Moonjelly Foundation supports Indigenous-led stewardship of land and sea through shared knowledge and applied research.

We work alongside Indigenous academics and local leaders to:

*Co-design place-based research

*Unlock funding communities can actually access

*Apply science in ways that support ancestral decision-making

READ THE MOONJELLY FUNDING DECLARATION

Jellyfish reflecting Indigenous approaches to food systems, ocean health, and community resilience in the Pacific

The ocean holds most of the planet’s biodiversity, yet the communities who protect it remain under-supported.

Moonjelly exists to close that gap - by aligning knowledge, funding, and decision-making with the people closest to place. Moonjelly is not a single project - it’s a working model built over years of trust with Indigenous leaders, scientists, and local communities.

Current work spans the Pacific and beyond - centered on knowledge exchange and applied research with Indigenous leaders and academics in the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Taiwan, Colombia, and Hawaiʻi.

Jellyfish symbolizing Indigenous-led ocean stewardship and long-term ecological restoration across Pacific communities

Moon jellyfish representing non-extractive Indigenous knowledge systems supporting ocean health, food security, and community well-being

We work bottom up.

Support … community-defined priorities and Indigenous leadership

Co-design … simplified funding mechanisms

Strengthen … traditional local governance through cross-cultural knowledge exchange

Connect … through peer-to-peer learning between Indigenous communities

Commit … to long-term presence beyond grant cycles

Jellyfish used to convey Indigenous research partnerships focused on Pacific ecosystems, ancestral decision-making, and restoration

A close-up of a white mushroom with steam rising above it against a white background.

Moon jellyfish symbolizing trust-based Indigenous conservation and long-term stewardship of land, sea, and community health

Moonjelly Academy is the living expression of our work - bringing together years of trust-based practice across Indigenous communities in the Pacific.

What began as immersive relationship-building, peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, Indigenous governance circles, applied science, food systems work, and place-based stewardship now functions as one integrated learning and action program.

The Academy supports communities to:

Share knowledge horizontally and cross-culturally
Use knowledge to strengthen Indigenous governance and decision-making
Apply scientific tools in service of traditional leaders
Care for land, sea, and food systems as living infrastructure
Commit to long-term stewardship of place

Moonjelly Academy focuses its work on building collaborations between Indigenous academics and scholars within its network - between each other, with local communities, and the global scientific world.

We are Moonjelly.

Lau Hala symbolizing trust-based Indigenous conservation and long-term stewardship of land, sea, and community health

Moonjelly Academy

Redefining Conservation Through Trust

Symbol of trust, respect, and humility amongst Indigenous and non-Indigenous funding and research practices

The Moonjelly Navigator Circle

Indigenous-Guided

Moonjelly works with Indigenous academics and leaders through the Moonjelly Navigator Circle to unlock resources and build knowledge sharing and community among Indigenous knowledge holders.

The Navigator Fund supports this work by directing financial and technical resources in ways defined by Indigenous leaders and knowledge holders.

Read our Declaration and learn more about how Moonjelly is redefining trust-based funding for Indigenous ocean action