Environmental Defense Fund

What Environmental Defense Fund does

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1967 and headquartered in New York, with additional offices in Washington, San Francisco, Austin, Boulder, Boston, and Raleigh, plus regional operations in China, Europe, India, and Brazil. EDF delivers environmental solutions through four reinforcing capabilities: rigorous science, economic analysis, legal advocacy, and partnerships with corporations and governments. It addresses climate change, methane and other super-pollutants, air and water quality, sustainable agriculture and fisheries, chemicals safety, and flood risk.

EDF's core offerings include MethaneSAT, a satellite for quantifying oil-and-gas methane emissions globally; the FireSat satellite constellation (with Earth Fire Alliance) for wildfire detection; EDF Climate Corps, a fellowship placing sustainability professionals in host organizations; EDF+Business, a corporate sustainability partnership platform; and the SAFc Registry, an independent sustainable aviation fuel certificate registry co-developed with RMI and SABA that has surpassed 500,000 metric tons of CO2e abated. Notable proprietary data assets include neighborhood-level air quality mapping developed with Google Street View cars and Kaiser Permanente, and satellite-based agricultural water-use analytics with NASA and the Desert Research Institute.

EDF's revenue model is a diversified nonprofit funding stack: individual donations and memberships (over 3.5 million supporters), foundation and corporate grants, corporate sustainability partnerships with companies such as FedEx, McDonald's, Walmart, Danone, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, and PepsiCo, planned giving and bequests, and program-specific incentive pools such as the $13 million Regenerative Agriculture Finance Program backed by PepsiCo and ADM. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees under CEO Fred Krupp, with no parent company, and operates under Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code as Environmental Defense Fund, Inc., incorporated in New York.

Name

Environmental Defense Fund

Legal name

Environmental Defense Fund, Inc.

Website

https://edf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Environmental Defense Fund is a US-founded nonprofit (est. 1967) that combines science, economics, legal advocacy, and corporate partnerships to deliver climate, clean air, water, and sustainability solutions across nearly 30 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy and Climate Solutions

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Climate / Clean Tech & Decarbonization Funds (FSANAJAA)

Keywords

• Environmental advocacy services
• Climate change solutions
• Methane emissions monitoring
• Corporate sustainability consulting
• Environmental policy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual donations and membership: EDF is funded primarily through contributions from individual donors and members. The organization states it has over 3.5 million members and supporters.
2. Foundation and corporate grants: EDF receives grants from foundations and corporate partners to support specific programs and initiatives.
3. Corporate partnerships: EDF partners with leading companies including FedEx, McDonald's, Walmart, Danone, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, and PepsiCo to develop sustainability solutions that benefit both business and environment.
4. Planned giving and bequests: EDF offers planned gift options allowing donors to include EDF in their wills.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels19 records

Core offering

Environmental Defense Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers practical environmental solutions through scientific research, economic analysis, policy advocacy, legal action, and corporate partnerships. EDF develops satellite-based monitoring platforms (MethaneSAT, FireSat), operates the Climate Corps fellowship program, and engages with corporations and governments to drive measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and ecosystem degradation.

Product overview

Environmental Defense Fund is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) focused on environmental protection and climate solutions rather than a traditional product company. Its offerings consist of advocacy programs, scientific research initiatives, fellowship programs, and satellite-based monitoring platforms. Key offerings include: MethaneSAT (satellite technology for measuring methane emissions globally), FireSat (planned satellite constellation for wildfire tracking), EDF Climate Corps (fellowship program for climate leadership), EDF+Business (corporate sustainability partnership services), and research publications on environmental issues including methane, clean transportation, sustainable agriculture, water security, and climate policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EDF Climate Corps: Fellowship program that places sustainability professionals in organizations to drive environmental improvements.
• EDF+Business
• MethaneSAT
• FireSat
• Tom Graff Fellowships

Products and services

• MethaneSAT A satellite designed to detect and quantify methane emissions from oil and gas production regions worldwide, providing transparency into methane pollution with wide field of view, high precision, and fine spatial resolution.
• FireSat A planned satellite constellation for spotting and tracking wildfires faster and more accurately, advancing global wildfire management through early detection and monitoring capabilities.
• EDF Climate Corps A fellowship program that places skilled professionals in host organizations to advance sustainability initiatives, building climate leadership across businesses and communities.
• EDF+Business A corporate partnership platform providing businesses with EDF's science, policy, and financial expertise to drive sustainability across operations, supply chains, and products.
• Data Center Sustainability Due Diligence Framework A joint research framework providing investors with over 75 due diligence questions on data center environmental and social impacts, covering energy consumption, water usage, and community effects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bald eagle recovered from near extinction in lower 48 states - from a few hundred nesting pairs to hundreds of thousands of birds
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

