Pacific Beach Coalition

What Pacific Beach Coalition does

Pacific Beach Coalition (PBC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ocean conservation organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Pacifica, California. Its stated mission is to preserve the ocean, coastal habitat, and wildlife through beach cleanups, habitat restoration, and environmental education. PBC organizes monthly volunteer beach cleanups at 12+ locations along the San Mateo County coast (Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Montara, Daly City, and Foster City), quarterly habitat restoration events at four sites, and specialty programs including the Street to Beach Cleanups and the Butt Buster cigarette butt recycling initiative in partnership with TerraCycle.

The organization's core programs fall into four buckets: (1) direct volunteer conservation — beach cleanups, habitat restoration, and kayak cleanups at Pillar Point Harbor, with documented outputs of 228,329 lbs of weeds removed and 20,000 native plants installed; (2) environmental education — free K-8 Teacher Toolkits aligned to an annual Earth Honoree species (Steelhead Trout for 2026), school assemblies, and field trips; (3) community engagement events — the annual Earth Day EcoFest featuring 30+ booths, Fog Fest parade participation, and Coastal Cleanup Day; and (4) youth leadership development via the Pelican Squad teen Site Captain program. Technology is non-proprietary and consists of the Ocean Conservancy Clean Swell app for impact data, Google Forms for waivers and Blue Bucket logging, and Canva for educational PDF production. No AI, machine learning, or custom platform components are present.

PBC's revenue model is donation-and-grant-based. It accepts individual donations, tiered corporate sponsorships for EcoFest (Harbor Seal and Gray Whale tiers), and recurring institutional grants from the County of San Mateo and the San Mateo County Parks Foundation. Disclosed contributions range from $1,000 (Safeway, FNB NorCal) to $3,000 (County of San Mateo). Programs are free to participants, volunteer labor underwrites operations, and no paid services or commercial revenue stream exists. The organization is led by a small named team including Business Director Shivani Ganguly and program leads for teen engagement, toolkit development, and Site Captain coordination.

Name

Pacific Beach Coalition

Legal name

Pacific Beach Coalition

Website

https://pacificbeachcoalition.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Pacific Beach Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 in Pacifica, California, that organizes beach cleanups, habitat restoration, and K-8 environmental education programs across the San Mateo County coast for individual volunteers, schools, and corporate groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ocean and Coastal Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Beach cleanup services
• Habitat restoration programs
• Environmental education toolkits
• Volunteer coastal stewardship
• Ocean conservation nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Pacifica

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: As a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Pacific Beach Coalition relies on tax-deductible donations from individual supporters and corporate sponsors. They offer various sponsorship tiers for their Earth Day EcoFest and other events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Pacific Beach Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes free volunteer-driven beach cleanups and native habitat restoration events across 12+ coastal locations in the San Francisco Bay Area, while delivering K-8 environmental education through free Teacher Toolkits and the Pelican Squad teen leadership program. All programs are funded by tax-deductible donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants, and are delivered at no cost to individual participants.

Product overview

Pacific Beach Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to ocean conservation through four interconnected core program areas: (1) Beach Cleanups and Habitat Restoration - regular cleanup events at multiple coastal locations plus native plant restoration; (2) Education Programs - free Teacher Toolkits focused on annual Earth Honoree species and the Pelican Squad teen leadership program; (3) Community Engagement - annual Earth Day EcoFest, Coastal Cleanup Day, Street to Beach Cleanups, and corporate volunteer programs; (4) Special Campaigns - Butt Buster cigarette butt recycling program and Blue Bucket data collection for impact tracking. All programs work toward the mission of preserving the ocean, coastal habitat, and wildlife while ending litter through advocacy, education, community building, and citizen action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Earth Honoree of the Year: Annual program selecting a local native species to serve as focus for educational programs
• Pelican Squad
• EcoFest
• Teacher Toolkits

