What Conservation Law Foundation does

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental advocacy organization founded in 1967 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It operates advocacy centers across all six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont), with a staff of 101-250 that includes in-house environmental attorneys, economists, scientists, policy advocates, and state-level program leaders. CLF's mission is to protect New England's environment through a combination of public interest litigation, statutory enforcement actions, policy advocacy at state and federal levels, and community organizing, with programmatic focus areas in climate change, ocean conservation, clean air and water, environmental justice, and healthy communities.

CLF's core products are organized around five programmatic areas (Climate Change, Healthy Ocean, Clean Air & Water, People & Justice, and Healthy Communities) plus targeted campaigns such as the Vermont Climate Superfund defense, offshore wind defense, and North Atlantic right whale protection. The underlying "technology" is legal and policy expertise rather than a software platform: CLF files citizen suits under statutes like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, submits regulatory comments, engages in state utility commission advocacy, and directs settlement proceeds (over $17 million since 2013) to community environmental projects. It operates an online Action Center for supporter petitions and a quarterly Conservation Matters publication, but does not maintain proprietary software products, APIs, or applications.

Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic channels: individual member donations, Champions Club monthly recurring gifts, planned/estate giving through the Charles Cabot Society, stock gifts, donor-advised funds, corporate matching gifts, and tribute gifts. CLF does not sell products or services and does not disclose its annual revenue; it files Form 990 annually. Its go-to-market is community-led, reaching beneficiaries and supporters through grassroots organizing, coalition partnerships with 700+ community organizations, email and Action Center mobilization, social media, and earned media coverage. CLF has earned a Charity Navigator four-star rating and GuideStar Silver recognition, and is currently engaged in 16 federal lawsuits against the Trump administration defending environmental protections.

Name

Conservation Law Foundation

Legal name

Conservation Law Foundation

Website

https://clf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Conservation Law Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental advocacy organization, founded in 1967, that uses public interest litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing to protect New England's environment across all six New England states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Environmental advocacy
• Environmental law
• Public interest litigation
• Environmental policy
• Environmental justice

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Donations and Membership Program: CLF relies primarily on member donations and a membership program where supporters contribute financially to fund environmental advocacy. The organization encourages membership through various tiers including Champions Club monthly giving.
2. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: CLF accepts planned gifts, bequests, and legacy donations through wills and estate planning, offering programs like the Charles Cabot Society for legacy donors.
3. Stock Gifts and Donor Advised Funds: CLF accepts gifts of stock and receives contributions through donor advised funds, providing tax-advantaged giving options for supporters.
4. Corporate Matching and Tribute Gifts: CLF receives matching gifts from employers and tribute gifts made in honor or memory of individuals, expanding their donor base through corporate partnerships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) is a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization that provides legal representation, public interest litigation, policy advocacy, scientific research, and community organizing to protect New England's environment across six states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont). The organization uses the law, science, and market-based strategies to enforce clean air and water laws, fight climate change, protect oceans, and advance environmental justice for frontline communities. CLF is funded primarily through individual donations, memberships, planned giving, and grants.

Product overview

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) is a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization that provides a unified suite of programs and services to protect New England's environment. Rather than a commercial product platform, CLF offers integrated advocacy services comprising legal representation and litigation, policy advocacy at state and federal levels, and community organizing. Their core programmatic offerings include Climate Change initiatives, Ocean Conservation, Clean Air & Water enforcement, People & Justice programs for environmental justice communities, and Healthy Communities initiatives. CLF also conducts specific advocacy campaigns including Climate Superfund, Offshore Wind Power Defense, and North Atlantic Right Whale Protection. Programs are delivered through six state-based offices (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont) and supported by publications, action alerts, and membership programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental Advocacy Services Integrated advocacy services comprising legal representation, public interest litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing provided to New England residents and communities to protect the regional environment.
• Clean Air and Water Program Program focused on enforcing existing clean air and water laws, holding polluters accountable through litigation, and protecting New Englanders' fundamental rights to clean air and water through regulatory enforcement and citizen suits.
• Ocean Conservation Program Initiative to protect New England's ocean through blocking oil and gas drilling, curbing overfishing, protecting endangered marine species such as the North Atlantic right whale, and pioneering smart ocean planning across the region.
• Climate Change Initiative Program fighting to upgrade energy systems to clean renewable sources, build clean energy infrastructure, avoid natural gas dependency, defend offshore wind projects, and prepare communities for climate impacts.
• People and Justice Program Program working to end unfair environmental burdens on low-income residents, communities of color, and limited-English proficient households through community partnership, transportation transformation, and addressing environmental justice issues.
• Healthy Communities Initiative Program focused on building healthy neighborhoods through affordable housing development, local food economy support, sustainable agriculture advocacy, and climate resilience preparation for communities across New England.

