Clean Water Fund

What Clean Water Fund does

Clean Water Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1974 and headquartered at 1444 Eye Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC. It develops grassroots environmental leadership and brings together diverse constituencies to work cooperatively on cleaner water, cleaner air, and protection from toxic pollution in homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces. The organization operates locally-staffed environmental and health protection programs across more than 15 U.S. states, with offices in Washington DC, Boston, Mount Clemens (Michigan), Elizabeth (New Jersey), Philadelphia, and Providence.

Its core programmatic offerings include ReThink Disposable (a waste-reduction program that partners with schools, restaurants, and music venues to replace single-use foodware with reusables), the We All Live Downstream podcast (available on Spotify, iTunes, and Google Play covering drinking water, climate, environmental justice, plastic pollution, and toxic chemicals), the NC Pipeline Watch initiative monitoring the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project, and a publications library of reports and fact sheets. Sub-branded campaigns include Get The Lead Out (lead exposure reduction) and Preventing PFAS Pollution. Programs reach more than one million households annually through field and phone canvassing, email, events, and digital outreach, and complement those of Clean Water Action, a related 501(c)(4) nonprofit with approximately one million members that helped develop, pass, and defend major U.S. environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act.

The revenue model is philanthropic and diversified across individual donations, foundation grants, workplace giving, leadership giving ($1,000+ tier), planned giving (IRA, bequest, beneficiary designations), stock and cryptocurrency gifts, and micro-donations through the SurveyMonkey Contribute partnership (which has generated more than $1 million cumulatively from nearly 500,000 participants). Go-to-market relies on direct-to-consumer outreach (canvassing, phone, email, digital donations) plus event-driven engagement (rallies, legislative sessions, virtual donor briefings). The organization holds a Charity Navigator 4-Star rating and the GuideStar by Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, and serves 101–250 employees per firmographics.

Name

Clean Water Fund

Legal name

Clean Water Fund

Website

https://cleanwaterfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Clean Water Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1974 and headquartered in Washington, DC, running locally-staffed environmental and health protection programs in more than 15 U.S. states. Its canvassing, education, and policy advocacy reach over one million households annually on clean water, clean air, and toxic pollution issues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI), Environmental Public Health (Food Safety, Water Quality, Sanitation) (BPAIAJAE), Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Environmental advocacy
• Clean water protection
• Toxic pollution prevention
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Grassroots organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting clean water and environmental causes. Clean Water Fund programs reach more than one million households each year through outreach, education, organizing, advocacy, and policy action.
2. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations and charitable organizations. Development Manager position manages foundation fundraising, grant writing, and compliance reporting.
3. Workplace Giving: Matching gifts from employers and payroll deduction programs. Many employers match donations or allow payroll deduction for charitable giving.
4. Leadership Giving Program: Donations of $1,000 or more with virtual donor briefings, events, and staff engagement opportunities.
5. Micro-donations via SurveyMonkey: Partnership with SurveyMonkey Contribute program has generated over $1 million in micro-donations from nearly half a million participants.
6. Planned Giving: IRA donations, gifts by will or bequest, beneficiary designations on insurance and retirement accounts, and legacy giving programs.
7. Stock and Crypto Donations: Accepts gifts of stock, cryptocurrency, and appreciated assets with potential tax advantages for donors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Clean Water Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs grassroots environmental advocacy and education programs to protect clean water, clean air, and communities from toxic pollution. Its offerings include the ReThink Disposable waste-reduction program for schools and food service, the We All Live Downstream Podcast, NC Pipeline Watch, and a publications library, complemented by policy advocacy and coalition-building across more than 15 states.

Product overview

Clean Water Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates programs focused on environmental advocacy and education rather than a unified software product. Its primary offerings include the ReThink Disposable waste-reduction program, the We All Live Downstream podcast produced in partnership with Clean Water Action, the NC Pipeline Watch monitoring initiative, and a publications library containing reports, fact sheets, and newsletters on environmental issues. The organization works at local, state, and national levels to protect water resources, reduce toxic pollution, and promote clean energy solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• We All Live Downstream Podcast: A Clean Water Action Podcast featuring interviews with leading environmental and clean water activists about their work in the field, covering topics from drinking water and climate change to environmental justice, plastic pollution, and toxic chemicals.
• ReThink Disposable
• Get The Lead Out
• Preventing PFAS Pollution

