Clean Water Action

What Clean Water Action does

Clean Water Action is a national 501(c)(4) nonprofit environmental advocacy organization founded in 1972 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization pursues clean water protection through federal and state policy advocacy, regulatory engagement, community organizing, and public education, with active state programs in California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and the District of Columbia. Its work spans water quality protection, oil and gas regulation, toxic chemicals, zero-waste and plastics policy, climate and clean energy, civic engagement, and environmental justice, often coordinated through joint regulatory comments and litigation partnerships with allied organizations such as the American Water Works Association, Earthjustice, and its affiliated 501(c)(3), Clean Water Fund.

The organization's operational outputs include a multi-state website and donation platform, the ReThink Disposable program supporting restaurant compliance with waste-reduction laws, a blog and publications library, a podcast series, and an active social media presence. Clean Water Action monetizes its mission exclusively through fundraising rather than fees for service. Revenue streams comprise individual donations (including monthly recurring and leadership giving), planned/estate giving, IRA and stock gifts, workplace giving and corporate matching, donor-advised funds, and institutional grants. Distribution is fundamentally community-led: the organization mobilizes supporters through email action alerts, state-based organizing staff, and grassroots campaigns designed to influence regulators and legislators at federal and state levels.

Name

Clean Water Action

Legal name

Clean Water Action

Website

https://cleanwateraction.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Clean Water Action is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit advocacy organization that influences federal and state water, toxics, and environmental policy through grassroots organizing, regulatory comments, and litigation partnerships across 12 U.S. states plus D.C.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pollution Prevention & Toxics Reduction (BPAGAGAJ), Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL), Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI)

Keywords

• Environmental advocacy
• Clean water protection
• Community organizing
• Policy advocacy
• Environmental justice

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization generates revenue primarily through individual donations, including one-time gifts, monthly recurring donations, and leadership giving programs. Donors can give through the organization's website donation portal.
2. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Clean Water Action accepts legacy gifts through donor wills, IRA gifts, and stock gifts, providing long-term revenue streams from committed donors.
3. Workplace Giving and Matching Gifts: The organization participates in workplace giving programs and corporate matching gift programs to expand donor base and contribution amounts.
4. Donor-Advised Funds and Grants: Clean Water Action accepts contributions from donor-advised funds and institutional grants, diversifying its funding sources beyond individual donors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Clean Water Action is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit environmental advocacy organization that mobilizes grassroots action to protect clean water through policy advocacy, community organizing, and public education. It submits formal regulatory comments to federal agencies (EPA, Army Corps of Engineers), runs state-based campaigns across 12 states plus DC, and operates programs such as ReThink Disposable to reduce single-use waste. The organization is funded primarily through individual donations, planned gifts, workplace giving, and grants.

