Environmental Defenders

What Environmental Defenders does

Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a grassroots, membership-based nonprofit organization founded in 1971 in Woodstock, Illinois, dedicated to preserving natural areas, protecting natural resources, and educating the local community and government on environmental issues. The organization operates with 1-10 employees and focuses exclusively on McHenry County, Illinois, where it has built a 55-year operating history as a volunteer-driven environmental advocacy body. Its work is organized around multiple community action teams covering recycling, waste reduction, water and natural resource protection, transportation, outreach, and fundraising.

The organization's service portfolio spans recycling programs (Styrofoam Recycling at Algonquin Township Road District, County Recycling Drives, and Curbside Composting advocacy), prairie and habitat restoration (Monthly Restoration Workdays at Sterne's Fen and Dean Street Property, the Roadside Prairie Habitat Project, and stewardship of four prairies), watershed protection (Paddle the Kish water trail, river clean-ups in their 14th year, and Stream Crossing Signage), food waste reduction (Community Fridges and Community Composting at Blue Lotus Temple), and clean energy (the Energy for Everyone solar farm initiative via Solar for All). Educational outreach includes the BMP Talk and Tour Series, the annual Pollinator Week, and the Conversacion de Conservacion program targeting the Latino community. Resources include the 2026 Recycling Calendar, 2026 Green Guide (McHenry County Recycling Directory), the quarterly EarthConnect newsletter, and The Margaret Marchi Environmental Library.

The business model is that of a charitable nonprofit: revenue is not disclosed but is generated through memberships (with a special $20/year rate), individual donations, grassroots fundraising events (Use-It-Again Garage Sale, Big Fall Book Sale), branded merchandise, and small recurring grants from The Community Foundation for McHenry County ($20,000-$24,600 annually in 2021-2023). Core operational partnerships with McHenry County departments (Planning and Development, Health, Division of Transportation) and township road districts underwrite program delivery. There is no software product, no proprietary technology, no app, and no AI/ML components; all programs are delivered through direct community engagement, physical drop-off sites, and volunteer events.

Name

Environmental Defenders

Legal name

Environmental Defenders of McHenry County

Website

https://mcdef.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a 55-year-old grassroots nonprofit in Woodstock, Illinois, operating volunteer-driven programs in recycling, prairie restoration, watershed protection, food waste reduction, and environmental education for McHenry County residents and local government.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy and Community Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950), Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Pollution Prevention & Toxics Reduction (BPAGAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK), Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL)

Keywords

• Community recycling programs
• Watershed protection services
• Prairie restoration programs
• Environmental education outreach
• Waste reduction initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodstock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a grassroots, volunteer-driven nonprofit that delivers community environmental programs in McHenry County, Illinois. Its core offering is organized across recycling services (Styrofoam Recycling Program, County Recycling Drives, Curbside Composting advocacy), habitat and watershed restoration (Monthly Restoration Workdays, Manage Four Prairies, Roadside Prairie Habitat Project, Paddle the Kish, River Clean-ups, Stream Crossing Signage), food waste reduction (Community Fridge, Community Composting), clean energy (Solar for All / Energy for Everyone), and educational outreach (BMP Talk and Tour Series, Pollinator Week, Conversacion de Conservacion, the Margaret Marchi Environmental Library, EarthConnect Newsletter, Green Guide and Recycling Calendar).

Product overview

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a grassroots non-profit organization offering community-focused environmental programs and events rather than a technology product. The organization's portfolio includes recycling initiatives (Styrofoam Recycling Program, County Recycling Drives, Curbside Composting), prairie and habitat restoration programs (Monthly Restoration Workdays, Roadside Prairie Habitat Project, Manage Four Prairies), watershed protection efforts (Paddle the Kish, River Clean-ups, Stream Crossing Signage), food waste reduction (Community Fridge, Community Composting), and educational events (BMP Talk and Tour Series, Pollinator Week, Blueberry Awards). The organization also provides resources including the 2026 Recycling Calendar, 2026 Green Guide, EarthConnect Newsletter, and The Margaret Marchi Environmental Library. Annual fundraising events include the Use-It-Again Garage Sale and Big Fall Book Sale. All programs are membership-based and volunteer-driven, aimed at preserving natural areas and educating the McHenry County community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Styrofoam Recycling Program A drop-off recycling program for Styrofoam operated at 3702 US-14, Crystal Lake, open Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am–2pm, serving McHenry County residents seeking an option for hard-to-recycle packaging.
• 2026 Recycling Calendar Annual downloadable recycling calendar providing McHenry County residents with scheduled recycling dates and information throughout 2026.
• 2026 Green Guide (McHenry County Recycling Directory) The annual McHenry County Recycling Directory providing comprehensive recycling information and resources for county residents.
• EarthConnect Newsletter Quarterly digital newsletter delivered to members and the community with environmental news, event announcements, and organizational updates.
• Community Fridge Community refrigerator initiative that reduces food waste while addressing food insecurity for McHenry County residents.
• Community Composting Community compost drop-off site hosted at Blue Lotus Temple in Woodstock, allowing residents to divert food waste from landfills.
• Energy for Everyone (Solar for All) Solar farm initiative planned for the Dean Street property in Woodstock through the Solar for All program, intended to expand clean energy access for McHenry County residents.
• Conversacion de Conservacion Collaborative outreach program offering conservation education tailored to the Latino community in McHenry County.
• County Recycling Drives Recycling drives organized in partnership with the McHenry County Department of Health for items not accepted in curbside recycling programs.
• Paddle the Kish Water trail project that clears the Kishwaukee River of debris to create a passable paddling route through McHenry County, partnered with Paddle On! Outfitters for rentals.
• River Clean-ups Annual and ad-hoc volunteer clean-up events that protect the local watershed while engaging community members with local waterways.
• Stream Crossing Signage Grant-supported partnership with McHenry County Division of Transportation to build and place watershed indicator signs across streams, creeks, and rivers throughout the county.
• Monthly Restoration Workdays Monthly volunteer workdays at Sterne's Fen and the Dean Street Property in Woodstock focused on clearing invasive species and restoring native habitat.
• Roadside Prairie Habitat Project