Products and services

• ReThink Disposable

Quantifiable outcome

• ReThink Disposable case study: El Metate Restaurant reduced 493,711 disposable foodware items per year and saved $8,957 annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Clean Water ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean Water Fund programs build upon and complement those of Clean Water Action, a one million member national 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization. Clean Water Action has helped develop, pass, strengthen and defend the nation's major water and toxics laws. Both organizations work together on selected campaigns and programs.
• SurveyMonkey ContributeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerClean Water Fund's long-running partnership with SurveyMonkey's Contribute program has passed a major milestone of $1 million donated to Clean Water Fund through micro-donations from participants taking surveys.
• Source Water CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean Water Fund participates in the Source Water Collaborative, a coalition of national organizations working to protect America's drinking water at the source. Co-Chaired by Lynn Thorp of Clean Water Action and Deirdre White of Association of State Drinking Water Administrators.
• Alliance for a Healthy TomorrowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMassachusetts coalition focused on preventing harm from toxic chemicals. Partnered on PFAS contamination costs report and Toxic Free Kids legislation.
• Safer StatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational alliance of environmental health organizations working on toxic chemical policy. Partnered on Massachusetts PFAS contamination costs report.
• Healthy Legacy Coalition (Minnesota)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinnesota public health coalition co-founded by Clean Water Action to address toxic chemicals in consumer products and environment, working to fight for safer chemicals and policy changes.
• Coalition for a Safe and Healthy ConnecticutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnecticut coalition that led the drive to pass numerous policies including bans on toxic BPA in food containers and baby bottles, and landmark PFAS legislation in 2024.
• PlasticFreeRestaurants.orgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner providing donations of reusable food service equipment to schools for ReThink Disposable program. Bedford Public Schools received trays through this partnership.
• AhimsaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupplier of stainless steel reusable trays used by schools participating in ReThink Disposable program including Nuestro Mundo Public Charter School and Brown Avenue Elementary School.
• Redwood MaterialsminorOthersBattery recycling company featured in educational content about e-waste and recycling. Redwood Materials has 70% market share of lithium ion battery recycling in the US.
• University of Minnesota ReUse ProgramminorOthersPartnership with UMN ReUse Program for electronics reuse and recycling education in Minnesota, working to reduce e-waste and protect water quality.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Club: The largest US grassroots environmental nonprofit; competes for the same individual donors and policy influence on water, climate, and toxics, but with a much broader multi-issue portfolio and larger member base.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Major environmental advocacy nonprofit with overlapping water, toxics, and climate work; competes for foundation grants and policy influence, particularly on PFAS and Clean Water Act enforcement.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): Large science-based environmental advocacy group with substantial water-quality and PFAS programs; competes for the same corporate, foundation, and major-donor funding pools.

Direct peers

• Friends of the Earth: National environmental advocacy group with overlapping toxic-chemicals, food, and water work; competes for similar grassroots donors and engages in the same national coalition spaces.
• Earthjustice: Public-interest environmental law organization that frequently litigates Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act cases, complementing and sometimes overlapping with Clean Water Fund's policy and coalition work.
• Clean Water Action: The closely affiliated 501(c)(4) sibling organization with 1 million members that Clean Water Fund's programs complement; they share staff, campaigns, and coalition leadership on water and toxics policy, functioning as a single advocacy ecosystem.
• Environment America: Federation of state-level environmental advocacy groups using canvass-driven fundraising and grassroots organizing; operates a nearly identical field and state-based model competing for the same donor and volunteer pool.
• Waterkeeper Alliance: Coalition of local water advocates focused on clean water enforcement, making it a direct functional and ecosystem peer in the same grassroots water-protection space.

Emerging players

• Plastic Pollution Coalition: Smaller advocacy organization focused on single-use plastics and waste reduction that aligns tightly with Clean Water Fund's ReThink Disposable program and shares overlapping coalition partners.
• U.S. PIRG (Public Interest Research Groups): Federation of state-level consumer and environmental advocacy groups that shares field-canvass infrastructure and overlaps on toxics and water-policy campaigns, especially in Massachusetts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Cleanh2oFund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clean-water-fund-inc
• Xx.com/cleanh2ofund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clean Water Fund