Friends of the Earth

What Friends of the Earth does

Friends of the Earth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental advocacy organization founded in 1969 by David Brower in San Francisco and headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a second office in Oakland, California. It employs 11–50 staff and reports a base of more than 7 million members and activists in the United States. The organization conducts advocacy through research, policy campaigns, grassroots organizing, public education, and litigation rather than selling products or services. It is affiliated with Friends of the Earth International, a federation of environmental organizations operating in 74 countries, which extends its coordination capacity for global campaigns.

The organization does not operate a technology platform; its core technology is limited to a WordPress-based website, an ActBlue donation processing integration, email/SMS outreach tools, a petition and action platform (action.foe.org), and a resource archive containing over 260 reports, 146 fact sheets, and 265 letters. Its work is organized around issue areas including climate and energy justice, sustainable food and agriculture, forest protection, ocean conservation, democracy, and reform of economic and financial systems. Notable recent activity includes litigation over a $4.7 billion Export-Import Bank loan for the TotalEnergies Mozambique LNG project, a coalition lawsuit challenging a blanket Endangered Species Act exemption for Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activity, and co-endorsement of the Sustainable International Financial Institutions Act of 2025.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable giving: individual donations via ActBlue (one-time and monthly recurring), membership contributions, planned giving and bequests, stock gifts, and IRA qualified charitable distributions. The organization maintains a Shared Earth Society for legacy donors. Friends of the Earth holds high ratings across all major U.S. charity evaluators, including the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, Charity Navigator four-star, BBB Wise Giving Alliance accreditation, CharityWatch top-rated, and GreatNonprofits top-rated. President Erich Pica has led the organization since 2009, and the board includes civil rights, scientific, and policy expertise.

Name

Friends of the Earth

Legal name

Friends of the Earth

Website

https://foe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Friends of the Earth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1969 that conducts environmental advocacy through research, litigation, policy campaigns, and grassroots organizing on climate, food systems, forests, oceans, and financial reform, serving more than 7 million members and activists in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

Keywords

• Environmental advocacy
• Policy campaigns
• Grassroots organizing
• Climate justice
• Environmental litigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Friends of the Earth relies primarily on donations from individuals, members, and environmental advocates. The organization runs online donation campaigns through ActBlue and encourages one-time gifts, monthly giving, stock gifts, and IRA-qualified charitable distributions.
2. Membership Program: Friends of the Earth maintains a membership base of over 7 million members and activists in the United States and is part of Friends of the Earth International, a federation active in 74 countries.
3. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: The organization accepts planned gifts, bequests, IRA beneficiary designations, and legacy gifts, maintaining a Shared Earth Society for donors who have included the organization in their estate plans.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friends of the Earth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental advocacy organization that conducts policy advocacy, grassroots organizing, research, public education, and impact litigation on climate and energy justice, food and agriculture, forests, oceans, democracy, and sustainable economic systems. It mobilizes more than 7 million members and activists across the United States through donation-supported campaigns and coalition partnerships, and is the U.S. affiliate of Friends of the Earth International, a federation active in 74 countries.

Product overview

Friends of the Earth is a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization (501(c)(3)) founded in 1969 by David Brower in San Francisco. The organization does not offer commercial products or services. Instead, it conducts advocacy campaigns, grassroots organizing, research, policy work, and legal advocacy focused on environmental justice. Their work is organized around issues including climate and energy justice, food and agriculture, forests, oceans, democracy, and sustainable economic systems. They produce educational resources, reports, fact sheets, and take-action campaigns. The organization is funded by member donations and does not sell products or software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40 court cases won over the organization's history
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, adverse and minor.

