Great Lakes Protection Fund
The Great Lakes Protection Fund is a private, not-for-profit, membership corporation and impact investor, created in 1989 by the governors of seven Great Lakes states with an $81M endowment. It funds innovative environmental projects across the Great Lakes basin, targeting water quality, coastal resilience, agricultural runoff, and emissions reduction.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersEvanston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Great Lakes Protection Fund does
Great Lakes Protection Fund (GLPF) is a private, not-for-profit, membership corporation established in 1989 by the governors of the seven Great Lakes states (Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania). Originally endowed with $81 million — making it the world's first ecosystem endowment — the Fund operates as a patient impact investor, deploying over $87 million cumulatively into an innovation portfolio targeting urban water management, agricultural water quality, coastal resilience, and energy-emissions reduction. The Fund is governed by its seven state governors as corporate members, who elect a board of directors; one-third of net earnings are paid annually to member states, totaling $55 million since inception.
The Fund's core product is structured grant-making and program incubation, not commercial software. It funds project teams (nonprofits, universities, government utilities, for-profits) through a multi-stage proposal process involving staff evaluation, outside technical expert panels, and board approval, typically taking 6-8 months from concept to award. Notable funded technologies include the Open-Storm open-source stormwater platform (University of Michigan), LEEM/PEPSO emissions-optimization software (Wayne State), the Utility Performance Management (UPM) initiative (Moonshot Missions), the Great Lakes Impact Investment Platform, and the Vacant to Vibrant green infrastructure program. The Fund also produces annual reports, a 2024-2028 Strategic Plan, leadership awards, and educational content. Revenue is not generated commercially; the Fund operates on endowment returns distributed as grants and state payments.
Great Lakes Protection Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Great Lakes Protection Fund
- Legal name
- Great Lakes Protection Fund
- Website
- https://glpf.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Great Lakes Protection Fund is a private, not-for-profit, membership corporation and impact investor, created in 1989 by the governors of seven Great Lakes states with an $81M endowment. It funds innovative environmental projects across the Great Lakes basin, targeting water quality, coastal resilience, agricultural runoff, and emissions reduction.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Great Lakes Protection Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Impact Investing
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Water Supply (4941)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Environmental & Resource Efficiency Funds (Water, Waste, Recycling, Efficiency) (FSANAEAE)
Keywords
Where Great Lakes Protection Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Evanston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Great Lakes Protection Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Impact Investment Returns: As an impact investor and private not-for-profit membership corporation, the Fund generates returns through successful projects that improve Great Lakes ecosystem health. The Fund pays one-third of its net earnings to member states each year. Originally endowed with $81 million in 1989, the Fund has invested over $87 million in its innovation portfolio. Since inception, the Fund has provided $55 million to member states.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Great Lakes Protection Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Great Lakes Protection Fund is a private, not-for-profit, membership corporation that operates as the world's first ecosystem endowment. Originally endowed with $81 million in 1989, the Fund provides grants and impact investments to project teams developing innovative solutions to protect and restore the Great Lakes ecosystem, focusing on urban water management, agricultural water quality, and coastal resilience.
Product overview
Great Lakes Protection Fund is an impact investor that funds environmental projects rather than a traditional product company. Their work includes grant programs (Utility Performance Management, Great Lakes Impact Investment Platform), technology platforms (Open-Storm open-source stormwater management), emission monitoring technologies (LEEM, PEPSO, HERO, AER), and community programs (Vacant to Vibrant). These initiatives work together to protect and restore the Great Lakes ecosystem through innovation, funding, and collaborative action.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Utility Performance Management (UPM) Initiative
- Great Lakes Impact Investment Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $87 million invested in innovation portfolio since 1989
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Great Lakes Protection Fund
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Great Lakes Protection Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Great Lakes Protection Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Moonshot MissionscoreNonprofit facilitating the Utility Performance Management (UPM) initiative for wastewater utilities in the Great Lakes region, supported by a three-year, $1.1 million award from the Fund. The initiative aims to help small and mid-sized utilities strengthen core management and operational practices.
- State of Michigan (Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Chair)coreOne of seven member states whose governor serves as corporate member of the Fund. Michigan serves as current Chair. Governors elect the board of directors to govern the corporation.
- State of Illinois (Governor J.B. Pritzker)coreOne of seven member states whose governor serves as corporate member of the Fund. Illinois is a member state participating in governance and receiving state shares payments.
- State of Wisconsin (Governor Tony Evers)coreOne of seven member states whose governor serves as corporate member of the Fund. Wisconsin participates in governance and receives state shares payments.
- State of Minnesota (Governor Tim Walz)coreOne of seven member states whose governor serves as corporate member of the Fund. Minnesota participates in governance and receives state shares payments.
- State of New York (Governor Kathy Hochul)coreOne of seven member states whose governor serves as corporate member of the Fund. New York participates in governance and receives state shares payments.
