Save The Bay
Save The Bay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1961 and headquartered in Oakland that protects and restores San Francisco Bay through advocacy, tidal marsh restoration across four counties, four native plant nurseries, and student and volunteer education programs serving Bay Area communities, students, and corporate partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1961
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Save The Bay does
Save The Bay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization founded in 1961 and headquartered in Oakland, California, operating across the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. Its mission is to protect and restore San Francisco Bay for people and wildlife through three integrated programs: Advocate (policy campaigns, flood resilience strategy, and ballot-measure advocacy), Restore (wetland and tidal marsh restoration, invasive species removal, native plant propagation across four nursery facilities), and Connect (student education, corporate volunteer engagement, and community events including the Climate Conversations series). It also operates a sister 501(c)(4), the Save The Bay Action Fund, that handles political lobbying separately.
The organization runs a multi-modal revenue model funded primarily by individual donations (including the Bay Sustainer monthly program and Legacy Society planned gifts), corporate partnerships (team volunteer days, event sponsorships, grants, workplace giving), government grants (notably the EPA San Francisco Bay Program at over $50 million annually to the broader program, Measure AA, and Proposition 4), and alternative giving vehicles (stock, IRA rollovers, vehicle donations, Donor Advised Funds). Its operational footprint includes four native plant nurseries, six restoration sites stewarded across Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Marin counties, and an education program reaching 1,600+ youth annually through shoreline field trips and OLO online learning.
Save The Bay is governed by a board chaired by Christopher Hockett and led by Executive Director David Lewis (in role since 1998), with a C-suite comprising a Chief Advancement Officer and Chief Financial Officer and a leadership bench spanning Habitat Restoration, Communications, Individual Giving, Policy, and Corporate Partnerships. The organization has driven major legislative and funding outcomes including banning Bay fill (1960s), California's plastic bag ban (2014 original; 2024 full checkout ban via SB 1053), Measure AA ($500M for wetlands, 2016), the San Francisco Bay Restoration Act (2022), SB 272 (2023), and Proposition 4 (2024, $10B climate resilience bond with $1B for coastal resilience), positioning it as the regional anchor for Bay climate adaptation and habitat restoration.
Save The Bay firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Save The Bay
- Legal name
- Save The Bay
- Website
- https://savesfbay.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1961
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Save The Bay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1961 and headquartered in Oakland that protects and restores San Francisco Bay through advocacy, tidal marsh restoration across four counties, four native plant nurseries, and student and volunteer education programs serving Bay Area communities, students, and corporate partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Save The Bay industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF), Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPADALAD), Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)
Keywords
Where Save The Bay is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Save The Bay business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Save The Bay generates revenue primarily through donations from individual supporters, including one-time gifts, monthly Bay Sustainer recurring donations, and legacy/bequest gifts.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partnerships including team volunteer days, event sponsorships, grants, matching workplace giving, and cause marketing programs with Bay Area companies.
- Government Grants and Funding: Federal funding through EPA's San Francisco Bay Program (over $50 million annually), state climate bonds like Proposition 4 ($1 billion for coastal resilience), and Measure AA for wetlands.
- Vehicle and Stock Donations: Vehicle donation program through third-party services, appreciated stock gifts, Donor Advised Fund grants, and IRA charitable rollovers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Voluntary donations from individual supporters |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Save The Bay product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Save The Bay is a nonprofit environmental organization that protects and restores San Francisco Bay through three integrated programs: Advocate (policy campaigns and flood resilience strategy), Restore (wetland restoration and native plant propagation), and Connect (environmental education, volunteer engagement, and corporate partnerships). It operates four native plant nurseries, runs six active restoration sites, and delivers shoreline education programs reaching thousands of students and volunteers annually.