36 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Soil and Water Outcomes FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund serves as an operational partner in managing the RegenLend program for strip-till equipment financing.
• Soil and Water Outcomes FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund serves as operational partner managing the RegenLend program for strip-till equipment financing.
• Business, finance, government, and civil society partnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026EDF announced participation in London Climate Action Week 2026, hosting and co-hosting multiple events covering methane abatement, net zero standards, climate risk, biofuels, wildfire resilience, and aviation decarbonization.
• World Bank, CCRIF, Regional Risk PoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026EDF advocates for innovations such as World Bank-facilitated platforms and regional risk pools like CCRIF to expand access to catastrophe risk transfer beyond traditional insurance markets.
• NuveencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026EDF and Nuveen co-authored a report providing investors with over 75 due diligence questions on data center environmental and social impacts.
• Confederation of Indian IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026The Confederation of Indian Industry and Environmental Defense Fund launched the Resilient Dairy Alliance to protect India's dairy sector from climate impacts.
• Raya PowerminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025EDF backed Raya Power as a proof of concept, deploying portable solar-battery systems for residential use in Culebra, Puerto Rico.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025NRDC and EDF jointly released a report identifying six funding and financing mechanisms for state and local governments to finance voluntary buyout programs for hazard-prone properties.
• Lloyd's Register Maritime Decarbonisation HubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 July 2025EDF partnered with Lloyd's Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub to advance sustainable finance for maritime shipping decarbonization, hosting a workshop at the International Maritime Organization.
• RMIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023EDF and RMI launched the SAFc Registry in 2023 as an independent not-for-profit registry for sustainable aviation fuel, which has surpassed 500,000 metric tons of CO₂e abated.
• Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023EDF and RMI launched the SAFc Registry in collaboration with the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) and Energy Web.
• KKR and The Carlyle GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF teamed up with KKR and The Carlyle Group to make measuring, managing and improving environmental performance a core part of value creation across the private equity industry.
• BP, ExxonMobil, ShellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF brought together major oil and gas companies in an agreement to reduce some of the most harmful pollution from oil and gas production by as much as 90%.
• FedExcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF corporate partnership with FedEx to improve sustainability and reduce environmental impact in logistics operations.
• McDonald'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF partnership with McDonald's that saved the company and consumers money, reduced packaging and other waste, and made everyday products safer.
• WalmartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF partnership with Walmart that brought big change through supply chain sustainability improvements.
• Danone, General Mills, Kraft HeinzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF partnered with major food companies including Danone, General Mills, and Kraft Heinz to increase sustainability of dairy products.
• Google Street View and Kaiser PermanentecoreTechnology or IntegrationEDF pioneered new technology for high-resolution health risk detection and analysis at the neighborhood level using Google Street View cars in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente.
• Desert Research Institute and NASAcoreTechnology or IntegrationEDF developed satellite-based analysis of agricultural water use, made available to Western farmers to better manage crops, in partnership with Desert Research Institute, NASA and others.
• Earth Fire AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF is advancing wildfire mitigation through the FireSat satellite constellation led by Earth Fire Alliance, a vision for spotting and tracking wildfires faster and more accurately.
• MethaneSATcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF developed MethaneSAT, a satellite designed to quantify methane emissions from oil and gas producing regions worldwide, providing unprecedented transparency into emissions.
• American Public Health Association, American Lung Association, NRDC, Sierra ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF joined with American Public Health Association, American Lung Association, NRDC, and Sierra Club in filing suit challenging EPA's rescission of the Endangerment Finding.
• Union of Concerned ScientistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF and Union of Concerned Scientists sued the DOE over the secret formation of the Climate Working Group, with a federal court ruling the group violated Federal Advisory Committee Act.
• Earthjustice and Clean Air Task ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarthjustice and Clean Air Task Force represent the Sierra Club and 18 other health and environmental organizations in challenging EPA's repeal of the Endangerment Finding and clean vehicle emissions standards.
• Climate Action Network CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF collaborates with Climate Action Network Canada and other environmental groups on climate policy issues.
• India Water Foundation, CICERO, AKO FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF participated in a High-Level Policy Dialogue on water security at SB64 in Bonn, Germany, convened by India Water Foundation in partnership with CICERO and AKO Foundation.
• Kazakhstan Ministry of Ecology, UNEP Climate and Clean Air CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF participates in regional technical roundtables co-organized by Kazakhstan's Ministry of Ecology and the UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition under its Super Pollutants Country Accelerator Programme.
• Cuban scientists, government officials, and fishing communitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF has been working with Cuban scientists, government officials, and fishing communities since 2000 to support sustainable fisheries management, culminating in Cuba passing its first national fisheries law in 2019.
• Clean Energy WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean Energy Works, commissioned by EDF, released a report advising U.S. rural electric cooperatives to proactively plan for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle adoption.
• Tesla, Electrify America, BMWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF joined Tesla, Electrify America, BMW, and others at Trellis Group's VERGE 2024 conference to discuss improving EV charging infrastructure reliability and scalability.
• Black & VeatchcoreTechnology or IntegrationEDF commissioned Black & Veatch to study proactive electric grid upgrades for medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks and buses, yielding cost savings of $20 million in Con Edison's territory.
• Hisham Mundol, Chief Advisor EDF IndiacoreOthersHisham Mundol has over 25 years of experience and leads climate strategy and sustainable development initiatives in India.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF scientists co-authored a paper published in Science with NOAA scientists finding 15% of human-driven global warming stems from indirect atmospheric interactions of pollutants not tracked under international climate treaties.
• Center for NYC Neighborhoods, NYC Mayor's Office, SBP USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF partnered with Center for NYC Neighborhoods and the Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice to help protect vulnerable NYC residents from flood risk.
• Clover SonomacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClover Sonoma is a certified B Corporation and the first regional dairy to join EDF's Dairy Methane Action Alliance, committing to reduce on-farm dairy methane emissions by 10% over three years.
• California Air Resources BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF works with California Air Resources Board on state-level climate policy including cap-and-trade program updates and clean vehicle standards.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights9 records

