What Captains For Clean Water does

Captains For Clean Water is a Fort Myers, Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 2016 that restores and protects aquatic ecosystems in Florida, with a primary focus on Everglades restoration and coastal water quality. The organization operates three core program pillars — Advocacy (campaigns like the Senate Bill 2508 veto effort and Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) advocacy), Education (awareness on toxic discharges, red tide, blue-green algae, and the 'Send It South' campaign), and Outreach (Resource Impact Tours, speaking engagements, and a coalition of outdoor industry brands) — and supports them with a podcast, an email newsletter, social channels, petition tools, and an unpaid undergraduate internship program.

Revenue is generated through individual and corporate donations, annual membership subscriptions, and an e-commerce merchandise storefront, with 100% of support allocated to mission. The organization does not disclose pricing tiers publicly and has no API or software platform; its technology footprint is limited to commodity tools (Google Analytics, Dropbox). Operationally, it operates with 11-50 employees from its Fort Myers headquarters and is led by Co-Founder Capt. Chris Wittman and Executive Director Capt. Daniel Andrews.

Strategically, the organization is embedded in a multi-stakeholder coalition that includes The Everglades Foundation, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, The Everglades Trust, Everglades Law Center, and Sarasota Bay Estuary Program on the science/legal side, and outdoor industry brands including Orvis, Costa, YETI, Patagonia, Columbia, Hells Bay Boatworks, and Aftco on the commercial side. Documented policy outcomes include the 2022 Senate Bill 2508 veto, the 2023 LOSOM favorable outcome, a March 2025 unanimous 11th Circuit Court ruling rejecting Big Sugar's EAA Reservoir lawsuit, and active opposition to the Southland rock mine proposal. Customer/beneficiary segments are Florida coastal communities, outdoor recreation enthusiasts (4 million registered anglers; $33 billion outdoor recreation economy), and the broader 9 million south Florida residents who depend on Everglades-fed drinking water.

Name

Captains For Clean Water

Legal name

Captains For Clean Water, Inc.

Website

https://captainsforcleanwater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Captains For Clean Water is a Fort Myers-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2016, that advocates for Everglades restoration and Florida water quality through grassroots campaigns, education, and a coalition of outdoor industry brands and conservation partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Water quality advocacy
• Environmental nonprofit
• Everglades restoration
• Watershed conservation
• Habitat protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Myers

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual and corporate donations from supporters concerned with Florida water quality. 100% of support goes toward mission.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership subscriptions offering brand merchandise and exclusive access to support the mission.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise including hats, apparel to generate revenue while promoting the mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Captains For Clean Water is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advances science-based solutions to Florida's water mismanagement through Advocacy, Education, and Outreach programs. The organization mobilizes a grassroots community of captains, anglers, boaters, and outdoor recreation supporters to influence water policy, oppose harmful legislation, and support Everglades restoration infrastructure projects.

Product overview

Captains For Clean Water is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization that operates a suite of programs focused on restoring and protecting aquatic ecosystems in Florida. The organization's offerings center on three core service pillars: Advocacy (policy campaigns and legislative engagement), Education (awareness programs about water quality issues), and Outreach (community engagement and stakeholder relations). Supplementary offerings include a podcast, membership subscriptions, an e-commerce shop for branded merchandise, newsletter communications, and an internship program. Unlike a technology platform with integrated modules, the organization's portfolio is organized as mission-driven programs rather than a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Annual membership subscriptions sold through the organization's online shop that grant access to the clean water advocate community along with branded merchandise benefits.
• Shop (Merchandise) Online e-commerce store at shop.captainsforcleanwater.org selling branded merchandise including hats and apparel to generate revenue while promoting the clean water mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully vetoed Senate Bill 2508 that would have undermined Everglades restoration
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, legacy and supporting.

