Ted Waitt, Founder and President

A Heartfelt Commitment
Ted Waitt established the Waitt Foundation in 1993 to reflect his family’s heartfelt commitment to give back to the community by “helping good people do great things” through research and education. Since then, the foundation has donated over $100 million to non-profit and charitable organizations both at home and abroad.

From Siouxland to San Diego
The foundation’s initial focus was promoting positive change in “at-risk” communities throughout the Siouxland region where Ted was born. After investing millions of dollars in various programs, Ted concluded that the foundation’s work in domestic violence had the most measurable impact on those at risk today.

Moving its headquarters to the San Diego area in 1999, the foundation took advantage of the opportunity to broaden its goals and extend its reach to a new community. The creation of two operating institutes in 2005, the Waitt Institute and the Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention, enabled the foundation to expand its program interests beyond community building initiatives into ocean conservation, exploration and discovery, and scientific innovation.

Our Vision—Protecting & Restoring our Oceans
The Waitt Foundation’s emerging core mission is to protect the earth’s oceans and restore the seas to full productivity. Funding partnerships and projects in conjunction with its grantees and two institutes, the foundation supports a variety of national and international programs with a primary focus on ocean conservation. By raising global awareness through scientific research, education, media, social and policy change, our goal is to reverse the current decline of ocean life while inspiring humanity to make informed choices that contribute to a healthy marine ecosystem. The foundation’s current ocean conservation efforts are focused on creating, strengthening, and expanding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and promoting Sustainable Fishing Practices.

Seeking Bold New Ideas with Sustainable Impact
We are looking for bold new ideas and people with the skills and determination to make a deep, lasting, and sustainable difference throughout the world and in our daily lives. To learn more about our current initiatives and programs, please visit our “Grant Focus” section.

For More Info on the Waitt Foundation, visit its website:  WaittFoundation.org