The California Marine Sanctuary Foundation supports the Monterey Bay and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuaries and California’s statewide network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and works to advance the understanding and protection of many other important coastal and ocean resources in California. The California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (CMSF) was established in 1995. Since inception the Sanctuary Foundation has supported many dozens of projects in education, research, and resource protection for conserving and protecting California’s extraordinary marine environment and resources. The sanctuary foundation is a shining example of the merit of collaboration between public agencies and private organizations.