The Freshwater Trust

What The Freshwater Trust does

The Freshwater Trust (TFT) is a Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit founded in 1983 that protects and restores freshwater ecosystems across the Western United States. The organization serves agricultural producers, municipal water utilities, federal and state agencies, corporate water users, and private landowners through watershed-scale conservation programs delivered across Oregon, California, Idaho, and Colorado. Its core technology is the patented StreamBank Toolkit, an integrated platform consisting of BasinScout (landscape diagnostics), StreamBank Monitoring (field data collection), and an Administrative Toolkit (program management); the platform applies machine learning to satellite imagery to classify irrigation types, delineate agricultural fields, and forecast sediment and nutrient runoff. TFT monetizes its capabilities through five streams: government and foundation grants (EPA, USDA, Bureau of Reclamation, OWEB), corporate commitments (most notably a $100 million commitment from Idaho Power Company), a $5 million line of credit from Columbia Bank to support program delivery, fees from regulator-approved water quality trading programs (Medford, Ashland, MWMC), and philanthropic donations raised through events such as Immerse and the Fight for Fish golf tournament.

Business model mechanics center on aggregating public and private capital into "streamlined incentive packages" delivered to agricultural producers for irrigation upgrades and riparian restoration, then monetizing verified ecological outcomes through the proprietary Watershed Outcomes Bank. The Watershed Outcomes Bank produces tradeable water quality credits that regulated entities (cities, utilities, the Sacramento Area Sewer District) purchase to meet Clean Water Act compliance at a fraction of the cost of engineered solutions — the Medford program saved over $8 million versus an engineered cooling alternative. TFT's 40 years of on-the-ground restoration work, combined with its data infrastructure and regulatory first-mover position, position the organization to scale its quantified-conservation model nationally under a stated goal of enabling $1 billion in verified freshwater conservation investments annually by 2030.

The company operates with 11–50 employees across Portland (headquarters), Ashland, and California, with regional vice presidents and senior directors leading Water, Finance & Policy, People & Operations, Strategic Partnerships, Product & Analytics, Habitat Restoration, and Science functions. Awards include the U.S. Water Prize (2013) and 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon (2021), and TFT is a member of One Percent for the Planet.

Name

The Freshwater Trust

Legal name

The Freshwater Trust

Website

https://thefreshwatertrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Freshwater Trust is a Portland-based nonprofit founded in 1983 that protects and restores freshwater ecosystems across the Western United States by combining patented watershed analytics (StreamBank Toolkit), machine learning on satellite imagery, and capital aggregation to deliver conservation programs for farmers, municipalities, federal agencies, and corporate water users.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Watershed Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Watershed restoration services
• Water quality trading
• Freshwater conservation programs
• Irrigation efficiency upgrades
• Environmental compliance solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: TFT receives grants from government agencies including EPA, USDA, Bureau of Reclamation, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and foundation grants to fund conservation programs.
2. Corporate Partnerships & Commitments: Idaho Power Company committed $100 million for irrigation efficiency programs. Lines of credit from Columbia Bank ($5 million) support program delivery.
3. Water Quality Trading Program Fees: Cities and utilities purchase credits from TFT's verified conservation projects to meet Clean Water Act compliance requirements, generating revenue from Medford ($6.5 million program), Ashland, and other municipal partners.
4. Donations & Fundraising: Individual donors, business supporters, and events like the Immerse event and Fight for Fish golf tournament generate philanthropic support. The 2023 Immerse event raised $160,000 and the golf tournament raised over $250,000.
5. Program Service Fees: Fees for services including compliance solutions, agricultural producer support for irrigation upgrades, and landowner incentive packages for implementing conservation practices.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Freshwater Trust is a nonprofit conservation organization that delivers applied solutions for freshwater restoration through science, technology, and incentive-based programs. Its core offerings include water quality trading and Clean Water Act compliance programs for cities and utilities, high-efficiency irrigation upgrades for agricultural producers, and on-the-ground riparian and habitat restoration services across Western U.S. watersheds, all delivered through the proprietary StreamBank® Toolkit and Watershed Outcomes Bank model.

Product overview

The Freshwater Trust offers a suite of conservation technology products centered around its proprietary StreamBank® Toolkit platform. The core platform includes three integrated components: BasinScout® for watershed diagnostics and site prioritization, StreamBank Monitoring for field data collection and long-term analysis, and the Administrative Toolkit for program implementation tracking. These tools support the organization's Quantified Conservation approach, which uses data and technology to ensure restoration actions translate to measurable positive outcomes. The Watershed Outcomes Bank model complements the technology suite by enabling verified conservation investments and compliance credits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BasinScout: A diagnostics tool that surveys large landscapes and watersheds to estimate environmental uplift and prioritize restoration sites.
• StreamBank
• Watershed Outcomes Bank

