San Diego Coastkeeper

What San Diego Coastkeeper does

San Diego Coastkeeper is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 in San Diego, California, that protects and restores swimmable, drinkable, and fishable waters across San Diego County's coastal watersheds. The organization operates four interconnected program verticals: scientific water quality monitoring (covering Mission Bay, San Diego Bay, San Diego River, and Chollas Creek via volunteer-collected samples analyzed for bacteria, nutrients, and metals, with interactive public data visualization maps); environmental education (Project SWELL for K-8 students in partnership with Think Blue San Diego and San Diego Unified School District; Science to Stewardship for high school students; the BIPOC Youth Science Program launched in 2021 with Groundwork San Diego-Chollas Creek); community engagement (200+ beach cleanups since 2007 engaging 7,000+ volunteers annually, the Six Cleanup Challenge, and the Sponsored Cleanup Program for corporate partners); and legal advocacy (Clean Water Act citizen enforcement litigation, including 80 cases initiated since 2016 against entities such as SeaWorld, BNSF Railway, and IBWC/Veolia). The organization's technology stack centers on in-house water quality laboratory analysis and interactive watershed data maps rather than commercial software products.

The business model is a multi-stream nonprofit funding structure: individual donations and private foundation grants form the core base, supplemented by corporate sponsorships (Sponsored Cleanup Program, Seaside Soiree gala), Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) settlement funds channeled to partner nonprofits (over $650,000 since 2016), and government/public agency funding (Port of San Diego support, federal grants). Pricing is non-transactional: educational programs are free to teachers within partner districts, volunteer programs are free to participants, and donations are voluntary. The organization employs approximately 12 paid staff including an Executive Director and Waterkeeper (Phillip Musegaas), two attorneys, and managers across development, marine programs, education, community science, volunteer outreach, communications, and operations, supported by a Board of Directors. Customer and stakeholder segments span government agencies (City of San Diego, Port of San Diego, Regional Water Quality Control Board), school districts, corporate partners, 7,000+ annual volunteers, and a coalition of 60+ partner organizations in the Tijuana River Coalition. The organization holds Charity Navigator Platinum Transparency, Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, and 1% for the Planet memberships, and is affiliated with the global Waterkeeper Alliance.

Name

San Diego Coastkeeper

Legal name

San Diego Coastkeeper

Website

https://sdcoastkeeper.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

San Diego Coastkeeper is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 that protects and restores swimmable, drinkable, and fishable waters through water quality monitoring, environmental education, community cleanups, and Clean Water Act enforcement across San Diego County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy and Water Quality Services

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Water quality monitoring
• Clean water advocacy
• Environmental education
• Marine conservation
• Watershed restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Grants: Primary funding source from individual donors and private foundations supporting environmental conservation work. The organization accepts donations through its website and various giving campaigns.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Brand Partnerships: Corporate organizations sponsor beach cleanups, events, and programs. The Sponsored Cleanup Program allows companies to engage employees in volunteerism while demonstrating environmental commitment.
3. Settlement Agreements (Supplemental Environmental Projects): Through Clean Water Act citizen enforcement actions, Coastkeeper directs portions of civil penalties from polluters to local nonprofit partners for watershed restoration work, channeling approximately $650,000 to partner organizations since 2016.
4. Government and Public Agency Funding: Funding from public agencies and government sources including support from the Port of San Diego and federal grants for infrastructure projects related to Tijuana River sewage crisis response.
5. Event Fundraising (Annual Gala): Annual Seaside Soiree gala generates revenue through ticket sales, sponsorship packages, silent auction, and donations from attendees supporting clean water programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

San Diego Coastkeeper is a nonprofit environmental organization that protects and restores swimmable, drinkable, and fishable waters in San Diego County. Its offerings include community-led water quality monitoring programs across multiple watersheds, K-12 environmental education (Project SWELL, Science to Stewardship), beach and neighborhood cleanup programs, Clean Water Act citizen enforcement litigation, and advocacy for integrated water management policies.

