Friends of Nature

What Friends of Nature does

Friends of Nature (自然之友) is China's earliest established national-wide grassroots environmental non-governmental organization, founded on June 5, 1993 by Liang Congjie and three co-founders at the Green Forum held at Linglong Pagoda in Beijing's western suburbs. Headquartered in Beijing as a registered public welfare foundation (北京自然之友公益基金会), it operates four interlocking programmatic lines: (1) environmental public interest litigation (64 cases filed, 57 accepted, 47 concluded as of December 31, 2024, including the precedent-setting Green Peafowl preventive conservation case recognized by the World Judicial Conference on Environment); (2) policy and legislative advocacy, including participation in over 60 environmental law revision processes and submission of more than 70 legislative proposals; (3) green citizen action programs, anchored by 23 volunteer groups operating across 18 cities, the Linglong Project (公民气候行动计划) for citizen climate leadership, and curriculum/toolkit programs in wetland conservation and zero-waste lifestyle; and (4) the Blue Sky Laboratory public air-pollution awareness program and other action domains covering biodiversity, sustainable communities, and waste reduction.

The organization's revenue model is donation-led and grant-funded: primary inflows come from a base of over 7,000 monthly donors and additional one-time contributions, supplemented by corporate and institutional grants from foundations including the SEE Foundation, Alibaba Public Welfare Foundation, HSBC China, and partners such as Novo Nordisk China, Audi China, and Ford. Distribution reaches donors through 8 public donation portals across 5 platforms (Tencent, Bytedance, Alipay, and others) plus 670,000+ combined followers on WeChat, Weibo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu. FON has also incubated three revenue-generating social enterprises — Gaia Nature School (environmental education), Gaia Design Studio (ecological design), and Novaloop (zero-waste event solutions) — which provide services for fees, applying a participatory-design and capacity-building model that aligns with FON's mission.

FON's core stakeholders are the Chinese general public — individual volunteers, monthly donors, and program participants — together with government and judicial entities (Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Supreme People's Court, Beijing Municipal Procuratorate) and academic co-initiators (Peking University, Tsinghua University, Duke Kunshan, Renmin University) where it serves as a litigation partner, legislative contributor, and environmental educator. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Zhang Shiqiu (a Peking University professor), with General Manager Liu Jinmei running daily operations, and is rated as a 4A-level social organization by Beijing Civil Affairs. Revenue and donor economics are not publicly disclosed, and FON has historically operated without conventional equity funding.

Name

Friends of Nature

Legal name

北京自然之友公益基金会

Website

https://fon.org.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Friends of Nature (自然之友) is China's first national-wide grassroots environmental NGO (founded 1993), running environmental public interest litigation, citizen climate action programs, and volunteer networks across 18 Chinese cities, supported by over 30,000 volunteers and 7,000+ monthly donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy & Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL)

Keywords

• Environmental advocacy
• Environmental public interest litigation
• Green citizen action
• Environmental education
• Conservation volunteer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations (Monthly Giving + One-time): FON's primary revenue stream is individual donations from monthly givers (over 7,000 monthly donors) and one-time contributors. The organization operates 8 public donation portals across 5 platforms including Tencent, Bytedance, and Alipay. Monthly donors (月捐人) are considered a core pillar of sustainable institutional financing. One-time donations are also accepted from individuals who support FON's mission but have not committed to monthly giving.
2. Corporate and Institutional Donations/Grants: FON receives donations from corporations (e.g., Novo Nordisk China's office furniture recycling initiative raised 44,977 RMB) and grants from foundations. It has been supported by organizations such as the SEE Foundation (卫蓝侠 program), Alibaba Public Welfare Foundation, HSBC China, and Ford Motor Company Environmental Awards. As of 2024, FON has influenced over 3 billion RMB in environmental governance and ecological restoration funds through its legal services.
3. Social Enterprise Revenue (Incubated Entities): FON has incubated and established 3 social enterprises covering environmental education (Gaia Nature School), ecological design (Gaia Design Studio), participatory construction, and green solutions for large-scale public events (Novaloop). These entities generate revenue through service delivery and program fees, contributing to the broader FON ecosystem.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Friends of Nature is a non-profit environmental NGO that delivers environmental public interest litigation, policy advocacy, citizen climate action programs (Linglong Project), volunteer mobilization, environmental education, and research. It engages 30,000+ registered volunteers across 23 local groups in 18 Chinese cities and operates three incubated social enterprises covering environmental education, ecological design, and zero-waste event services.