Direct peers

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): NRDC is a US-based environmental nonprofit advocacy organization operating at similar scale with parallel focus areas (climate, air, water, energy) and frequent co-litigation; one of EDF's closest direct comparables in mission, structure, and donor base.
• The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit with similar scale, science-led approach, and corporate partnership model, though with greater emphasis on land conservation versus EDF's policy/litigation focus.
• Sierra Club: Sierra Club is a US environmental advocacy nonprofit with overlapping climate, clean air, and clean energy programs and a grassroots membership model directly comparable to EDF's.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): WWF is a global environmental nonprofit working on climate, ecosystems, and species protection with comparable international footprint (~30+ countries) and corporate partnership approach.
• Union of Concerned Scientists: UCS is a science-based nonprofit advocacy organization that co-litigates with EDF (e.g., the DOE Climate Working Group case) and shares a research-driven, policy-focused mission across climate and energy.
• Earthjustice: Earthjustice is a nonprofit environmental law organization that frequently co-counsels with EDF on major federal litigation including the Endangerment Finding and methane protections challenges.
• RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute): RMI is a clean-energy-focused nonprofit that co-developed the SAFc Registry with EDF and shares a market-based, corporate-engagement model for decarbonization in energy, transport, and buildings.
• Greenpeace: Greenpeace is a global environmental advocacy organization with a comparable international footprint and climate/forestry focus, but uses a more confrontational campaign model than EDF's science-led corporate engagement.

Emerging players

• Clean Air Task Force: CATF is a smaller, technically-focused nonprofit that collaborates with EDF on methane, power-sector, and clean air litigation and policy, sharing EDF's market-based, technology-driven approach.
• 350.org: 350.org is a grassroots climate advocacy organization that overlaps with EDF on climate mobilization and fossil fuel campaigns but focuses more on mass mobilization and less on scientific research and corporate engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EnvDefenseFund
• Facebookfacebook.com/EnvDefenseFund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/11198
• Instagraminstagram.com/environmental_defense_fund
• TikToktiktok.com/@envdefensefund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments2 records

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Frequently asked questions about Environmental Defense Fund