Higgins Lake Foundation

Name

Higgins Lake Foundation

Legal name

Higgins Lake Foundation

Website

https://higginslake-foundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK), Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ)

Keywords

• Lake preservation services
• Invasive species removal
• Water quality monitoring
• Watershed conservation
• Environmental education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Roscommon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation receives tax-deductible donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations supporting lake preservation. Donors can designate funds to specific programs (General Fund) or make memorial/honor gifts. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1989.
2. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: The foundation accepts planned gifts including bequests in wills, gifts of stock or assets, beneficiary designations on life insurance, 401(k) or IRA accounts, charitable lead trusts, and life income gifts. The Legacy League recognizes supporters who include HLF in estate plans.
3. Grant Funding: The foundation receives grants from various sources including Roscommon County Community Foundation, EnTrust Foundation, John Morley Fund, Thalner Fund, and others for specific projects like boat washes, DASH boat operations, and water quality research.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Higgins Lake Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization that protects Higgins Lake and its watershed through aquatic invasive species removal (via the Diver Assisted Suction Harvester / DASH boat), free boat wash stations, residential well water testing, shoreline greenbelt and seawall removal grants, commissioned lake studies, and youth and community environmental education programs.

Product overview

Higgins Lake Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization offering a portfolio of lake preservation programs and services. Its core offerings include the Diver Assisted Suction Harvester (DASH) Boat for invasive species removal, the Be Well Wise Free Water Testing Program for residential well water testing, and three free public Boat Wash Stations. The foundation provides Greenbelt and Seawall Removal Grants (50/50 cost matching up to $1,500-$2,000), sponsors educational programs including Lake Saver Day for fourth graders and the annual Higgins Lake Foundation Awareness Day, and maintains an active Lake Studies research program. Additional services include the Legacy League planned giving program, Perry & Starks Match Grant, quarterly Newsletters, educational Videos, a Live Lake Conditions Feed, and the Eurasian Water Milfoil Photo Upload tool for citizen science reporting. The foundation operates as a single unified mission-driven nonprofit rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Be Well Wise: Free water testing program for residents with wells in Gerrish, Lyon, and Beaver Townships
• Perry & Starks Match Grant
• Legacy League
• DASH Boat (Diver Assisted Suction Harvester)