Products and services

• Monthly Beach Cleanups Free volunteer-driven beach cleanup events held at multiple coastal locations across Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Montara, Daly City, and Foster City, open to all individual volunteers.
• Native Habitat Restoration Program Quarterly volunteer events focused on removing invasive plants and planting native species to preserve coastal ecosystems at four locations in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Teacher Toolkits Free downloadable K-8 educational resources covering annual Earth Honoree species including Steelhead Trout, Brown Pelicans, Whales, Nudibranchs, Mission Blue Butterfly, and Albatross, with lesson plans, activities, and classroom materials.
• Earth Day EcoFest Annual Earth Day celebration and community environmental festival featuring educational booths, San Pedro Creek tours, and activities introducing the year's Earth Honoree.
• Earth Honoree of the Year Program Annual program selecting a local native species (e.g., 2026 Steelhead Trout) as the educational focus for community programming and teacher resources.
• Pelican Squad Teen Program Youth leadership program providing community service hours, leadership training, and opportunities for teens to lead beach cleanups as Site Captains.
• Corporate Volunteer Program Customized corporate volunteer programs offering team-building cleanup events, habitat restoration activities, and event sponsorships for businesses.
• Street to Beach Cleanups Neighborhood cleanup program addressing land-based pollution by cleaning streets, gutters, and storm drains before litter reaches the ocean.
• Butt Buster Cigarette Butt Recycling Campaign Year-round cigarette butt collection program that ships collected butts to TerraCycle for recycling into industrial products such as plastic pallets, with over 1 million filters recycled.
• California Coastal Cleanup Day Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day event held on the third Saturday in September engaging volunteers across multiple coastal locations.
• School Programs School-based environmental programs offering assemblies, field trips, and the Butt Blitz campaign in partnership with K-12 schools and student volunteers.
• Earth Hero Scholarship $500 annual scholarship awarded to outstanding student volunteers demonstrating environmental leadership and sustained volunteer engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Removed 1,623 lbs landfill trash, 265 lbs recyclables, 380 lbs green waste in single Coastal Cleanup Day
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• RecologyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRecology is a company dedicated to building exceptional resource ecosystems that protect the environment and sustains communities. They became a Gray Whale sponsor with a contribution and generous in-kind donation that helps make EcoFest event even greener. Recology provides recycling services for Fog Fest as a Green Event sponsor.
• TerraCyclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTerraCycle is an innovative environmental company that recycles cigarette butts collected by PBC's brigades. Cigarette butts are recycled into products like plastic pallets, guitar picks, jewelry, and ash trays. The remaining tobacco is composted. TerraCycle created a table made of cigarette filters and donated it to Mussel Rock.
• County Harbor DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty Harbor District staff help carry all the supplies and dispose of the trash collected at Pillar Point monthly cleanups.
• Half Moon Bay Kayak CominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBC partnered with Half Moon Bay Kayak Co to give volunteers the opportunity to pick up trash floating on the water of the harbor or stuck between the rocks via kayak cleanups.
• Golden Gate National Parks ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGGNPC donated plants for the annual MLK Day beach planting and cleanup at Linda Mar State Beach. Eighteen dedicated plant babysitters kept the plants alive since May when the donation was made.
• The Watershed NurseryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Watershed Nursery donated plants for native habitat restoration at Linda Mar State Beach as part of the annual MLK Day planting event.
• Go Native IncminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGo Native Inc donated plants for beach planting events at Linda Mar State Beach, supporting native habitat restoration efforts.
• Pacifica Shorebird AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSA partnered with PBC for Snowy Plover protection efforts, standing guard and educating about roosting Western snowy plovers while planting yellow sand verbena and beach morning glory in the Plovers' favorite hangout.
• Adventure OutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdventure Out has been helping keep Linda Mar Beach clean and supporting PBC's cigarette butt campaign by contributing to the making of stainless steel cigarette butt containers. Adventure Out is California's premiere outdoor school specializing in surf camps, rock climbing, and wilderness skills.
• Peninsula Clean EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeninsula Clean Energy provided beach shuttles for EcoFest 2017, helping attendees get to and from the event.
