New York, NY, December 3, 2024 — Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) today announced it has been selected as a winner of the 2024 Amazon Web Services (AWS) IMAGINE Grant, a public grant opportunity open to registered 501(c) nonprofit organizations in the United States who are using technology to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. The grant will enhance WCS’s MERMAID platform, accelerating use of cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools to quickly analyze coral reef underwater images, which supports governments in identifying and protecting the most climate-resilient reefs worldwide.
Now in its seventh year, the AWS IMAGINE Grant provides vital resources to nonprofit organizations looking to deploy cloud technology as a central tool to achieve mission goals. As part of the program, AWS seeks proposals for big ideas on how to leverage cloud technology in new and innovative ways to accelerate impact in local and global communities.
WCS’s MERMAID platform was named a winner in the Go Further, Faster category which recognizes highly innovative projects using advanced cloud services. WCS will receive up to $150,000 in unrestricted funding, up to $100,000 in AWS Promotional Credits, and engagement with AWS technical specialists. Proposals were judged on several factors including the innovative and unique nature of the project, impact on mission-critical goals, and clearly defined outcomes and milestones.
Launched in 2018, MERMAID is a trusted global platform used by >2,000 scientists from 70+ organizations in 46 countries to collect and analyze coral reef data. MERMAID’s goal is “data in, clean data out” in order to help coral reef scientists increase the efficiency of their day-to-day workflows and take the pulse of global coral reef health.
“As climate change and biodiversity loss intensify, coral reefs and the one billion people who depend on them are on the frontlines of global crises. Through our collaboration with AWS, MERMAID will harness cutting-edge machine learning and cloud infrastructure to empower coral reef scientists worldwide, enabling faster analysis and automation of critical underwater monitoring workflows,” said Dr. Emily Darling, Director of Coral Reef Conservation at WCS and co-founder of MERMAID.
“At AWS, we’re inspired by the nonprofit sector’s unwavering commitment to preserving the dignity and health of people and our planet,” said Allyson Fryhoff, managing director of nonprofit and nonprofit health at AWS. “Our Imagine Grant winners are pioneering groundbreaking, technology-driven approaches that will amplify their mission impact and build a more equitable and compassionate world. We are thrilled to work alongside these organizations, helping them leverage the transformative capabilities of the AWS Cloud to bring these projects to life.”
Since the launch of the IMAGINE Grant program in 2018, AWS has awarded over $14M in unrestricted funds, AWS Promotional Credits, and expert technical guidance to over 130 nonprofit organizations in support of their technology-driven goals. Previous winners are currently using AWS services to tackle critical challenges such as eliminating barriers to food security, improving maternal health outcomes, helping millions access clean and safe drinking water globally, tackling rare disease research, and more.
Over 85,000 nonprofit organizations worldwide use AWS to increase their impact and advance mission goals. Through multiple programs tailored specifically to the nonprofit community, AWS enables nonprofits of all sizes to overcome barriers to technology adoption, while enhancing the scale, performance, and capabilities of mission operations.
For more information on the AWS IMAGINE Grant, visit aws.amazon.com/IMAGINE-grant
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About MERMAID
Developed by WCS, MERMAID is the largest global open-source platform for coral reefs that allows scientists anywhere in the world to collect, analyze, and share underwater surveys. MERMAID envisions a future where the world’s most critical climate-resilient coral reefs are identified, monitored, and conserved by 2030 – join us, visit datamermaid.org.
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
WCS combines the power of its zoos and an aquarium in New York City and a Global Conservation Program in more than 50 countries to achieve its mission to save wildlife and wild places. WCS runs the world’s largest conservation field program, protecting more than 50 percent of Earth’s known biodiversity; in partnership with governments, Indigenous People, Local Communities, and the private sector. It’s four zoos and aquarium (the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and the New York Aquarium ) welcome more than 3.5 million visitors each year, inspiring generations to care for nature. Visit: newsroom.wcs.org. Follow: @WCSNewsroom. For more information: +1 (347) 840-1242. Listen to the WCS Wild Audio podcast HERE.