• The Everglades FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Science-based policy partner providing research and expertise on Everglades restoration. Collaborated on red tide forecast model and research studies. Co-led congressional advocacy efforts including Wall Street Journal ad campaign and Capitol Hill meetings.
• Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Environmental conservation organization; partner in coalition for D.C. advocacy visits. Demonstrates how restoration impacts south Florida communities' livelihoods.
• The Everglades TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Coalition partner for advocacy and restoration funding efforts representing unified voice for Everglades protection.
• Everglades Law CentercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal advocacy organization providing pro-bono legal representation. Filed amicus brief in opposition to Big Sugar lawsuit over EAA Reservoir. Represented Friends of the Everglades in calling for pause on rock mine permitting.
• Sarasota Bay Estuary ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner whose Executive Director Dr. David Tomasko led peer-reviewed study on connection between Caloosahatchee discharges and red tide duration.
• OrviscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLegacy brand partner; took out full-page Wall Street Journal ad urging Congress to fully fund Everglades restoration. Co-advocate on Capitol Hill visits. Part of outdoor industry coalition representing $33 billion outdoor economy.
• CostalegacyGTM or Marketing PartnerLegacy brand partner in outdoor industry coalition supporting clean water mission through brand partnerships and advocacy.
• YETIlegacyGTM or Marketing PartnerLegacy brand partner in outdoor industry coalition supporting clean water mission.
• Hells Bay BoatworkslegacyGTM or Marketing PartnerLegacy brand partner in outdoor industry coalition supporting clean water mission.
• AftcolegacyGTM or Marketing PartnerLegacy brand partner in outdoor industry coalition supporting clean water mission.
• PatagoniasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting brand partner in outdoor industry coalition advocating for Everglades funding.
• ColumbiasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting brand partner in outdoor industry coalition.
• PelagicsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting brand partner in outdoor industry coalition.
• Freefly ApparelsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting brand partner in outdoor industry coalition.
• SeaDeksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting brand partner in outdoor industry coalition.
• RichardsonsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting brand partner in outdoor industry coalition.
• Dr. Miles Medina (ECCO Scientific)supportingTechnology or IntegrationScientific collaborator who co-authored red tide duration study and developed early-warning forecast model for red tide with up to 83% accuracy. Goal is to arm Army Corps with data for better Lake Okeechobee release decisions.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oceana: Large international nonprofit focused on ocean conservation through policy advocacy and science-based campaigns. Operates the same advocacy-based mission model as Captains For Clean Water but at a much larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): National environmental advocacy nonprofit combining science, policy, and litigation across water, climate, and wildlife. Comparable mission-driven advocacy and donor-supported model but operating at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
• Earthjustice: National nonprofit environmental law organization litigating high-impact cases including water and climate issues. Comparable to the legal-advocacy dimension of Captains For Clean Water's work but operating at a national, multi-issue scale.
• Sierra Club: One of the largest U.S. environmental nonprofits, focused on conservation, climate, and policy advocacy. Operates a similar donation-driven advocacy model with grassroots chapters but across many issue areas rather than Florida water specifically.

Direct peers

• The Everglades Trust: Coalition partner organization advocating for Everglades protection and restoration funding. Operates in the same Florida policy ecosystem and joint advocacy campaigns as Captains For Clean Water.
• Surfrider Foundation: National nonprofit dedicated to protecting oceans and beaches through advocacy, education, and grassroots chapters. Comparable as a marine/water quality advocacy nonprofit with a similar grassroots-and-coalition GTM motion, even though its scope is broader than CFCW's Florida-only focus.
• Friends of the Everglades: Historic Florida nonprofit advocating for Everglades protection. Represented by the Everglades Law Center alongside Captains For Clean Water in opposing the Southland rock mine and EAA Reservoir litigation, sharing mission, geography, and policy targets.
• Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF): Local conservation nonprofit in southwest Florida focused on water quality, marine ecosystems, and coastal habitats. Co-advocates with Captains For Clean Water on Capitol Hill and shares both geography and mission around coastal water restoration.
• The Everglades Foundation: Florida-based nonprofit focused on Everglades restoration through science, advocacy, and education. Already an active coalition partner of Captains For Clean Water on red tide research and Capitol Hill advocacy, operating the same advocacy model targeting the same political actors.
• Everglades Law Center: Provides pro-bono legal representation on Everglades and water policy issues, filing amicus briefs cited in the 2025 11th Circuit ruling. Operates as a complementary legal-advocacy peer with overlapping campaigns and stakeholders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/capt4cleanwater
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzBxN7tHT9zq6_EIZNj7jpA
• Facebookfacebook.com/CaptainsForCleanWater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/captains-for-clean-water-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/captainsforcleanwater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Captains For Clean Water