What Chesapeake Climate Action Network does

Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded on July 1, 2002, by journalist and environmental advocate Mike Tidwell with a seed grant from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Headquartered in Takoma Park, Maryland, CCAN is the first and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to fighting climate change across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. The organization combines direct community organizing with policy analysis, lobbying, media outreach, and litigation to advance clean energy legislation, block fossil-fuel infrastructure, and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions at the state and federal levels. It operates a two-entity structure in which its 501(c)(4) sister organization, CCAN Action Fund, conducts legislative lobbying and electoral engagement while the parent 501(c)(3) runs grassroots organizing and education campaigns.

CCAN's programmatic offerings span three state-specific campaign tracks (Maryland, Virginia, D.C.) plus a federal policy track, supported by five physical offices (Takoma Park, Baltimore, Richmond, Norfolk, and Fairfax) and a network of regional action teams. Its campaigns target renewable portfolio standards, building decarbonization, data-center energy reform, offshore wind, battery storage, virtual power plants, and opposition to fossil-fuel infrastructure (pipeline fights, fracking bans). Recent signature legislative wins include Maryland's Climate Solutions Now Act (2022), the Next Generation Energy Act (2025), Virginia's Community Energy Act (2025), and successful defenses in 2026 of Montgomery County's all-electric building code and Maryland's Building Energy Performance Standards. Beyond policy, the September 2024 launch of the Tree Rescue Team with Casey Trees extends CCAN into direct urban-forest restoration in MD and DC.

CCAN is funded primarily through individual donations (including a recurring Climate Protector Program, Donor-Advised Funds, Charitable IRA Distributions, and Gifts of Stock) and foundation grants. The organization has earned a 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (GuideStar) and a Four-Star Charity Navigator rating. Leadership combines state and federal campaign directors with a Deputy Director/General Counsel, a Fundraising Director, a Communications Director, and a Board whose members include former NOAA, EPA, and World Meteorological Organization officials, academic climate scientists, and environmental-justice organizers. There are no technology products or services; CCAN's "deliverables" are policy outcomes, coalition campaigns, and trained community organizers.

Name

Chesapeake Climate Action Network

Legal name

Chesapeake Climate Action Network

Website

https://chesapeakeclimate.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chesapeake Climate Action Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 that runs grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, and coalition campaigns to advance climate legislation and block fossil-fuel infrastructure across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Advocacy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

Keywords

• Climate advocacy
• Grassroots organizing
• Environmental policy
• Clean energy campaigns
• Fossil fuel opposition

Headquarters

HQ city

Takoma Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations from supporters, including Climate Protector Program, Donor-Advised Fund, Charitable IRA Distributions, Gifts of Stock, and other giving mechanisms
2. Foundation Grants: Foundation funding including seed grant from Rockefeller Brothers Fund at founding in 2002

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is a grassroots nonprofit that organizes communities and builds coalitions to pass climate legislation, stop fossil fuel infrastructure, and advance clean energy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. It combines direct community organizing with policy analysis, lobbying, media outreach, and litigation through its sister organization CCAN Action Fund. Its programmatic offerings include the Tree Rescue Team volunteer program and recurring donor programs such as the Climate Protector Program.

Product overview

Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is a grassroots nonprofit climate action organization, not a technology product company. It does not offer commercial software products or technology services. Its offerings consist of advocacy campaigns, grassroots organizing programs, and policy initiatives focused on climate action in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC. Key programmatic offerings include the CCAN Action Fund (its legislative advocacy arm), the Tree Rescue Team (invasive species removal program), and various campaign initiatives covering renewable energy, building electrification, data center reform, and environmental justice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CCAN Action Fund: Sister organization focused on legislative advocacy, voter education, and electoral engagement

Products and services

• Maryland Climate Campaign
• Virginia Climate Campaign
• DC Climate Campaign
• National Climate Campaign
• CCAN Action Fund (Legislative Advocacy Arm)
• Tree Rescue Team (Invasive Vines Removal Program)
• Climate Protector Program (Recurring Donor Program)
• CCAN Membership Program
• Regional Climate Action Teams
• Summer Skill-Up Educational Series
• New Member Orientation