Product overview

San Diego Coastkeeper operates a multi-pronged environmental protection organization focused on water quality advocacy, education, community engagement, and scientific monitoring. The core offerings include: Water Quality Monitoring Programs covering Mission Bay, San Diego Bay, San Diego River, and Chollas Creek watersheds with interactive data visualization; Educational Programs including Project SWELL (K-8 environmental curriculum) and Science to Stewardship (high school place-based education); Community Programs such as beach cleanups, the Six Cleanup Challenge, and sponsored corporate cleanups; Legal Advocacy through Clean Water Act citizen enforcement and policy advocacy; and the One Water integrated water management framework. These programs work together to protect and restore swimmable, drinkable, fishable waters in San Diego County through a combination of science-based monitoring, education, community engagement, and legal action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project SWELL A K-8 environmental education program connecting San Diego students to local water issues and climate science through interactive lessons and hands-on activities, developed in partnership with Think Blue San Diego and delivered through San Diego Unified School District classrooms.
• Science to Stewardship A place-based high school education program engaging students within San Diego Bay watersheds through five in-person sessions covering watershed dynamics, systems modeling, data collection, analysis, and community action projects.
• Mission Bay Water Quality Monitoring Program A bilingual volunteer water quality sampling program collecting data monthly at ten locations throughout Mission Bay, with interactive data maps showing bacteria, metals, nutrients, and field parameters.
• San Diego Bay Water Quality Monitoring Water quality monitoring program for San Diego Bay with interactive data visualization showing enterococci bacteria levels across multiple monitoring sites including Bravo Dock, Chollas Creek Mouth, and Coronado Beach.
• San Diego River Water Quality Monitoring Freshwater watershed monitoring program tracking water quality at sites along the San Diego River including ABF/Zion, Forester Creek, Magnolia Ave, and YMCA Mission Valley.
• Chollas Creek Water Quality Monitoring / BIPOC Youth Science Program Monthly water quality sampling along Chollas Creek with trained community volunteers, paired with a workforce development program engaging BIPOC high school students in environmental science education and data collection.
• Beach Advisories System Real-time beach water quality status information for approximately 80 San Diego County beaches, providing current advisories, closures, and interactive mapping.
• Six Cleanup Challenge A DIY volunteer cleanup and community science program combining outdoor adventure, volunteerism, and data collection across coastal, inland, and urban sites in San Diego County.
• Sponsored Cleanup Program Corporate team-building cleanup program offering customized beach cleanup experiences for organizations with educational support, materials, and impact reporting.
• Clean Water Act Litigation and Enforcement Citizen enforcement of the Clean Water Act through legal action against polluters, resulting in settlement agreements directing funding to nonprofit partners for watershed restoration work.
• One Water Approach Integrated water management advocacy framework incorporating green infrastructure, stormwater capture, wastewater recycling, and habitat restoration practices to reduce pollution and bolster water supply.
• Seaside Soirée Annual Gala Annual fundraising gala featuring ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, silent auction, and donations, generating revenue while celebrating clean water victories.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced countywide beach advisories by 77% since 2000
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Tijuana River CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Coalition of 60+ community-based organizations advocating for solutions to the public health crisis in the Tijuana River Watershed. Coastkeeper is a founding member working on binational advocacy and federal emergency declaration requests.
• Binational Coalition (One Coastal Community)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Coalition launched August 2024 with Proyecto Fronterizo de Educación Ambiental (PFEA), San Diego State University, and Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana to generate and share data on the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis through centralized platform OneCoastalCommunity.org.
• Groundwork San Diego-Chollas CreekcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership launched Fall 2021 for BIPOC Youth Science Program engaging Black, Indigenous, and People of Color high school students in year-long environmental science education and workforce training. Groundwork recruits students from Lincoln High School and oversees logistics.
• Outdoor OutreachcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in BIPOC Youth Science Program, coordinating quarterly outdoor recreational events including hiking, kayaking, tide-pooling, and rock climbing. Provides gear and equipment for activities.
• Surfrider Foundation San Diego ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Long-term partnership since 2007 to conduct beach cleanups and collect valuable marine debris data. Partnership has created one of the longest-running community science marine debris databases in the region, with cleanups from Oceanside to the border.
• Think Blue San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Blue San Diego partnered with San Diego Coastkeeper to develop Project SWELL environmental education curriculum, connecting San Diego students to local water issues and climate science.
• San Diego Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in delivering Project SWELL K-6 water science curriculum to schools throughout the district. Provides access to classrooms and students for environmental education programs.
• Port of San DiegomajorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgram supporter for Science to Stewardship and other environmental education and restoration programs. Provided funding and support for Water Education For All program expansion countywide.
• San Diego Audubon SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding recipient through SEP settlements for watershed restoration work. Collaborated on advocacy including opposition to SeaWorld fireworks displays and support for Point La Jolla seasonal closures.
• San Dieguito River Valley ConservancyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding recipient through SEP settlements for education and science programs supporting watershed restoration in the San Dieguito River area.
• Preserve CalaveraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding recipient through SEP settlements for restoration work in the Calavera Preserve area.
• Ocean ConnectorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding recipient through SEP settlements for education and science programs connecting communities with ocean conservation.
• Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation (CERF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-plaintiff in Clean Water Act litigation including lawsuits against SeaWorld for fireworks pollution and against IBWC/Veolia for Tijuana River sewage crisis. Joint advocacy partner on environmental enforcement actions.
• Waterkeeper AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Waterkeeper Alliance affiliation providing access to resources, training, and national advocacy support. Part of a global movement of on-the-water advocates for clean water protection.
• San Diego State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in One Coastal Community binational coalition. Collaborating on research and data sharing regarding Tijuana River pollution impacts.
• San Diego Bird AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint advocacy partner on sea level rise, coastal resilience, and wildlife protection issues including Point La Jolla seasonal closure to protect sea lions.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Earthjustice: National environmental law organization that litigates on water quality, pollution, and public lands. Overlaps with Coastkeeper on CWA and Clean Air Act enforcement but operates at much larger scale with paid attorneys nationwide rather than a regional nonprofit model.
• Natural Resources Defense Council: Large national environmental advocacy organization with active water quality, climate, and ocean protection programs. Comparable mission overlap on water policy advocacy, but operates at vastly greater scale and breadth than San Diego Coastkeeper's regional focus.