Quantifiable outcome

• 14th year of It's Our River Day celebration and river clean-ups in McHenry County
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 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 minor and core.

• Solar for AllminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Program through which Defenders plans to build a small solar farm on its Dean Street property in Woodstock.
• McHenry County Department of Planning and DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership for BMP (Best Management Practices) Talk and Tour educational events. Collaborates on natural landscaping initiatives for commercial properties.
• McHenry County Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with the County's Department of Health in organizing and publicizing recycling drives for non-curbside recycling items.
• McHenry County Division of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant-supported partnership to build and place watershed indicator signs across all streams, creeks and rivers throughout McHenry County.
• Algonquin Township Road DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts the Styrofoam Recycling Program location at 3702 US-14, Crystal Lake. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am-2pm. Also hosts annual Use-It-Again Garage Sales and Big Fall Book Sales.
• McHenry Township Road DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for roadside prairie habitat restoration. Four miles planted with native plants for pollinators through this collaboration.
• Paddle On! OutfittersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKayak rental and shuttle service for Paddle the Kish river outings. Provides equipment rental with $10 of each rental going back to the Environmental Defenders to support their mission.
• Blue Lotus TempleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts community composting drop-off site at their Woodstock location.
• Friends of Hackmatack NWRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on pollinator garden establishment and Silver Creek Streambank restoration at the County Fairgrounds.
• Bluestem Ecological ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented at BMP Talk and Tour events on natural landscaping topics.
• Sebert LandscapingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented at BMP Talk and Tour events on natural landscaping for commercial properties.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Friends of the Chicago River: A larger, more established Chicago-focused watershed nonprofit running river clean-ups, advocacy, and education programs. Comparable in watershed-protection mission but operates at greater scale and on a different waterway than the Defenders' Kishwaukee River focus.
• Openlands: A regional Chicago-area land conservation and advocacy nonprofit with a broader portfolio of land protection, restoration, and policy work. A larger incumbent in the same regional environmental conservation space.
• The Nature Conservancy (Illinois): A major global conservation organization with an active Illinois program conducting land protection and habitat restoration. Overlaps with the Defenders' prairie and watershed work but operates at vastly greater scale and funding capacity.
• Sierra Club Illinois Chapter: The Illinois chapter of a national environmental advocacy organization. Comparable in grassroots advocacy and conservation programming, but operates at much greater scale with statewide reach — competes for the same volunteer and donor pool.
• Audubon Great Lakes: The regional Great Lakes affiliate of the National Audubon Society, focused on bird habitat, watershed protection, and pollinator conservation. Comparable in habitat-restoration and pollinator-program focus (e.g., Defenders' roadside prairie and Pollinator Week activities).

Direct peers

• Prairie Rivers Network: An Illinois nonprofit protecting prairie, wetlands, rivers, and streams through advocacy, education, and on-the-ground restoration. Strongly comparable in watershed protection, prairie restoration, and grassroots advocacy — overlapping almost entirely with several Defenders initiatives.
• McHenry County Conservation District: The county-level government conservation agency serving the same McHenry County geography. It is the most direct geographic peer, operating nature preserves, restoration sites, and environmental education programs that overlap with the Defenders' prairie restoration, watershed, and education initiatives.
• The Conservation Foundation: A DuPage/Kane/Kendall/Will-based nonprofit dedicated to conservation and environmental education across Illinois. Highly comparable mission, member-supported model, and education-and-restoration program mix — the closest regional peer in structure and scale.
• Natural Land Institute: A regional Illinois/Upper Midwest land conservation nonprofit protecting natural areas through land acquisition and stewardship. Highly comparable in mission, member-supported model, and habitat-restoration activities.

Regional players

• Lake County Forest Preserves: A neighboring Illinois county-level conservation and education organization with similar programs in habitat restoration, environmental education, and volunteer-driven stewardship. Closely comparable in geographic scope and program mix but operates in adjacent Lake County rather than McHenry County.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/envirodefmc
• Facebookfacebook.com/EnvironmentalDefenders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Environmental Defenders