International Rivers

What International Rivers does

International Rivers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1985 and headquartered in Oakland, California, that protects rivers and defends the rights of communities dependent on them. With staff distributed across regional offices in Bangkok, New Delhi, Pretoria, and Brasilia, the organization runs programs in 24 river basins across Africa, Asia, and Latin America covering roughly 17% of Earth's land area. Its work centers on delaying or stopping destructive dam projects, advocating for indigenous and community rights, supporting women freshwater defenders, and channeling investment away from large hydropower toward sustainable energy alternatives. Its measurable cumulative track record includes 217 dam projects delayed, prevented, or stopped, and $174 billion in funds channeled away from destructive dams.

The organization's core offerings are knowledge resources and advocacy tools rather than commercial products. These include investigative reports and policy analyses (such as "Reckless Endangerment" on the Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy dam collapse and "Watered Down" on hydropower company practices), capacity-building guides for affected communities (such as "Dams, Rivers and Rights"), documentary multimedia, and Riverscope — a geospatial assessment tool developed with TMP Systems that quantitatively links environmental and social risks of hydropower projects to commercial performance. The Women and Rivers Network, launched in 2019 in partnership with Women's Earth Alliance and complementing the annual Day of Action for Rivers, extends programmatic reach into gender-focused freshwater governance.

International Rivers does not sell products or services. It is funded through individual donations at suggested tiers of $20 to $2,500 (with a monthly Headwaters Sustainers program), foundation grants from organizations such as Open Society Foundations, Global Greengrants Fund, Fundo Casa Socioambiental, and Tikva Grassroots Empowerment Fund, and institutional contributions. Its go-to-market is community-led: 860+ NGO partners and 390+ grassroots community groups deliver campaign and research support, with the central organization providing investigative research, policy advocacy, capacity building, and movement coordination. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

International Rivers

Legal name

International Rivers Network

Website

https://internationalrivers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

International Rivers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 and headquartered in Oakland, California, that protects rivers and defends the rights of river-dependent communities worldwide through advocacy, research, and a network of 860+ NGO partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE), Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

Keywords

• River protection advocacy
• Freshwater conservation
• Environmental justice
• Hydropower accountability
• Community rights defense

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization accepts individual donations at various levels ($20, $50, $100, $250, $500, $2,500) on a monthly, yearly, or twice-yearly basis. They also accept one-time contributions through their donation page.
2. Foundation and Grant Funding: International Rivers receives funding from foundations and institutional donors including Global Greengrants Fund, Open Society Foundations, Fundo Casa Socioambiental, and Tikva Grassroots Empowerment Fund.
3. Charitable Contributions and Membership: As a 501c3 non-profit organization accredited by Charity Navigator and Guidestar, the organization relies on charitable contributions from supporters worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

International Rivers is a nonprofit advocacy organization that protects rivers and defends the rights of communities dependent on them. It delivers this mission through investigative research, campaign and advocacy support, capacity-building tools, and partnerships with grassroots movements, civil society organizations, and indigenous peoples worldwide. Its core outputs include policy reports, the Riverscope geospatial risk assessment tool, multimedia content, and direct advocacy targeting financiers and dam developers.