Direct peers

• Orange County Coastkeeper: Direct Waterkeeper Alliance affiliate operating in neighboring Orange County with parallel water quality monitoring, Clean Water Act enforcement, education, and advocacy programs. Operates the same legal-and-science hybrid model as San Diego Coastkeeper in an adjacent Southern California watershed.
• Surfrider Foundation: National nonprofit focused on beach access, water quality, and coastal protection through cleanups, monitoring, and advocacy. Most directly comparable peer: shares volunteer-driven beach cleanup model, marine debris database work, K-12 education programs, and water quality monitoring with San Diego Coastkeeper; has been a San Diego Coastkeeper partner since 2007.
• Heal the Bay: Santa Monica Bay-based nonprofit combining beach cleanup volunteer programs (Nothin' But Sand), K-12 education, water quality science, and policy advocacy. Highly comparable in mission, programmatic structure, volunteer engagement model, and Southern California coastal geography.
• San Francisco Baykeeper: Waterkeeper Alliance affiliate combining on-the-water patrols, pollution patrols, and CWA citizen enforcement for the San Francisco Bay. Direct functional peer demonstrating the same hybrid legal/scientific model Coastkeeper uses in a larger and more industrialized water body.
• Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation: California-based nonprofit environmental law organization that co-plaintiffs CWA citizen suits with San Diego Coastkeeper, including the SeaWorld and Tijuana River cases. Direct peer in Clean Water Act litigation strategy and Southern California coastal enforcement.
• Los Angeles Waterkeeper: Waterkeeper Alliance affiliate in greater Los Angeles pursuing Clean Water Act enforcement, watershed monitoring, and community science. Direct peer with the same legal-and-monitoring operating model; primarily differs by serving the LA Basin rather than San Diego County.

Others

• San Diego Audubon Society: Local chapter of national Audubon network focused on habitat protection, bird conservation, and coastal stewardship. Receives SEP funding from Coastkeeper for watershed restoration and partners on marine protected area advocacy — adjacent and ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor.
• Groundwork San Diego-Chollas Creek: San Diego-based environmental justice nonprofit focused on Chollas Creek watershed and BIPOC youth engagement. Active partner in Coastkeeper's BIPOC Youth Science Program and receives SEP-directed funding — adjacent rather than competing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sd_coastkeeper
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@sandiegocoastkeeper
• Facebookfacebook.com/SanDiegoCoastkeeper
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-diego-coastkeeper
• Instagraminstagram.com/sd_coastkeeper

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 San Diego Coastkeeper