Product overview

Clean Water Action is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit environmental advocacy organization operating primarily as a membership-based advocacy platform. The organization offers a website for civic engagement, campaign management, and donations; the ReThink Disposable Program for waste reduction; blog and podcast content platforms; and publications including annual reports. The organization's core activities focus on water protection, oil and gas advocacy, toxic chemicals, sustainability and zero waste, climate change and clean energy, civic engagement, and environmental justice across 12 state chapters and the District of Columbia. Clean Water Fund, a separate affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, provides technical and financial program support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clean Water Action Website The organization's primary digital platform providing advocacy resources, campaign information, donation capabilities, and environmental policy content across 12 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Designed for supporters, donors, and members seeking to engage with environmental advocacy.
• ReThink Disposable Program A sustainability initiative helping restaurants and businesses reduce single-use waste through voluntary programs, supporting compliance with New Jersey's Skip the Stuff law.
• Clean Water Action Blog Digital publication featuring advocacy content, policy responses, event announcements, and educational resources on environmental issues including plastic reduction and federal regulations.
• Clean Water Action Podcast Audio content series covering clean water issues, environmental justice, and policy advocacy.
• Clean Water Action Publications Research reports, policy papers, and educational materials on water protection, toxic chemicals, oil and gas issues, and environmental justice.
• Clean Water Fund Related 501(c)(3) organization providing technical expertise and program support for clean water initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved 94% reduction in cutlery and condiments distributed at compliant restaurants in Red Bank, NJ under Skip the Stuff law
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Clean Water FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2026Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund submitted joint formal comments to the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opposing a proposed rule that would revise the definition of 'Waters of the United States' under the Clean Water Act. The organizations share resources and coordinate advocacy efforts on clean water policy issues.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund partnered with AWWA to submit joint comments to the EPA urging the agency not to extend compliance deadlines for coal-fired power plants under the Clean Water Act's 2024 effluent limitations guidelines. Both organizations expressed concern that bromide discharges from these plants create harmful disinfection byproducts in downstream drinking water systems.
• Federal Government Programs (State Revolving Funds, WIFIA)minorOthersClean Water Action advocates for continued and increased federal investment in water infrastructure through programs like State Revolving Funds (SRFs), WIFIA, and technical assistance programs. The organization supports these federal funding mechanisms to ensure safe, affordable water access.
• EarthjusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarthjustice is mentioned as a litigation partner whose prior lawsuits contributed to the 2024 Effluent Limitation Guidelines that coal plants would have been required to follow. Clean Water Action and Earthjustice share a common interest in environmental litigation and regulatory advocacy to protect clean water.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sierra Club: One of the oldest and largest U.S. environmental advocacy nonprofits, with parallel 501(c)(4)/501(c)(3) structures, multi-state grassroots organizing, and a comparable multi-issue platform spanning water, climate, toxics, and environmental justice. Most directly comparable in mission breadth and member-driven advocacy model.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Major U.S. environmental advocacy organization with deep federal regulatory engagement, litigation capacity, and a science/policy positioning similar to Clean Water Action. Comparable in producing expert regulatory comments and mobilizing members on water, climate, and toxics issues.
• Waterkeeper Alliance: Grassroots clean water advocacy network with a member-based organizing model and federal/state policy work on Clean Water Act enforcement. Comparable in its water-centric mission and grassroots mobilization, though organized as a federation of local Waterkeeper groups.
• Earthjustice: Public-interest environmental law organization that is already a litigation partner of Clean Water Action. Highly comparable in regulatory advocacy on clean water and toxics, and provides the legal backbone for many of the campaigns Clean Water Action champions.
• League of Conservation Voters (LCV): National environmental advocacy organization focused on political engagement, elections, and federal policy. Comparable in 501(c)(4) advocacy structure, federal-level focus, and use of grassroots mobilization to influence environmental policy outcomes.
• Food & Water Watch: 501(c)(4) environmental advocacy organization with a tightly overlapping agenda on water protection, fracking/oil and gas, toxic chemicals, and plastic pollution. Closely comparable in organizational structure (c4 + affiliated c3), grassroots mobilization model, and issue mix.
• Surfrider Foundation: U.S. nonprofit advocating for clean water and healthy coasts, with chapter-based grassroots organizing in coastal states and federal advocacy on water quality. Comparable member-driven advocacy model with overlapping beach/water-quality priorities.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): Large environmental advocacy organization that pairs science-based policy work with corporate partnerships and federal regulatory engagement. Directly comparable to Clean Water Action on Clean Water Act advocacy and toxics regulation, though with significantly larger resources and a corporate-engagement model.

Broad incumbents

• Greenpeace USA: Major environmental advocacy nonprofit with a broader international scope but overlapping U.S. campaigns on climate, plastics, toxics, and water. Comparable in mobilizing grassroots activism and donor base, though with a more confrontational direct-action orientation.

Emerging players

• Riverkeeper: Clean water advocacy organization focused on the Hudson River watershed with comparable water quality, pollution prevention, and community organizing priorities. More geographically focused than Clean Water Action but operates on the same Clean Water Act enforcement framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cleanh2oaction
• Facebookfacebook.com/CleanWaterAction
• Instagraminstagram.com/cleanh2oaction

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Clean Water Action