Product overview
Save The Bay is a nonprofit environmental organization (501(c)(3)) offering three integrated core programs: Advocate (policy campaigns and flood resilience strategy), Restore (wetland restoration with four native plant nurseries), and Connect (student education and community engagement). The product portfolio includes sub-programs such as Shoreline Education and OLO: Outdoor Learning Online for students; Bay Sustainer monthly giving and Legacy Society for donors; Corporate Partnership Programs including team volunteer days and event sponsorships; the Fellowship Program for professional development; Climate Conversations panel series; Save The Bay Games for supporter engagement; and the Sea Level Rise and Flood Resilience Snapshots tool for evaluating city preparedness.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Advocate program Policy advocacy and political campaigns to protect San Francisco Bay from pollution, sea level rise, and harmful development, including the Sea Level Rise and Flood Resilience Strategy and efforts to secure federal and state climate funding.
- Restore program Hands-on wetland restoration across the Bay Area, including tidal marsh recovery, invasive species removal, and native plant propagation, operating four native plant nurseries and engaging thousands of volunteers annually to restore shoreline habitat.
- Connect program Community engagement programs that connect people to the Bay through student education, volunteer events, corporate partnerships, and the Climate Conversations panel series.
- Shoreline Education field trips In-person and virtual field trips for Bay Area students to experience San Francisco Bay shoreline directly, led by the Habitat Restoration Team and aligned with California Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
- OLO: Outdoor Learning Online Digital education portal offering hands-on science lessons for remote learning environments, downloadable classroom activities, and virtual experiences of San Francisco Bay.
- Bay Sustainer monthly giving program Monthly recurring donation program providing consistent, year-round funding for Save The Bay's advocacy, restoration, and education work, with engagement benefits for a dedicated community of monthly donors.
- Legacy Society estate giving program Estate planning giving program inviting donors to include Save The Bay in wills, trusts, retirement accounts, or donor-advised funds, with special events and recognition for Legacy Society members.
- Corporate Partnership programs Corporate team-building volunteer days, event sponsorships, matching and workplace giving programs, and grants that support Save The Bay's habitat restoration, education, and climate advocacy.
- Fellowship Program Paid professional development fellowship offering hands-on experience in habitat restoration, native plant nursery management, communications and development, and public policy, with a 20 hours/week commitment over 6-12 months.
- Sea Level Rise and Flood Resilience Snapshots Interactive evaluation of each Bay Area city on climate-driven flooding preparedness, providing tailored recommendations for flood resilience policies and nature-based solutions.
- Climate Conversations event series Series of panel discussions and community events featuring Bay Area climate leaders, exploring regional climate challenges and showcasing real-world solutions through webinars and in-person gatherings.
- Volunteer Programs Shoreline restoration volunteer activities including transplanting native seedlings, removing invasive species, and participating in corporate or community group events across Bay Area restoration sites.
Quantifiable outcome
- 53,000 acres of healthy tidal marsh restored and protected
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Save The Bay
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Save The Bay technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Save The Bay partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- South Bay Salt Pond Restoration ProjectcoreLargest tidal marsh restoration effort on the West Coast. Save The Bay partnered on the Ravenswood levee breach that reconnected 300 acres of former industrial salt pond to the Bay tides for the first time in over a century.
- Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)coreState agency regulating Bay development. Save The Bay works with BCDC on Sea Level Rise and Flood Resilience Strategy and Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP) Atlas for flood risk mapping.
- East Bay Regional Parks DistrictmajorPartners on shoreline access, trails, and environmental education programs. Save The Bay supports district initiatives and coordinates volunteer activities in East Bay parklands.
- Don Edwards National Wildlife RefugemajorU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge where Save The Bay conducts restoration at Ravenswood Unit and All-American Canal sites, adjacent to Bedwell Bayfront Park.
- Ravenswood-West Bay Sanitary DistrictmajorPartner hosting Save The Bay's onsite division bed nursery providing extra capacity to significantly scale up propagation numbers and grow plants for large wetland restoration projects.
- Restore America's EstuariesmajorNational advocacy organization that Save The Bay coordinated with alongside Representative Huffman and Senators Padilla and Schiff to protect EPA SF Bay Program funding from proposed 75% budget cuts.
- Audi of AmericamajorSecond year of partnership on Audi's Restore our Bays initiative supporting and promoting coastal restoration across the nation with habitat restoration contributions.
