Contact: Lexie Beach
352-373-6441 or lexie@conserveturtles.org
April 2025
The Sea Turtle Grants Program (STGP), funded by the sale of Florida’s “Helping Sea Turtles Survive” specialty license plate, recently awarded $465,490.36to 24 different projects benefiting Florida sea turtles as part of the 2025-2026 grant funding cycle. Since it’s inception, the Sea Turtle License Plate Grants Program has awarded more than $8 million to conservation projects.
Each year, the Sea Turtle Grants Program distributes money to coastal county governments, educational and research institutions and nonprofit groups through a competitive application process. The sea turtle specialty license plate is also the primary source of funding for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Marine Turtle Protection Program.
The following organizations received grants for their approved projects for the 2025-2026 cycle:
- Florida State Parks Foundation: Safeguarding Sea Turtle Habitats at Sebastian Inlet State Park
- Loggerhead Marinelife Center: Do post-hatchling sea turtles show evidence of plasticosis?
- University of Florida – Whitney Lab: Expanding Capacity for Sea Turtle Rehabilitation in Northeast Florida
- City of Miami Beach: Flip the Switch Phase II
- Inwater Research Group: Empowering Hispanic Communities for Sea Turtle Conservation: A Collaborative Approach to Reduce Plastic Pollution
- Florida State University: The elusive sex: insights into the spatial ecology of male sea turtles and opportunities to inform their conservation – Year 1
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium: Carcass Freezer and Cooler for Clearwater Marine Aquarium
- Sea Turtle Conservancy: Inspiring Stewards and Action Ambassadors to Conserve the Carr Refuge
- University of Central Florida: Year 2: Bringing the UCF Marine Turtle Research Group Database into the 21st Century.
- Sea Turtle Care and Conservation Specialists: Stranding Response Equipment to Enhance Sea Turtle Rescue Efforts
- The Florida Aquarium: Microbiological Incubator and Ventilator Care for Sea Turtle Rehabilitation at The Florida Aquarium
- Brevard Zoo: Maintaining Sea Turtle Healing Center Patient Capacity with Vital Procedural and Treatment Supplies
- The Turtle Hospital: Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Tanks
- Florida State Parks Foundation: Coordinated Conservation: GPS Trimbles to Track Sea Turtle Nesting
- Loggerhead Marinelife Center: Sea Turtle Surgery Support
- Mote Marine Lab: ATVs for Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program Nesting Surveys
- Sea Turtle Conservancy: Empowering Coastal Communities to Reduce Light Pollution
- Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation: Utility Vehicle (UTV) for nest monitoring surveys on Sanibel and Captiva
- Loggerhead Marinelife Center: Nesting parameters and habitat use of green turtles in southeast Florida: Year 1
- Sea Turtle Conservancy: STC Big Bend Sea Turtle Education Initiative
- Florida Leatherbacks Inc.: Long-term monitoring of Florida’s endangered leatherback sea turtle population.
- Florida State University: Behavioral ecology of Kemp’s ridley turtles: insights into the diving, energetics and response of Kemp’s ridleys to stressors
- City of Satellite Beach: Satellite Beach Sea Turtle Lighting Education Program
- Gulf Specimen Marine Lab: Gulf Specimen Marine Lab OnSite Radiography