• Surfrider Foundation SMC ChapterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBC partnered with Surfrider Foundation SMC Chapter for beach cleanups including at Francis Beach in Half Moon Bay.
• Shark StewardsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShark Stewards partnered with PBC for shark conservation education events including Sharktober and Farallon Island Expeditions. The organization focuses on shark conservation and the health of the entire marine ecosystem.
• Pacifica Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacifica Land Trust presents Escape to the Headlands events and leads Pedro Point Headlands stewardship and restoration efforts, supported by the CA Coastal Commission and Pedro Point Community Association.
• Ocean YogaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcean Yoga, founded in 2008, is a community-supported yoga studio that supports PBC's environmental mission.
• Pacifica Garden ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacifica Garden Club supports PBC through objectives to cultivate beauty through good gardening, protect and conserve natural resources, and support youth groups.
• San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for tick testing services - San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District tests ticks found during creek cleanups for Lyme disease.
• EarthCapadesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarthCapades has been sharing PBC's mission for years by coming to EcoFest events and supporting different Earth Day actions. During COVID, they supported online educational events and lectures.
• Marine Mammal CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Marine Mammal Center, the world's largest marine mammal hospital, participates in EcoFest events with educational booths about marine mammals.
• Pedro Point Surf ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPedro Point Surf Club has partnered with PBC for EcoFest entertainment and beach cleanup support.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pacifica Land Trust: Pacifica-based land trust running Pedro Point Headlands stewardship and restoration. Directly comparable because it operates in PBC's exact service area and collaborates with PBC on native habitat restoration and headlands events.
• Ocean Conservancy: International ocean conservation nonprofit that organizes the International Coastal Cleanup Day — the very event PBC participates in each September. Directly comparable because PBC uses Ocean Conservancy's Clean Swell app for volunteer data tracking and runs parallel beach cleanup and marine debris programs.
• Heal the Bay: Santa Monica-based marine conservation nonprofit focused on coastal water quality, beach cleanups, and ocean education in Southern California. Comparable as a California coastal cleanup and education peer with a similar volunteer mobilization and school program model.
• Surfrider Foundation: National nonprofit dedicated to ocean and beach protection through cleanups, advocacy, and education. Directly comparable to PBC because both run volunteer-driven beach cleanups, citizen-science data collection, and coastal policy advocacy; PBC even partners with the Surfrider San Mateo County chapter on Francis Beach cleanups.
• Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy: Nonprofit partner of the National Park Service supporting San Francisco Bay Area parks including coastal sites. Comparable because it is a repeat PBC partner (donates plants for beach plantings) and operates overlapping habitat restoration and volunteer programs in adjacent geography.
• Save Our Shores: Santa Cruz-based nonprofit dedicated to coastal stewardship through beach and river cleanups, marine debris reduction, and environmental education. Directly comparable because of similar regional California footprint, volunteer-led cleanups, and K-12 education programming.
• San Mateo County Parks Foundation: Local foundation that supports San Mateo County parks and is an active repeat grantmaker to PBC. Comparable because it operates in the same geographic footprint, funds overlapping habitat and coastal stewardship activities, and is a natural peer for funder/partner collaboration.

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Club: One of the largest and oldest U.S. environmental organizations, with active San Mateo Group chapters doing coastal cleanups and habitat outings. Comparable as a broader environmental nonprofit with overlapping volunteer-based coastal programming but much larger scale and remit.
• The Ocean Foundation: Community foundation dedicated exclusively to ocean funding and grantmaking. Comparable as a larger ocean-focused nonprofit peer that competes for the same corporate and individual donor dollars, but operates at a national rather than community scale.

Regional players

• California Coastkeeper Alliance: Statewide network of Waterkeeper organizations protecting California's inland and coastal waters. Comparable as a California coastal/water advocacy peer, though its focus on water quality regulation differs from PBC's volunteer cleanup emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PacificBeachCoalition
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacific-beach-coalition
• Instagraminstagram.com/pacificbeachcoalition
• Pinterestpinterest.com/pacificbeachcoalition
• TikToktiktok.com/@pacificbeachcoalition

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Pacific Beach Coalition