Great Pond Foundation

What Great Pond Foundation does

Great Pond Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1998 and based on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, that conducts scientific monitoring, ecological restoration, and environmental education for the Island's coastal pond ecosystems. Its core service is year-round water quality monitoring across multiple ponds — including Edgartown Great Pond, Chilmark Pond, Tisbury Great Pond, and Sengekontacket Pond — using handheld YSI ProDSS multiparameter instruments (dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, pH, chlorophyll, turbidity, water clarity) supplemented by continuously deployed data loggers recording water level, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity at 30-minute intervals. Specialized programs include MV CYANO (cyanobacteria bloom monitoring with off-Island toxin analysis), Eelgrass Ecosystems monitoring and restoration (including Blue Carbon research), EGP Cut Status reporting on barrier beach openings, and the Forgo Fertilizer, Protect Ponds community initiative.

The foundation collaborates with leading scientific institutions — most notably the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) for stable-isotope nitrogen source analysis and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) for tunicate/eelgrass research — and partners operationally with the Town of Edgartown, MA DEP, MV Shellfish Group, Chilmark Pond Association, and Vineyard Conservation Society. Educational programming includes Tween STEAM workshops (with Slough Farm), the Island Ponds Community Workshop series, and the Luening Pond Sustainability Series.

As a nonprofit, GPF generates no commercial revenue. Its operating budget is funded through a mix of individual donations, foundation grants (Edey Foundation, Mass Cultural Council, MV Community Foundation, among others), and in-kind scientific contributions from partner institutions. The organization employs a small staff — only two full-time year-round scientific personnel as of 2020 — supplemented by seasonal interns and partner scientists. Strategic outcomes include the 2017 attainment of below-target total nitrogen levels (0.447 mg/L vs. 0.5 mg/L MEP target) in Edgartown Great Pond and the subsequent 2020 delisting of that pond by Massachusetts DEP as impaired.

Name

Great Pond Foundation

Legal name

Great Pond Foundation

Website

https://greatpondfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Great Pond Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that conducts water quality monitoring, cyanobacteria tracking, eelgrass restoration, and environmental education for Martha's Vineyard's coastal pond ecosystems, in partnership with MBL, WHOI, and local municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

Keywords

• Water quality monitoring
• Coastal pond conservation
• Cyanobacteria monitoring
• Estuary restoration
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Edgartown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1998, Great Pond Foundation relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations to fund its research, monitoring, and education programs.
2. Grants and Funding: The organization receives grant funding from organizations such as the Edey Foundation and participates in collaborative research with institutions like the Marine Biological Laboratory.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Great Pond Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that preserves and restores Martha's Vineyard coastal pond ecosystems through science-based water quality monitoring, cyanobacteria (MV CYANO) tracking, eelgrass restoration, Blue Carbon research, and community education programs such as Tween STEAM, the Island Ponds Community Workshop, and the Luening Pond Sustainability Series. Activities are funded by donations and grants, and the organization partners with the Town of Edgartown, Marine Biological Laboratory, WHOI, MA DEP, and local community groups to deliver its monitoring and restoration work.

Product overview

Great Pond Foundation is a nonprofit environmental organization (established 1998) focused on preserving Martha's Vineyard's coastal pond ecosystems through science, collaboration, and education. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected environmental monitoring and education programs: core scientific monitoring services (Water Quality Monitoring, MV CYANO cyanobacteria tracking, EGP Cut Status reporting, and Ecosystem Monitoring Reports) work alongside research programs (Eelgrass Ecosystems, Blue Carbon), community initiatives (Forgo Fertilizer Protect Ponds), and educational programming (Tween STEAM workshops, Island Ponds Community Workshop, Luening Pond Sustainability Series). These programs are unified by their focus on data-driven estuary science and restoration, with findings shared through publications and community events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Quality Monitoring Year-round water quality monitoring service measuring dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, pH, chlorophyll, turbidity, and water clarity in Martha's Vineyard coastal ponds, with water samples collected for cyanobacteria and nutrient analysis.
• MV CYANO Cyanobacteria monitoring program that tracks harmful algal blooms in Island ponds, collecting samples for toxin analysis and coordinating with local health agents to protect public health.
• Ecosystem Monitoring Reports Annual reports documenting the health of coastal ponds based on scientific monitoring data, including educational resources such as visual glossaries.
• EGP Cut Status Real-time monitoring and reporting on Edgartown Great Pond barrier beach openings/cuts, including water level elevation data, salinity measurements, and tidal exchange status.
• Eelgrass Ecosystems Program Monitoring and restoration of eelgrass meadows serving as indicators of water quality and ecosystem health, including Blue Carbon research on carbon sequestration.
• Blue Carbon Research Research program documenting how coastal pond restoration efforts, including eelgrass meadows, contribute to carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.
• Forgo Fertilizer, Protect Ponds Public education campaign addressing nitrogen pollution from fertilizer as the second-greatest source of nitrogen to coastal ponds, including homeowner and landscaper surveys.
• Tween STEAM: Science Through Art Seasonal hands-on educational workshops for ages 11-15 exploring environmental science through art, conducted in collaboration with Slough Farm educators.
• Island Ponds Community Workshop Community educational series featuring presentations by scientists on pond ecology, nitrogen pollution, and sustainable practices.
• Luening Pond Sustainability Series Named presentation series on pond sustainability topics, featuring guest scientists and researchers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Total nitrogen in Edgartown Great Pond reached 0.447 mg/L in 2017, below the 0.5 mg/L target set by Massachusetts Estuaries Project for the first time
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021GPF collaborates with MBL scientists including Dr. Javier Lloret to identify nitrogen sources in Martha's Vineyard coastal ponds using stable isotope analysis. This partnership has produced peer-reviewed studies showing wastewater as the leading source of nitrogen pollution in Edgartown Great Pond.
• Town of EdgartowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPF works closely with the Town of Edgartown on pond management including barrier beach openings ('cuts'), dredging coordination, and shellfish restoration. The Shellfish Constable Paul Bagnall leads the physical pond cuts.
• Chilmark Pond AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting nitrogen source research in Chilmark Pond, with a sister study to the Edgartown Great Pond research conducted with MBL.
• Chilmark Pond FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partner for the Chilmark Pond nitrogen source study alongside the Chilmark Pond Association.
• MV Shellfish GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on oyster restoration project in Edgartown Great Pond. The shellfish group conducts restoration work while GPF monitors water quality impacts on shellfish populations.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationWHOI scientists including Mary Carman and Kristin Gribble collaborate on tunicate DNA identification project and eelgrass-tunicate survey research. Mary Carman conducts latitudinal studies of tunicates in eelgrass beds.
• Slough FarmsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Tween STEAM educational program combining environmental science with art for students ages 11-15.
• Vineyard Conservation SocietysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the Vineyard Lawns Initiative promoting natural landscaping practices to reduce fertilizer use and nitrogen pollution in pond watersheds.
• Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPF partnered with MA DEP in 2020 and 2021 on eelgrass restoration efforts in Edgartown Great Pond.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/greatpondfoundation
• Xx.com/greatpondfndn
• Facebookfacebook.com/greatpondfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Great Pond Foundation