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped pass 50% renewable electricity law in Maryland and 100% clean energy standards in Virginia and DC
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• EarthjusticemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026Earthjustice filed an amicus brief supporting CCAN in the U.S. District Court case upholding Montgomery County's Comprehensive Building Decarbonization Ordinance. Earthjustice filed on behalf of Sierra Club and Chesapeake Climate Action Network.
• Sierra ClubmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026Sierra Club joined Earthjustice in filing an amicus brief supporting CCAN in the court case upholding Montgomery County's all-electric building code.
• CCAN Action FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCAN Action Fund is the sister organization of CCAN that handles advocacy and lobbying work. While CCAN focuses on grassroots organizing and education, CCAN Action Fund handles legislative campaigns, voter engagement, and participates in the electoral process to move climate policy forward.
• Casey TreescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCAN's Tree Rescue Team partners with Casey Trees in Prince George's County, MD and Washington, DC to mobilize volunteers to remove invasive vines from trees and restore urban forests.
• Virginia Sierra ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCAN works with Virginia Sierra Club on joint campaigns including rallies against Dominion Energy-NextERA merger and opposing the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
• Friends of ChesterfieldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCAN partnered with Friends of Chesterfield and Virginia Sierra Club to rally against the Dominion Energy-NextERA merger.
• POWHR CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCAN partners with POWHR Coalition and Artivism Virginia on opposition to the Mountain Valley Pipeline's MVP Boost Project and Swann Compressor Station.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sierra Club: Largest U.S. grassroots environmental organization. Co-filed an amicus brief with CCAN supporting Montgomery County's all-electric building ordinance, making it the closest direct comparable in scale of climate advocacy and litigation posture.
• Earthjustice: National environmental law organization that filed the amicus brief on behalf of Sierra Club and CCAN. Direct litigation partner and peer in climate-policy advocacy, especially on building decarbonization and fossil-fuel infrastructure fights.
• Environment America (and Environment Virginia): Federated state-based environmental advocacy network (Environment Virginia is cited as a CCAN staff alumnus). Directly comparable as a state-level climate and clean-energy advocacy organization using grassroots organizing and policy campaigns.
• Citizens' Climate Lobby: Bipartisan grassroots climate advocacy organization with federal and state chapters. A board member of CCAN (Andres Jimenez) formerly led government affairs at CCL; comparable volunteer-led federal/state climate policy model.
• 350.org: International grassroots climate movement organization. Directly comparable as a movement-building, volunteer-driven climate advocacy group; CCAN's board includes a 350 Loudoun chair.
• Maryland League of Conservation Voters (Maryland LCV): State-level environmental political and advocacy organization in Maryland. Closely aligned with CCAN's Maryland policy work (Climate Solutions Now Act, BEPS) and electoral engagement.
• Virginia League of Conservation Voters (Virginia LCV): Virginia-based environmental political organization. Direct counterpart on CCAN's Virginia campaigns (Virginia Clean Economy Act, data-center reform, Mountain Valley Pipeline opposition).

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Large national environmental advocacy and litigation organization; CCAN's deputy director Anne Havemann previously clerked at NRDC. NRDC is a larger incumbent in the same climate-policy and litigation space.
• Greenpeace USA: National high-profile environmental advocacy and campaigning organization. Comparable in mobilization, media strategy, and fossil-fuel infrastructure opposition; operates at broader national scale than CCAN.

Emerging players

• Mothers Out Front: Volunteer-led grassroots climate organization with state-based chapters. Directly comparable in grassroots organizing model and state climate-policy focus; smaller scale than CCAN.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CCAN
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ChesapeakeClimate
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChesapeakeClimate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chesapeake-climate-action-network
• Instagraminstagram.com/chesapeakeclimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chesapeake Climate Action Network