Product overview

Friends of Nature (自然之友) is China's first nationally-based grassroots environmental NGO established in 1993. Rather than a unified software product, the organization offers a portfolio of interconnected environmental programs and services. The core offerings include: the Linglong Project (玲珑计划) for citizen climate action; Environmental Public Interest Litigation services; Volunteer Group Activities across 23 local groups in 18 cities; Green Communications & Influence; Research & Investigation; and Action Domains covering Biodiversity Conservation, Sustainable Communities, and Waste Reduction. The organization has also incubated three social enterprises: Gaia Nature School (environmental education), Gaia Design Studio (ecological design), and Novaloop (zero-waste event solutions). These programs work together to rebuild the bond between mankind and nature, preserve ecosystems, and promote green citizens through environmental education, community engagement, public participation, legal advocacy, and policy influence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 盖娅自然学校 (Gaia Nature School): Environmental education institution providing nature experience courses and training for environmental educators. Established in 2014 as one of FON's social enterprises, focusing on cultivating green citizens through outdoor and nature-based education programs.
• 自然之友·盖娅设计工作室 (Gaia Design Studio)
• 诺路环保 (Novaloop)
• 玲珑计划 (Linglong Project)
• 蓝天实验室 (Blue Sky Laboratory)

Products and services

• Linglong Project (玲珑计划 / Citizen Climate Action Plan) A citizen climate action program that discovers, nurtures, and supports climate activists through funding (5,000–50,000 RMB per project), curriculum-based capacity building, professional mentorship, and community support networks. As of 2024, six cohorts of citizen climate activists have been supported.
• Environmental Public Interest Litigation Program Legal advocacy program initiating environmental public interest litigation cases covering air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, ocean pollution, biodiversity conservation, and climate change. As of December 31, 2024, 64 cases have been initiated (57 accepted, 47 concluded), leveraging over 3 billion RMB in environmental remediation funds.
• Volunteer Group Activities (志愿者小组活动) Supports 23 volunteer action groups in 18 cities conducting bird protection, river and wetland conservation, plant protection, waste reduction/recycling, zero-waste community initiatives, mountain and beach cleaning, and nature education activities. Over 30,000 registered volunteers participate annually.
• Gaia Nature School (盖亚自然学校) Environmental Education Provides nature experience education with a comprehensive curriculum system for wetland conservation and zero-waste lifestyle, cultivating environmental awareness through experiential learning for children, families, and educators. 2024 marks its 10th year of operation.
• Gaia Design Studio (盖亚设计工作室) Ecological Design Promotes participatory and sustainable environmental design concepts, building community, campus, and ecological base platforms to cultivate green citizens through environmental design education and practice.
• Novaloop (诺路环保) Zero-Waste Events Provides zero-waste event solutions, low-carbon conference services, zero-waste music festivals, and green office/park solutions for large-scale public events and organizations.
• Green Communications & Influence (绿色传播影响力) Brand communication function responsible for institutional brand strategy, media relations, and social media operations. Implements cross-sector collaborations with influential brands and organizations to integrate environmental protection into public lifestyle.
• Research & Investigation (调查研究) Produces research analysis reports on corporate responsible investment, environmental and climate policy briefings, public participation manuals, and in-depth policy and legal analysis reports. Offers downloadable toolkits for Chinese corporate overseas investment training.

Quantifiable outcome

• 64 environmental public interest litigation cases filed; 57 accepted; 47 concluded as of December 31, 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and tactical.