Quantifiable outcome

• Since 2013, CLF has forced polluters to pay more than $17 million to fund environmental projects in communities they harmed
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northeast Organic Farming Association of VermontcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026CLF and NOFA-VT partnered as co-counsel to defend Vermont's landmark Climate Superfund Act in federal court. Both organizations intervened in lawsuits filed by the Trump administration, American Petroleum Institute, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce challenging the law. The partnership represents a core strategic alliance in defending state climate accountability legislation.
• Vermont Natural Resources CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 December 2025CLF and VNRC jointly filed a lawsuit against Vorsteveld dairy farm for allegedly illegally discharging toxic pesticides into Lake Champlain tributaries without Clean Water Act permits. This represents Vermont's first citizen suit under the Clean Water Act, with both organizations working together for water quality protection.
• Yale Environmental Justice Law and Advocacy ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLF works with the Yale clinic to support communities in environmental justice cases, such as the lawsuit against the Markley data center expansion in Lowell, Massachusetts.
• OARS (Organization for the Assabet River)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLF partnered with OARS in the Patriot Beverages settlement, directing $385,000 to OARS for water quality and nutrient monitoring projects in affected communities.
• Nashobah Praying IndiansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLF directed $100,000 to the Nashobah Praying Indians from the Patriot Beverages settlement to fund a water quality and nutrient-monitoring project.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Defense Council: NRDC is one of the largest U.S. environmental advocacy nonprofits, combining legal action, policy advocacy, and science to address climate, clean air/water, and environmental justice nationwide. It is the closest broad-incumbent peer to CLF because it operates the same legal-advocacy-plus-policy playbook that CLF employs regionally in New England.
• Environmental Defense Fund: EDF combines science, economics, and policy advocacy to address climate, oceans, and health at the national and global scale. Comparable to CLF in using science-driven advocacy and litigation but operates at a far larger national scale.
• Sierra Club: Sierra Club is one of the oldest and largest grassroots environmental organizations in the U.S., running advocacy, litigation, and outdoor engagement programs. Overlaps with CLF in climate, clean air/water, and federal policy advocacy but operates at national scale with a much larger membership.
• Greenpeace USA: Greenpeace USA runs national and global campaigns on climate, oceans, and environmental justice with a strong fundraising-driven advocacy model. Comparable to CLF in member-supported advocacy but with a confrontational, attention-driven style and global rather than regional scope.
• National Wildlife Federation: NWF is the largest U.S. nonprofit focused on wildlife conservation and habitat protection. It is comparable to CLF's North Atlantic right whale campaign and broader ocean work, but operates nationally through affiliate state offices rather than directly running legal advocacy.

Direct peers

• Earthjustice: Earthjustice is the largest nonprofit environmental law organization in the U.S., running a litigation-driven model very similar to CLF's. It is a direct peer because both organizations use environmental statutes to bring precedent-setting cases against polluters and federal agencies.
• Vermont Natural Resources Council: VNRC is Vermont's statewide environmental advocacy organization focused on water quality, land use, and climate. VNRC is a direct peer to CLF in Vermont, and the two organizations actively co-litigate (e.g., the Vorsteveld dairy farm Clean Water Act suit), making it the most operationally comparable partner/peer at the state level.
• Conservation Voters of New England: Conservation Voters of New England is a regional political arm focused on electing pro-environment state legislators across New England. Directly comparable to CLF in geographic scope and focus on influencing environmental policy, but uses electoral rather than litigation strategy.

Regional players

• Acadia Center: Acadia Center is a New England-based clean energy advocacy organization that works on climate policy and gas utility regulation. It is a regional peer to CLF because both organizations operate across the same geography on overlapping climate and clean energy issues, including the joint opposition to Massachusetts gas utility climate plans.

Emerging players

• Union of Concerned Scientists: UCS uses scientific research and policy advocacy to address climate, energy, and security issues, with strong New England roots. It shares CLF's science-driven advocacy approach in clean energy and climate but has a heavier research orientation and weaker pure-litigation profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CLF
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CLFNewEngland
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCLF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/conservation-law-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/conservationlawfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Conservation Law Foundation