goal is to promote protection and public understanding of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Incorporated in 1995, the Foundation focuses its efforts on conducting research and educating the public about the extraordinary environment and resources of the Central California Coast. As a private organization, the Foundation is able to solicit funds from individuals, public and private entities and has the flexibility to implement programs and projects that complement the NOAA initiatives.

Projects and Programs
Over the past several years the Foundation has been instrumental in research, education and enforcement initiatives for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS).

Research:

• Fiscal sponsorship for ecosystem monitoring initiatives;
  • Science and policy conference
  • Elkhorn Slough research and monitoring program
  • Sanctuary-wide integrated monitoring activities throughout the entire marine ecosystem
• A City of Pacific Grove, CA research project examining the human impacts on tidepools, and many more.

Education:

• Salmon & Steelhead species programs
• Residential youth science camp for ocean and coastal environmental education
• Tidepool education
• Environmental monitoring education for teachers and students
• Publication of the book, Rockfishes of the Northeast Pacific
• Production and distribution of a new map of the MBNMS and surrounding lands
• Vessel traffic education, and much more.

Resource Protection:

• Facilitation of collaborative education and enforcement activities; CA Dept. of Fish & Game, CA State Parks and the MBNMS personnel
• Citizen watershed monitoring network development and coordination
• Agricultural and rural lands “best practices” initiatives, and many other initiatives.

Grant Endorsements and Fiscal Sponsorships
MBSF is organized to solicit and administer grants, donations, and other revenues to support such programs. MBSF does not accept unsolicited grant-making requests. Applicants interested in having MBSF endorse a project or using it as a fiscal sponsor should provide copies of their proposals to MBSF at least eight weeks prior to any grant application deadline. Proposals should clearly identify the goals of the project and the means of accomplishing those goals. They should also include a schedule and budget and identify the organization to which the proposal will be submitted. Administrative costs for grant sponsorship will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Donations
The Foundation accepts tax-deductible donations and gifts from individuals, private foundations and corporations on behalf of the Sanctuary. The Foundation is a public benefit 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Policy on Indirect Rates
The Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation (MBSF) is committed to ensuring that the maximum amount of our funding is spent directly on programs. The organization strives to maintain low levels of overhead, and insists on similar commitments from our program partners.

For grants, contracts and project awards in the SIMoN program and elsewhere, the MBSF has established the following policy related to indirect charges:

1. Solicited Proposals and Projects
   When a proposal or project has been solicited by the MBSF/SIMoN:
   Proposal/Project Total Value Allowable Indirect Rates
   $0-25,000 0-10%
   Above $25,000 0-15%
   
   
2. Unsolicited Proposals and Projects
   When a proposal or project is submitted “unsolicited” to the MBSF/SIMoN, the Allowable Indirect Charges must be between 0 and 10% of the total contract value. In instances where proposals have similar technical merit, preference will be given to the submission with the lowest indirect charge rate, and the highest percentage of program-specific expenses.

Questions regarding this policy should be directed to Dennis J. Long, Executive Director.

For Further Information
If you have any questions about the MBSF, you may email Linda Rosinski (admin@mbnmsf.org) or call (831) 647-4209. If you would like further information about the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, feel free to call the Sanctuary office at (831) 647-4201 or go to their website at http://montereybay.nos.noaa.gov.