• Rainforest Action NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Rainforest Action Network and a coalition of partner NGOs including Friends of the Earth shaped the first-ever country-level fossil fuel phaseout talks held in Santa Marta, Colombia by releasing a policy brief, 'Financing a Fossil-Free Future,' with recommendations incorporated into the summit's outcomes.
• Healthy GulfcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2026Friends of the Earth joined Healthy Gulf, Turtle Island Restoration Network, and Sierra Club in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration's decision to grant a blanket exemption for all oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico from Endangered Species Act protections.
• Turtle Island Restoration NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2026Co-plaintiff with Friends of the Earth, Healthy Gulf, and Sierra Club in the lawsuit against the Trump Administration's Endangered Species Act exemption for Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activities.
• Sierra ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2026Co-plaintiff with Friends of the Earth, Healthy Gulf, and Turtle Island Restoration Network in the lawsuit against the Trump Administration's Endangered Species Act exemption for Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activities.
• Friends of the Irish EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 March 2026Friends of the Irish Environment, Friends of the Earth Ireland, and ClientEarth applied for judicial review in the Irish High Court to overturn a decision allowing new data centres to connect to the electricity grid under conditions including 80% renewable energy and 20% fossil fuel use.
• ClientEarthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 March 2026Along with Friends of the Irish Environment and Friends of the Earth Ireland, ClientEarth filed for judicial review in Ireland's High Court challenging data centre energy connection policies that allow fossil fuel use.
• TotalEnergiesadverseOthers · 27 February 2026Friends of the Earth challenged the Trump administration's $4.7 billion loan for a liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique operated by TotalEnergies. This is an adversarial relationship where Friends of the Earth is seeking to block the loan disbursement.
• Food & Water WatchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025Over 230 environmental organizations including Food & Water Watch, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace signed a public letter urging Congress to support a national moratorium on new data center approvals and construction.
• GreenpeacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025Co-signer of the coalition letter alongside over 230 environmental organizations including Food & Water Watch and Friends of the Earth, calling for a national moratorium on new US data centers.
• Sierra ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Friends of the Earth U.S. is a co-endorser of the Sustainable International Financial Institutions Act of 2025, reintroduced by Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressman Jared Huffman, alongside Sierra Club, Oil Change International, and other environmental groups.
• Oil Change InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Co-endorser of the Sustainable International Financial Institutions Act of 2025 alongside Friends of the Earth U.S. and Sierra Club.
• 40+ Environmental and Public Health OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024Since 2024, Friends of the Earth and more than 40 environmental and public health organizations across the country have been calling on Target to address pesticide use in its supply chain. These organizations represent a broad coalition of advocates pressing food retailers on pesticide reduction.
• Friends of the Earth InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends of the Earth U.S. is affiliated with Friends of the Earth International, a global federation of environmental organizations operating in 74 countries. The federation coordinates international campaigns, shares research and resources, and advances shared goals in environmental and social justice worldwide.
• Partnership Project and Partnership Project Action FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErich Pica, President of Friends of the Earth, serves as chair of the board of both the Partnership Project and Partnership Project Action Fund, organizations that coordinate environmental advocacy efforts among nonprofits in Washington, D.C.
• Our RevolutionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends of the Earth aligned with Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign and continues to work closely with Our Revolution, a progressive political organization.
• Safe Energy Communication CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerErich Pica is a former board member of the Safe Energy Communication Council.
• Green GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerErich Pica is a former chair of the Green Group, a coalition of environmental organizations.
• Citizens Trade CampaignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends of the Earth participates in the Citizens Trade Campaign, an executive committee member organization advocating for trade policies that protect workers and the environment.
• DC Environmental NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends of the Earth sits on the advisory committee of the District of Columbia Environmental Network.
• People Over Politicians Coalition (North Carolina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends of the Earth works with the People Over Politicians coalition in North Carolina to protect voting rights and pass legislation creating an Independent Redistricting Commission. North Carolina is one of the most notoriously gerrymandered states in the country.
• Forests & Finance CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends of the Earth participates in the Forests & Finance Coalition, which assesses finance received by companies involved in beef, soy, palm oil, pulp and paper, rubber, and timber supply chains that may impact tropical forests and forest-dependent communities in Southeast Asia, Central and West Africa, and parts of South America.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sierra Club: Sierra Club is one of the largest and most established U.S. environmental advocacy organizations, with a similar multi-issue agenda spanning climate, public lands, and oceans. FoE and Sierra Club actively co-litigate and co-endorse legislation (e.g., the Gulf ESA lawsuit, the Sustainable International Financial Institutions Act), making them direct peer co-belligerents and coalition partners.
• Greenpeace: Greenpeace is a global environmental advocacy organization that combines research, public campaigning, and direct action on climate, forests, oceans, and food systems—nearly identical issue verticals to FoE. FoE and Greenpeace have co-signed the 230+ organization data center moratorium letter, confirming direct peer-level overlap in coalition work.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): NRDC is a major U.S. environmental advocacy organization that combines legal action, policy advocacy, and scientific research across climate, energy, food, and oceans—directly overlapping with FoE's agenda. NRDC co-litigated with FoE on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge lease challenge, confirming them as direct litigation and campaign peers.
• Earthjustice: Earthjustice is a nonprofit environmental law organization that litigates the same cases FoE pursues—pesticide accountability, fossil fuel permitting, endangered species protection. While FoE litigates directly with partner firms and via coalitions, Earthjustice provides the legal infrastructure for many of the same cases, making them a tightly intertwined peer in the environmental litigation ecosystem.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): EDF is a major science-based environmental advocacy organization that engages in policy advocacy, corporate partnerships, and litigation on climate, energy, oceans, and agriculture. It operates at similar scale to FoE in terms of campaign ambition and donor base, with overlapping issue coverage in food/agriculture and climate finance.
• Center for Biological Diversity: The Center for Biological Diversity is a nonprofit focused on endangered species protection, climate action, and opposition to fossil fuel development—directly overlapping with FoE's biodiversity, oceans, and climate campaigns. They have co-litigated with FoE on Arctic Refuge leasing and endangered species issues.
• Rainforest Action Network: Rainforest Action Network focuses on forests, Indigenous rights, and climate finance—directly aligning with FoE's Forests campaign and finance reform work. RAN partnered with FoE on the Santa Marta fossil fuel phaseout talks and the Forests & Finance Coalition, making them a tight peer.
• Food & Water Watch: Food & Water Watch is a consumer advocacy nonprofit focusing on food safety, factory farming, fracking, and water protection—directly overlapping with FoE's food and agriculture and climate campaigns. They co-signed the data center moratorium letter, confirming active peer-level coalition work.
• Healthy Gulf: Healthy Gulf is a regional environmental advocacy organization focused on Gulf Coast ecosystems and fossil fuel opposition. They co-litigated with FoE on the Gulf of Mexico ESA exemption challenge, making them a confirmed litigation partner and a focused-issue peer.

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): WWF is a much larger, globally focused conservation organization operating across species protection, climate, oceans, and forests—substantial overlap with FoE's biodiversity focus, though WWF's corporate-partnership-heavy model and broader scope make it a broader incumbent rather than a direct peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@friendsoftheearth3609
• Facebookfacebook.com/foe.us
• Xx.com/foe_us

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 Friends of the Earth