• Beijing University Natural Conservation and Social Development Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of the Linglong Project (公民气候行动计划). Provides academic research support and oversees citizen climate action research and program development alongside FON and other partners.
• Tsinghua University Industry Development and Environmental Governance Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of the Linglong Project. Contributes expertise in industry development and environmental governance to the citizen climate action program.
• Duke Kunshan University Environmental Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of the Linglong Project. Provides environmental research and academic support for citizen climate action initiatives.
• Shanshui Natural Conservation Center (山水自然保护中心)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of the Linglong Project and a key partner in FON's biodiversity conservation and environmental advocacy work. Collaborated on the Green Peafowl protection case.
• Guokr (果壳自然)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of the Linglong Project. Contributes science communication and public engagement expertise to citizen climate action programs.
• Renmin University of China Law School Environmental Law Clinic (中国人民大学法学院环境法律诊所)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFON collaborates with Renmin University's Environmental Law Clinic to provide practical legal education. FON's legal team teaches environmental law practice courses including case source analysis, information disclosure, case selection, and litigation preparation. Students work on real environmental public interest litigation cases under FON guidance.
• African Wildlife FoundationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerFON co-hosted the 11th and 12th China-Africa Youth Dialogue series with African Wildlife Foundation, covering topics such as UNFCCC and biodiversity, and renewable energy's opportunities and risks for biodiversity. African Wildlife Foundation also visited FON to exchange environmental protection practices with Chinese youth.
• Beijing LEGO Discovery CentertacticalGTM or Marketing PartnerFON partnered with Beijing LEGO Discovery Center during the 99 Public Welfare Day to launch a species blind box challenge featuring 5 species (dragonfly, robin, magpie, green peafowl, leopard cat). The creative collaboration combined LEGO building with biodiversity awareness, engaging both children and adults in environmental protection messages.
• Audi China (奥迪中国)tacticalGTM or Marketing PartnerFON and Audi China jointly released the 'Beijing Urban Bird Watching Guide' (《北京自然城市观鸟指南》), combining FON's environmental expertise with Audi's brand reach to promote urban biodiversity awareness.
• Novo Nordisk China (诺和诺德中国)tacticalGTM or Marketing PartnerNovo Nordisk China's office furniture recycling initiative raised 44,977 RMB for FON's environmental programs. Their employees participated in FON's river protection and Leave No Trace mountain activities, and the company held low-carbon office lectures. The partnership demonstrates cross-sector collaboration in corporate sustainability.
• Beijing Municipal Procuratorate (北京市检察院)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerFON signed a cooperation agreement with Beijing Municipal Procuratorate to jointly promote public interest litigation, advancing the development of environmental public interest litigation mechanisms in China.
• Beijing Yitong Taihang (绿行太行)tacticalStrategic or Co-development PartnerFON collaborated with Yitong Taihang to hold a Public Participation Steel Industry Pollution Reduction研修营 and published the 'Five Provinces Steel Industry Enterprise Environmental Information Disclosure Status' report.
• Nanjing Lvshi (南京绿石) and Lvqing Qilu (绿行齐鲁)tacticalStrategic or Co-development PartnerFON jointly organized a Chemical Industrial Park Pollution Reduction研修营 and Double Key Plan achievement seminar with Nanjing Lvshi and Lvqing Qilu.
• Gaia Nature School (盖娅自然学校)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFON's first social enterprise, established in 2014. Provides environmental education curricula and programs including nature experience courses, plant observation, and wetland conservation programs. 2024 marks its 10th year of operation.
• Gaia Design Studio (自然之友·盖娅设计工作室)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFON's social enterprise focused on ecological design. Promotes participatory and sustainable design concepts, builds community/campus/ecological base platforms, and cultivates green citizens through environmental design education and practice.
• Novaloop (诺路环保)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFON's social enterprise providing zero-waste event solutions, low-carbon conference services, zero-waste music festivals, and green office/park solutions. Formerly the FON zero-waste event project team, Novaloop promotes sustainable practices across various sectors through successful cases.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Green Earth Volunteers (绿色汉江 / 自然之友–style grassroots groups): Smaller grassroots environmental NGOs operating in specific Chinese regions, often with single-issue focus (e.g., river protection, anti-incineration). These groups represent both potential partners and competitors for FON's volunteer base in their respective geographies.

Broad incumbents

• China Environmental Protection Foundation (中国环境保护基金会): State-affiliated national environmental foundation with quasi-official standing and substantial government funding. Competes with FON for high-profile project partnerships and corporate environmental CSR dollars in China.
• Natural Resources Defense Council China (NRDC): NRDC's China program focuses on clean energy, air quality, and environmental policy. It competes with FON for influence in Beijing policy circles and international climate funding, particularly around climate litigation and clean air advocacy.
• WWF China: China office of the global World Wildlife Fund, focused on biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development. WWF China operates at significantly larger scale and budget than FON, and overlaps heavily on conservation policy and species protection programs.
• The Nature Conservancy China (TNC): China program of The Nature Conservancy, focused on land and water conservation, sustainable forestry, and climate resilience. TNC operates with substantially larger international funding and scientific capacity than FON, and overlaps on protected area and biodiversity work.
• SEE Foundation (阿拉善SEE生态协会): One of China's largest environmental NGOs, founded by entrepreneurs including Jack Ma. SEE operates across desertification control, biodiversity, and climate, with substantially larger corporate funding pools. SEE has been a major grantmaker to FON's Wei Lan Xia program, making it both a funder and a strategic competitor for donor attention.
• Greenpeace East Asia: East Asia regional office of Greenpeace, active in China on air pollution, climate, and supply chain sustainability. Greenpeace's confrontational campaign style differs from FON's legalistic approach, but both compete for the same environmental donor base and policy influence.

Emerging players

• MyH2O (我的水我做主): Younger Chinese environmental NGO focused on rural drinking water quality through data, technology, and student volunteer mobilization. Represents the new generation of Chinese civic environmental groups that compete with FON for younger donors and media attention.

Direct peers

• Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE, 公众环境研究中心): Beijing-based environmental NGO that uses data, supply-chain disclosure, and pollution mapping as advocacy tools. IPE complements FON's litigation-heavy approach with information-based advocacy, competing for the same donor and media mindshare in China's environmental civic space.
• Shanshui Nature Conservation Center (山水自然保护中心): Beijing-based Chinese environmental NGO focused on biodiversity conservation and protected area management. Shanshui is a co-initiator of FON's Linglong Project and a direct collaborator on the Green Peafowl case, making it the closest programmatic and geographic peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/friendsofnaturechina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-nature

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Friends of Nature