Product overview

International Rivers is a non-profit advocacy organization rather than a commercial product company. Its offerings consist primarily of knowledge and advocacy resources including published research reports on hydropower and dam impacts, capacity building tools for grassroots movements, the Riverscope geospatial risk assessment tool developed with TMP Systems, documentary multimedia content, and the Women and Rivers Network. These programs and resources work together to support river-dependent communities, civil society organizations, and environmental defenders in their campaigns to protect rivers and hold dam developers accountable.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reports & Publications A collection of investigative research reports, policy analyses, and publications covering hydropower impacts, river protection, climate justice, and dam safety, including titles such as 'Reckless Endangerment' on the Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy dam collapse and 'Watered Down' on hydropower company practices. The audience includes policymakers, civil society organizations, journalists, and supporters of the river protection mission.
• Capacity Building Tools Action guides and educational resources such as 'Dams, Rivers and Rights' and 'Fight Back Against Greenwash', designed to help grassroots movements and dam-affected communities advocate for their rights. The audience is communities affected by dams and civil society organizers.
• Riverscope A geospatial assessment tool developed in collaboration with TMP Systems that assesses environmental and social risks of hydropower projects and quantitatively links them to commercial performance. The audience includes financial institutions, hydropower developers, researchers, and civil society organizations evaluating hydropower risk.
• Multimedia Resources Documentary films, videos, photo albums, and visual content documenting river ecosystems, dam impacts, and community advocacy efforts worldwide. The audience includes the general public, supporters, journalists, and educators.
• Women and Rivers Network A network created in 2019 in partnership with other organizations, committed to protecting free-flowing rivers and ensuring women's leadership in freshwater governance decision-making. The audience is women leaders, gender advocates, and freshwater governance stakeholders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99 destructive river projects delayed or stopped, resulting in millions of people retaining access to traditional lands and livelihoods
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Friends of the EarthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational environmental organization collaborating on river protection and climate justice campaigns globally. Part of the broader environmental advocacy network.
• Inclusive Development InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on ensuring development is inclusive and equitable, working on accountability for development finance and corporate investments affecting communities.
• Oil Change InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and advocacy organization focused on exposing the true costs of oil production and use, collaborating on climate and energy transition campaigns.
• OxfamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal organization working to fight inequality and end poverty, collaborating on campaigns affecting communities and water rights.
• Amazon WatchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit working to protect the Amazon rainforest and the rights of indigenous peoples, co-producing documentaries like 'Belo Monte: After the Flood'.
• EarthRights InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal advocacy organization combining human rights and environmental protection, providing legal support for dam-affected communities.
• Both EndscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting environmental justice worldwide, particularly focusing on developing countries and sustainable trade policies.
• Women's Earth AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance mobilizing women's leadership for climate solutions and environmental stewardship, co-organizing Women and Rivers Congress.
• African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition working to hold corporations accountable for human rights and environmental violations in Africa, collaborating on dam accountability campaigns.
• International Rafting FederationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal federation of rafting associations, collaborating on river protection as stakeholders in free-flowing rivers.
• Rivers Without Boundaries International CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition focused on protecting rivers in Asia, co-publishing 'Rivers for Recovery' report on post-pandemic energy development.
• UN Indigenous People's Major Group on Sustainable DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial UN major group representing indigenous peoples, collaborating on indigenous rights and river protection at international forums.
• TMP SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationDeveloped Riverscope, a geospatial assessment tool for hydropower, in collaboration with International Rivers to assess environmental and social risks of hydropower projects.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• World Resources Institute (WRI): A global research organization working on sustainability issues including water resources, climate, and energy. Comparable in mission (sustainable water management) but operates as a think tank producing data and analysis rather than grassroots advocacy.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): A major U.S. environmental advocacy organization working on climate, energy, water, and biodiversity. Much larger and broader than International Rivers, but operates in adjacent water resource protection and energy policy spaces globally.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): A major U.S. environmental advocacy organization working on climate, oceans, ecosystems, and health. Larger and broader than International Rivers; while it does not focus exclusively on rivers, it engages on water-related environmental policy.
• Friends of the Earth: A large international environmental advocacy network with chapters in 70+ countries tackling issues from climate to food systems. Broader in scope than International Rivers, but shares river protection and anti-dam advocacy work in some regions; one of International Rivers' listed strategic partners.

Direct peers

• Bank Information Center: An organization that monitors development finance institutions and advocates for accountability in World Bank and other multilateral lending. Highly comparable as the Executive Director of International Rivers previously led the Africa Program at Bank Information Center and ran campaigns challenging destructive projects financed by development banks.
• Amazon Watch: A nonprofit that protects the Amazon rainforest and defends the rights of indigenous peoples, focusing on holding corporations and governments accountable for destructive projects. Directly comparable to International Rivers as both organizations advocate against large infrastructure (dams, oil, mining) that threatens rivers and indigenous communities in Latin America.
• EarthRights International: A legal advocacy organization combining human rights and environmental protection, providing legal support for communities harmed by resource extraction and infrastructure projects. International Rivers and EarthRights International share overlapping partner networks and have collaborated directly (the Senior Advisor at International Rivers previously served as Mekong Legal Director at EarthRights).
• Inclusive Development International: An organization focused on ensuring development is inclusive and equitable, working on accountability for development finance and corporate investments affecting communities. Listed as a strategic partner and shares International Rivers' focus on holding financial institutions accountable for destructive project impacts.
• Both Ends: A Dutch organization supporting environmental justice worldwide, particularly focusing on developing countries and sustainable trade policies. Listed as a strategic partner of International Rivers and shares its focus on holding corporations and financial institutions accountable for environmental and human rights impacts.
• Oil Change International: A research and advocacy organization focused on exposing the true costs of fossil fuel production and advocating for a just energy transition. Listed as a strategic partner of International Rivers and highly comparable in mission scope (challenging destructive energy infrastructure) and campaign approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/intlrivers
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalRivers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-rivers
• Instagraminstagram.com/intlrivers

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 International Rivers