- Save The Bay Action Fundcore501(c)(4) sister organization for political advocacy and lobbying activities separate from the 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Share mailing lists and coordinate on policy priorities.
- City of HaywardmajorPartners on the First Mile Levee Project, an innovative horizontal levee providing flood protection against sea level rise while removing nutrients from treated wastewater.
- City of Palo AltomajorPartners on restoration at Palo Alto Baylands and the new Horizontal Levee project. Save The Bay operates nursery facilities at this site.
- San Francisco Bay Wildlife SocietyminorPartners on public programming including Discover Don Edwards Day events planned with Councilmember Eve Marie Little.
- Earth Share CaliforniaminorNonprofit workplace giving campaign partner that connects Save The Bay with over 200 corporate and public employers across California through workplace giving campaigns.
Scale indicators19 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Save The Bay competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sierra Club: One of the oldest U.S. environmental nonprofits, with strong Bay Area chapters engaged in local conservation advocacy. Overlaps on grassroots volunteer mobilization and policy advocacy.
- Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Major national environmental advocacy organization that engages in Bay Area climate, water, and coastal policy. Comparable advocacy-led environmental mission but operating at national scope.
- The Nature Conservancy (California): Global environmental nonprofit with a significant California chapter that funds and executes Bay Area conservation projects. Comparable in mission scope and donor base, though operating at much larger scale.
- Restore America's Estuaries: National alliance of coastal restoration organizations. Save The Bay partners with them on federal funding defense and shares the estuary-restoration advocacy and policy focus.
Direct peers
- Surfrider Foundation: National nonprofit protecting oceans and coasts through advocacy, beach cleanup volunteer programs, and coastal restoration. Highly comparable volunteer-driven, advocacy-plus-restoration coastal nonprofit model.
- Heal the Bay: Santa Monica-based nonprofit focused on Southern California coastal water quality, advocacy, and education. Closely comparable operating model combining science-based advocacy, volunteer programs, and youth education.
- Point Blue Conservation Science: Bay Area-based conservation science nonprofit focused on birds, ecosystems, and climate resilience in the San Francisco Bay and Pacific flyway. Overlaps on shoreline restoration science and monitoring.
- San Francisco Baykeeper: Bay Area nonprofit focused on protecting San Francisco Bay water quality through advocacy, pollution enforcement, and litigation. Direct peer serving the same geography and overlapping on water-quality advocacy.
- California Coastkeeper Alliance: Statewide network of Waterkeeper organizations protecting California's coastal waters. Direct peer on water-quality advocacy and policy engagement with state regulators.
Others
- EarthShare California: Workplace-giving federation connecting environmental nonprofits with California employers. Save The Bay's distribution partner for matching-gift and workplace-giving revenue.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Save The Bay social profiles
Digital presenceSave The Bay financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Save The Bay leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Save The Bay funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Save The Bay M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Save The Bay
What does Save The Bay do?
Save The Bay is a nonprofit environmental organization that protects and restores San Francisco Bay through three integrated programs: Advocate (policy campaigns and flood resilience strategy), Restore (wetland restoration and native plant propagation), and Connect (environmental education, volunteer engagement, and corporate partnerships). It operates four native plant nurseries, runs six active restoration sites, and delivers shoreline education programs reaching thousands of students and volunteers annually.
Is Save The Bay a public or private company?
Save The Bay is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Save The Bay founded?
Save The Bay was founded in 1961. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Save The Bay based?
Save The Bay is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Save The Bay make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships, government Grants and Funding and vehicle and Stock Donations.
Who are Save The Bay's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), The Nature Conservancy (California) and Restore America's Estuaries. Direct peers are Surfrider Foundation, Heal the Bay, Point Blue Conservation Science, San Francisco Baykeeper and California Coastkeeper Alliance. EarthShare California is listed as an others.
Does Save The Bay have an API?
No public API is recorded for Save The Bay.
What industry is Save The Bay in?
Save The Bay's product category is Environmental Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAF, Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation. Its NAICS code is 813312.