Why Give?

When you give a gift to the Aquarium Fund, you help us maintain exhibits and care for thousands of animals, provide educational offerings, conduct research and conservation activities, and operate our nationally recognized Stranding Response Program.

Aquarium Fund

The Aquarium Fund provides vital support to help maintain exhibits and care for thousands of animals, provide educational offerings to visitors, offer outreach programs to schools, conduct research and conservation activities, and operate our nationally recognized Stranding Response Program.

Corporate Partnerships

You are invited to partner with the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation in supporting the conservation of the marine environment through education, research, and sustainable practices, through a corporate partnership gift. Corporate Partnerships help you achieve corporate social responsibility and strategic philanthropy goals, provide fun opportunities for you to share with employees and clients, and support the Aquarium’s critical role in our community.

Event Sponsorships

Support the Virginia Aquarium while receiving recognition for your company or organization. Sponsorships are available for annual events such as Ocean Commotion, Virginia Aquarium Golf Classic, or the Turtle Trot. Contact the Development Office at 757-385-0260 to learn more about sponsorship levels.

Restricted Gifts

As of July 1, 2022, a gift fee of 3% will be applied to all restricted gifts for current purposes to support the accounting and processing of such gifts for the Foundation. Gifts for capital purposes and the endowment will not have the gift fee applied.

Stranding Response Program

Since the program’s inception more than 30 years ago, the VAQ Stranding Response Program has responded to more than 3,000 marine mammals and 5,000 sea turtle strandings. Averaging nearly 350 per year, strandings in Virginia have included: four species of seals, including harbor and harp seals; 27 species of cetaceans, including harbor porpoise, bottlenose dolphin, humpback whale, and right whale; Florida manatee; and five species of sea turtles, including loggerhead and Kemp’s ridley turtles.

The Stranding Response Program is supported primarily by donations from the community, corporations, and grant-making organizations. Rehabilitation can be costly, so gifts are always appreciated. Make a tax-deductible donation to support this vital conservation work!

Endowment

Building an endowment generates annual, consistent support for animal care and exhibits, education programs, and research and conservation.