Gulf of Mexico Foundation facts for kids

The Gulf of Mexico Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1990 by citizens concerned with the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico.

Programs

Based in Corpus Christi, Texas, the Foundation operates several programs to protect the fragile Gulf of Mexico. These include a Habitat and Conservation Team, teacher workshops on the wetlands, GMF science and Spanish clubs for high school students, and a Gulf of Mexico Summit conducted in conjunction with Mexican organizations.

Management

The Foundation is led by Quenton Dokken, director, a marine biologist. Its board of directors is led by president Paul Kelly, a former senior executive at Rowan Companies. Other board members are executives from Shell Oil Company, ConocoPhillips, Transocean oil drilling firm, and legal, environmental and marketing firms. At least half of the 19 board of directors have ties to the offshore oil drilling industry.

Funding

The Foundation has a reported $2 million annual budget, and one-quarter of its funding comes from corporations, including oil and gas companies. While the remaining, three-quarters comes from state and federal government grants. The foundation website provides the most prominent credit to oil and gas companies.