- State of Ohio (Governor Mike DeWine)coreOne of seven member states whose governor serves as corporate member of the Fund. Ohio participates in governance and receives state shares payments.
- State of Pennsylvania (Governor Josh Shapiro)coreOne of seven member states whose governor serves as corporate member of the Fund. Pennsylvania participates in governance and receives state shares payments.
- Council of Michigan FoundationscoreLeading the Great Lakes Community Foundations Water Initiative involving 27 shoreline community foundations working in six regional clusters to address aging water infrastructure and build community will for improvements.
- Great Lakes One Water (GLOW) PartnershipcoreBasin-wide initiative engaging 27 community foundations in six teams to advance collaborative water projects over a four-year span. Funded through Phase 1 and Phase 2 investments totaling over $1 million.
- The Water Council (Milwaukee, WI)core2019 Great Lakes Leadership Award winner. Global center for advancing water technologies connecting more than 238 water technology businesses with 200 industry members through BREW accelerator program.
- Cleveland Water Alliancecore2019 Great Lakes Leadership Award winner. Nonprofit working to make Lake Erie the first Smart and Connected Great Lake through Erie Hack innovation challenges and early warning systems for toxic algae.
- Imagine H2Ocore2019 Great Lakes Leadership Award winner. Water startup accelerator that has expanded programs to Asia, supporting entrepreneurs building water businesses globally.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Great Lakes Protection Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Joyce Foundation: A Great Lakes-region private foundation with a major focus on clean water, Great Lakes protection, and environmental policy. Directly comparable as a regional environmental grantmaker, with similar funding priorities and impact-investing posture.
- Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation: A regional foundation active in Great Lakes water and community programs, listed as a financial partner of GLPF. Comparable as a co-funder for community-foundation water initiatives in the same basin.
- Chesapeake Bay Trust: A regional watershed-focused nonprofit grantmaker and impact investor for the Chesapeake Bay. Operates a structurally similar model of project funding, innovation grants, and on-the-ground conservation outcomes, but in a different basin.
Emerging players
- The Water Council: Milwaukee-based global water technology hub connecting 238+ water tech businesses and 200 industry members via the BREW accelerator. Directly comparable as a Great Lakes water innovation intermediary and 2019 GLPF Leadership Award winner.
- Cleveland Water Alliance: Nonprofit driving the 'Smart Lake Erie' initiative and Erie Hack innovation challenges for early warning systems on toxic algae. Comparable as a Great Lakes water innovation partner and 2019 GLPF Leadership Award winner.
- Imagine H2O: Water startup accelerator that supports entrepreneurs building water businesses globally, including in the Great Lakes. Comparable as a partner / pipeline node for GLPF-funded innovations, operating in the same water-innovation ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- The Kresge Foundation: A large national private foundation with major environmental and Great Lakes programs. Co-funds GLPF initiatives (per the company data) and shares a programmatic footprint in water and climate, with a far larger endowment.
- Bloomberg Philanthropies: Major global philanthropic vehicle with significant environmental and clean water programs, including coastal and water resilience initiatives. Comparable as a large-scale environmental grantmaker and a potential collaborator/co-funder at scale.
- The Pew Charitable Trusts: National environmental funder with a substantial Great Lakes and conservation portfolio. Comparable as a large-scale environmental grantmaker pursuing measurable conservation outcomes and policy impact.
Regional players
- The Everglades Foundation: Regional ecosystem foundation focused on Everglades restoration, also a 2019 GLPF Leadership Award winner. Comparable structurally as a regional ecosystem endowment, but operating in a different basin and geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Great Lakes Protection Fund social profiles
Digital presenceGreat Lakes Protection Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Great Lakes Protection Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Great Lakes Protection Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Great Lakes Protection Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Great Lakes Protection Fund
What does Great Lakes Protection Fund do?
The Great Lakes Protection Fund is a private, not-for-profit, membership corporation that operates as the world's first ecosystem endowment. Originally endowed with $81 million in 1989, the Fund provides grants and impact investments to project teams developing innovative solutions to protect and restore the Great Lakes ecosystem, focusing on urban water management, agricultural water quality, and coastal resilience.
Is Great Lakes Protection Fund a public or private company?
Great Lakes Protection Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Great Lakes Protection Fund founded?
Great Lakes Protection Fund was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Great Lakes Protection Fund based?
Great Lakes Protection Fund is headquartered in Evanston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Great Lakes Protection Fund make money?
One revenue line is on record: impact Investment Returns.
Who are Great Lakes Protection Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Joyce Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and Chesapeake Bay Trust. Emerging players are The Water Council, Cleveland Water Alliance and Imagine H2O. Broad incumbents are The Kresge Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies and The Pew Charitable Trusts. The Everglades Foundation is listed as a regional player.
Does Great Lakes Protection Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Great Lakes Protection Fund.
What industry is Great Lakes Protection Fund in?
Great Lakes Protection Fund's product category is Environmental Impact Investing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAJAG, Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAK, Water Resources & Watershed Protection. Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8600.