Products and services

• Diver Assisted Suction Harvester (DASH) Boat Service A specialized boat that uses a diver, suction tube, and filtration system to remove invasive Eurasian Water Milfoil from Higgins Lake without chemical treatments. Operates Monday-Thursday (and Fridays when boat traffic permits). First DASH boat owned by a lake foundation in Michigan.
• Be Well Wise Free Water Testing Program Free well-water testing for residents of Beaver Creek, Gerrish, and Lyon Townships. Participants pick up a kit at the HLF office, sample their well water, and return it to Raven Analytical Labs within 30 hours to test for bacteria, nitrogen, E. Coli, Total Coliform, Nitrites, and Nitrates.
• Free Boat Wash Stations Three free seasonal boat wash locations (North State Park, South State Park, and Gerrish Township Community Marina) that prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species between lakes. Funded and maintained by HLF.
• Shoreline Greenbelt Grant Program 50/50 cost-matching grant program for natural shoreline restoration (greenbelts) and seawall removal. Provides up to $1,500 match per greenbelt site and $2,000 per seawall removal site to filter pollutants, stabilize shorelines, and provide habitat.
• Lake Saver Day Educational Program Annual one-day environmental camp for fourth graders from Roscommon Elementary held at the R.A. MacMullan Conference Center, featuring interactive activities on lake stewardship. Over 800 fourth graders have received Lake Saver certificates.
• Higgins Lake Foundation Awareness Day Annual community event celebrating and raising awareness about Higgins Lake protection, featuring raffles, educational activities, and community participation.
• Lake Studies Research Program Commissioned scientific studies covering water quality, nutrient loading, swimmer's itch, macrophyte assessment, and hydrological evaluations conducted by universities and research institutions.
• Planned Giving and Legacy League Estate planning and legacy giving program that allows supporters to include HLF in wills, trusts, IRA/401(k) beneficiary designations, or charitable lead trusts, with tax advantages while supporting long-term lake preservation. The Legacy League recognizes supporters who include HLF in estate plans.
• Perry & Starks Match Grant Dollar-for-dollar matching donation program where all gifts to HLF are doubled up to $40,000 by Nancy Perry and Libby Starks through Labor Day 2026.
• Invasive Species Education and Prevention Program Public-facing education and prevention resources on aquatic invasive species (Eurasian Water Milfoil, Hydrilla, Starry Stonewort, Zebra Mussels), including boat inspection protocols and species identification guides.
• Eurasian Water Milfoil Photo Upload Reporting Tool Geotagged citizen-science photo submission tool that allows residents to report locations of Eurasian Water Milfoil sightings so the DASH boat crew can target invasive species removal.
• Live Lake Conditions Feed Real-time monitoring feed providing current Higgins Lake conditions data so residents and visitors can access up-to-date lake status information.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 bags of Eurasian Water Milfoil removed in single season
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Michigan Clean Water Corps / Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1974Higgins Lake has participated in the CLMP since 1974, tracking water quality through volunteers who measure clarity, temperature, phosphorus, chlorophyll, and dissolved oxygen levels at the deepest points in both basins.
• Dr. Mark Luttenton, Grand Valley State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing research on Higgins Lake by Dr. Mark Luttenton, Ph.D., Interim Director of R.B. Annis Water Resources Institute and Program Director for MS in Water Resource Policy at GVSU.
• Raven Analytical LaboratoriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaboratory partner for the Be Well Wise water testing program. Residents return water samples to Raven Labs within 30 hours of collection (Mon-Thurs, 9am-3pm).
• Gerrish and Lyon TownshipscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHLF supports sewer construction through grants to townships, funds educational mailings, and hosts educational presentations for these communities.
• Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for boat wash station placement on state land, participation in annual Landing Blitz, and coordination on AIS prevention. HLF provides support to Sheriff Marine Patrol.
• GLUA (Gerrish Lyon Unified Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHLR supports GLUA sewer initiatives and hosts educational sewer meetings featuring presentations by Dr. Joan Rose from Michigan State University.
• R.A. MacMullan Conference CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Lake Saver Day and other HLF educational events on the north shore of Higgins Lake.
• Roscommon Elementary SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Lake Saver Day environmental camp for fourth graders held at the R.A. MacMullan Center.
• Camp Westminster on Higgins LakeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for HLF-sponsored swimming lessons for area youth during weeks of July 13 and July 20.
• Dr. Patrick Hanington, University of AlbertamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-researcher on 2020 Swimmer's Itch Assessment, collaborating with Freshwater Solutions LLC on comprehensive survey of schistosomes causing swimmer's itch.
• Freshwater Solutions LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted 2020 Swimmer's Itch Assessment research for HLF, including biodiversity assessments of snail hosts and parasites, led by Ron Reimink, M.A.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council: Northern Michigan watershed advocacy and monitoring organization focused on protecting lakes, rivers, and streams — directly comparable as a regional nonprofit running water quality monitoring, AIS prevention, and policy advocacy in the same Great Lakes freshwater ecosystem.
• Michigan Lakes and Streams Association: Statewide association of lake property owners and lake associations running conservation education, legislative advocacy, and the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (the same program HLF participates in) — directly comparable as a peer network for Michigan lake stewardship nonprofits.
• Conservation Resource Alliance: Michigan-based nonprofit focused on protecting rivers, lakes, and forests through landowner partnerships and on-the-ground restoration — closely comparable in mission, restoration grantmaking, and regional Great Lakes watershed focus.
• Huron Pines: Northern Michigan conservation nonprofit focused on aquatic invasive species removal, habitat restoration, and landowner stewardship — directly comparable for AIS programs, shoreline restoration, and grant-funded lake/river protection work.

Broad incumbents

• Great Lakes Commission: Binational U.S.–Canadian agency promoting integrated management of the Great Lakes basin — comparable as an institutional stakeholder and funder-adjacent entity for lakefront water quality, AIS prevention, and watershed protection initiatives.
• The Nature Conservancy – Michigan: Global conservation organization's Michigan chapter focused on land and water protection — broader incumbent with overlapping freshwater/watershed conservation goals, scientific research, and policy advocacy.
• Michigan United Conservation Clubs: Largest statewide conservation organization in Michigan, spanning hunting, fishing, and habitat — adjacent in mission with overlapping AIS, water quality, and youth education programming, though much broader in scope than a single-lake foundation.

Emerging players

• Inland Seas Education Association: Michigan Great Lakes nonprofit delivering hands-on water-based education and stewardship programs for youth — comparable in the environmental-education pillar of HLF's mission, particularly Lake Saver Day programming.
• Freshwater Solutions LLC: Michigan ecological consulting firm that partnered with HLF on the 2020 Swimmer's Itch Assessment and biodiversity work — directly comparable as a freshwater science and AIS/snail-host research partner to lake foundations.

Regional players

• Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation: Northern Michigan community foundation that funds environmental, water quality, and shoreline projects around inland lakes — comparable as a regional grantmaker supporting lake-protection work in Michigan's lower peninsula.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HigginsLakeFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/higgins-lake-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Higgins Lake Foundation