Why Support CCMI

The Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) has been operating for 25 years in the Cayman Islands. In that time, we have developed a state-of-the-art research programme and a robust calendar of education and outreach programmes that reaches a local as well as international audience. Our mandate is at the centre of everything we do:

To sustain healthy oceans for the future, we need to understand how to protect coral reefs now.

We are a team of scientists, educators, and communicators that recognises that coral reefs are critically important yet threatened ecosystems that require immediate protection. We are committed to understanding the impacts of natural and human-caused threats to biodiversity, including climate change, to create a meaningful pathway toward marine sustainability for the future.

We rely on three main areas of funding to continue our work throughout the year:

• Grants and sponsorships
• Fundraising and donations
• Earned income

As CCMI grows and expands, we look forward to growing our presence and impact as a regional leader in marine research and education. We will continue to invest in the best people and technology to push the boundaries of scientific discovery while bridging the gap between science and society and knowledge and action.

We need your help! CCMI needs funders, volunteers, engaged schools and teachers, and citizen scientists to get involved! Support us as we support coral reefs for the future. Learn more about the many ways to support CCMI HERE. 

If you wish to support a specific project at CCMI, we invite you to read more about our work. Restricted donations can be made online, via bank transfer (link to pdf) or by contacting us at donations@reefresearch.org. We are currently seeking support and sponsorships for the following programmes:

Research: CCMI’s research mission is to understand and promote the resilience of coral reefs to changing environmental conditions

• Restoration
• Healthy Reefs
• Women in Ocean Science Award

Education: CCMI’s education mission is to deliver immersive and transformative educational experiences that promote ocean stewardship, training the next generation of marine scientists and ocean conscious citizens

• Reefs Go Live
• Young Environmentalist Leadership Course (YELC)
• Marine Ecology Course

Coral Fund: CCMI’s Coral Fund capital campaign will support the construction of a new 4,000 sq ft marine education facility and evolve our state-of-the-art labs at the current facility, allowing us to run education and research programmes simultaneously.

CCMI is registered in the U.S. as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (ID# 22-3609293); in the UK (#1104009) and in the Cayman Islands (NP-3). U.S. donations are fully tax-deductible as allowed by law.