Products and services

• StreamBank® Toolkit Patented toolkit used by The Freshwater Trust to assess watersheds, prioritize restoration actions, and monitor progress over time. Consists of three integrated components: BasinScout diagnostics for landscape surveys, StreamBank Monitoring for field data collection, and the StreamBank Administrative Toolkit for program management. Supports the Quantified Conservation methodology that translates every restoration action into a measurable ecological outcome.
• BasinScout® Diagnostics tool that surveys large landscapes and watersheds to estimate environmental uplift and prioritize restoration sites. Uses machine learning to delineate agricultural fields and identify irrigation types (flood, sprinkler, drip) from satellite data, saving approximately 2,000 hours of manual work per analysis.
• Watershed Outcomes Bank A conservation finance and outcomes model that directs dollars toward measurable ecological outcomes, enabling verified, data-driven freshwater conservation investments and generating tradeable water quality and temperature credits for compliance programs (e.g., for cities and utilities needing Clean Water Act compliance).
• Water Quality Trading & Compliance Solutions Nature-based Clean Water Act compliance programs for cities, utilities, and wastewater commissions. Generates tradeable shade, temperature, and water quality credits through streamside tree planting and other restoration actions, providing a cost-effective alternative to engineered infrastructure (e.g., Medford program saving over $8M vs. an engineered cooling solution).
• Agriculture & Irrigation Efficiency Solutions High-efficiency irrigation upgrade and agricultural conservation services for farmers and ranchers, including conversion from flood to precision irrigation, water rights leasing, flow deals, and participation in water quality trading. Backed by aggregated funding (e.g., $100M Idaho Power commitment, EPA seed funding) that delivers streamlined incentive packages to producers.
• Riparian & Habitat Restoration Services On-the-ground riparian and habitat restoration services delivered through landowner lease agreements (typically 20 years), including native tree and plant installation, livestock exclusion fencing, large wood structure placement for coho salmon habitat, and long-term ecological monitoring.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16,000%+ increase in fish counts at restored sites
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Sacramento Area Sewer DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Harvest Water regional water reuse initiative targeting 50,000 acre-feet of recycled water annually for irrigation, part of $600 million program to offset groundwater pumping in California.
• Bureau of ReclamationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner10-year partnership implementing 15 habitat projects with nearly 350 large wood structures to restore coho salmon habitat in Rogue River basin as part of Biological Opinion compliance.
• City of MedfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst-of-its-kind water quality trading program using tree planting to offset warm water discharge from wastewater treatment plant; $6.5 million, 20-year agreement saving over $8M vs engineered solution.
• City of AshlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater quality trading program along Bear Creek watershed generating 67 million kilocalories per day of shade credits for compliance; restored 40+ acres of riverside forests.
• Pacific Power Blue Sky Habitat FundsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner$121,500 awarded to four restoration projects across Oregon benefiting tributaries of Willamette, Sandy, Rogue and Applegate rivers; coordinated by TFT for over 13 years.
• Oregon Watershed Enhancement BoardsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner$24,500 grant to identify restoration sites in Rogue basin using REST (Riparian Extent and Status Tool) to survey banks and prioritize planting locations.
• Lomakatsi Restoration ProjectcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-term restoration partnership including Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Partnership Program; collaborated on 20+ projects in Rogue basin with co-founder Marko Bey.
• McKenzie Watershed CouncilsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership for riparian reforestation projects in Upper Willamette basin, including post-Holiday Farm wildfire restoration along the McKenzie River.
• GooglesupportingTechnology or IntegrationGoogle scholarship to investigate irrigation classification using AI and satellite data; partnership to refine how AI identifies irrigation types from satellite imagery.
• Upstream TechsupportingTechnology or IntegrationJoint release of machine learning technology to advance freshwater conservation and restoration through data analytics and watershed analysis tools.
• Metropolitan Wastewater Management CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater quality trading program in Upper Willamette basin using streamside planting to help MWMC comply with Clean Water Act regulations.
• MicrosoftsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to help Microsoft meet water sustainability goals in California through watershed conservation and groundwater replenishment programs.
• USDA Secretary's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with USDA to expand TFT's agricultural water resilience model to other Western watersheds as a national framework.
• PNDLMsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSoftware developers partner for TFT's data and analytics technology platform development and maintenance.
• Geos InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrinking Water Providers Partnership awarding $20,000 grant for erosion reduction assessment in Little Butte Creek watershed with matching contributions.
• Drinking Water Providers PartnershipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective of nonprofits and federal/state agencies supporting TFT's watershed assessment work with grant funding and matching contributions.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Rivers: National river and clean water advocacy nonprofit working on river protection, restoration, and water policy. Highly comparable mission and policy/advocacy approach, with overlapping federal and corporate partnerships.
• Bonneville Environmental Foundation: Portland-based nonprofit focused on water restoration and renewable energy in the Pacific Northwest, including stream restoration and water quality credit programs. Highly comparable geography, mission, and water quality trading model.
• River Network: National nonprofit supporting a network of grassroots river and watershed groups. Comparable mission in freshwater protection and overlap in capacity-building for watershed councils TFT partners with.
• Sustainable Conservation: California-based nonprofit advancing practical solutions at the intersection of agriculture, environment, and water. Comparable focus on agricultural water efficiency, irrigation upgrades, and partnership-based delivery in the Western U.S.
• Trout Unlimited: National nonprofit focused on coldwater fisheries conservation and stream/river habitat restoration across the U.S. Most direct peer given shared freshwater restoration mission, landowner engagement, and federal agency partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO with corporate and government partnership programs in water security. Comparable in deploying corporate water stewardship partnerships (e.g., Microsoft-type relationships) though broader in geographic and thematic scope.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest global conservation NGOs with active freshwater programs in the Western U.S. While much broader in scope, TNC operates comparable watershed, water rights, and corporate partnership programs and is a likely collaborator/competitor for major federal and philanthropic funding.
• Ducks Unlimited: Large nonprofit focused on wetland and waterfowl habitat conservation with significant Western U.S. watershed programs. Comparable landowner engagement and habitat restoration delivery model, though species focus differs.

Emerging players

• Upstream Tech: Technology company applying remote sensing and ML to freshwater and land management. Direct technology partner of TFT and a potential peer/competitor in data-driven watershed analytics.
• Ecosystem Investment Partners: For-profit environmental investment firm aggregating capital for wetland and stream mitigation banking. Comparable in applying financial / market-based mechanisms to conservation outcomes, but operates on a for-profit mitigation credit model rather than donor-funded programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fresH2Otrust
• YouTubevimeo.com/thefreshwatertrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/thefreshwatertrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-freshwater-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/freshwatertrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 The Freshwater Trust