Following Seas Marine Impact Research, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation located in Charleston, SC, USA. Along with grants and support from our founders, we also rely on individual donations and corporate sponsorships. Learn how you can help support our microplastics research.
Microplastics are among the biggest challenges we face today. While microplastics themselves are small—with the smallest being invisible to the naked eye—they permeate our environment and the global food chain. As a result, they pose health risks to numerous species, including humans.
Yet, not much is being done.
Why? Part of the reason is a lack of knowledge. Research on microplastics—and marine microplastics in particular—is still in its infancy. Without clear documentation of the scope of the problem and its effects, it is difficult to effectively advocate for change. While plastic recycling programs help mitigate the volume of plastic waste in our oceans to an extent, they do not address the fact that all plastic products shed microplastics that are too small and too pervasive to be captured at scale. As a result, the global microplastics problem is continuing to get worse, and gathering data is an essential step for convincing governmental and corporate entities that change is necessary.
How You Can Help Support Our Efforts to Report on the Global Microplastics Problem
If you are interested in making a difference, what can you do to help?
We accept donations from individuals and corporate sponsorships from organizations of all sizes. All funds we receive through donations and sponsorships are used to directly support our work. Some of the primary ways we use the funds we receive from sponsors and donors include:
- Microplastics sampling equipment (i.e., trawls, nets, collection bags, and water testing tools)
- Microplastics sampling costs (i.e., fuel, transportation, and vessel rentals when necessary)
- Laboratory equipment (i.e., microscopes and other tools needed to clean and analyze samples)
- Laboratory consumables (i.e., petri dishes and cleaning solutions)
- Vessel maintenance and storage (i.e., cleaning, repairs, insurance, and storage fees)
- Community engagement and outreach (i.e., attending conferences and printing booklets)
- Education and citizen science (i.e., funding internships and prototyping trawls and equipment)
If you are interested in donating to support microplastics research, we offer a few different options. These include options to donate funds or equipment directly, options to purchase our plastic-free Following Seas merchandise, and corporate sponsorship opportunities:
Donate to Support Our On-the-Water Microplastics Research
We accept donations to support our microplastics research through our website. You can visit our donations page to learn more. We are grateful for all donations we receive, including both financial donations and donations of equipment on our wish list.
Many companies match their employees’ donations to non-profit organizations. If your employer has a matching program, we encourage you to submit your donation to your employer for matching.
Buy Our Plastic-Free Merchandise
We also sell branded plastic-free merchandise, and we use all sales revenue in the same way that we use financial donations. Our Shop currently includes long-sleeve and short-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, hats, tote bags, a field notebook, and biodegradable phone cases.
Corporate Sponsorships Supporting Microplastics Research
Within our corporate sponsorship program, we offer five tiers of sponsorship opportunities. Each tier comes with added benefits; and, at the $10,000+ level, we custom-tailor sponsorships to companies’ specific goals in supporting our microplastics research.
Donations to Following Seas Are Tax-Deductible
Following Seas Marine Impact Research, Inc. is a South Carolina non-profit corporation and a registered 501(c)(3) private operating foundation. Donations to our organization are deductible under Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. Many states allow individuals and companies to deduct donations on their state tax returns as well.
See Your Donations in Action
Once you donate to support our microplastics research, we encourage you to follow along to see your donations in action. To keep up with our work, you can:
- Follow us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on LinkedIn
- Join our mailing list (enter your email address below)
About Following Seas Marine Impact Research, Inc.
At Following Seas Marine Impact Research, Inc., we are studying the global microplastics problem through on-the-water sampling and data analysis. Our goal is to provide other organizations with the data and science they need to advocate for change and implement clean-up solutions. We are also developing standards for citizen-scientists who are interested in gathering data where they live. We thank you for your interest in supporting our organization and contributing to the future of microplastics research and advocacy.