ATCHAFALAYA BASINKEEPER INC

What ATCHAFALAYA BASINKEEPER INC does

Atchafalaya Basinkeeper Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental advocacy organization founded in 2004 by Dean A. Wilson and headquartered in Plaquemine, Louisiana. The organization is a member of the global Waterkeeper Alliance and operates with a core staff of approximately 8 employees to protect and restore the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest contiguous wetland forest in North America. Its activities combine grassroots community organizing, environmental monitoring, and aggressive federal litigation against projects that threaten the Basin, including the Bayou Bridge Pipeline, the East Grand Lake Project, and illegal dams such as the one on Pat's Throat Bayou. The organization serves over 2,000 members across South Central Louisiana, including individual conservation advocates, commercial fishermen, crawfish producers, and parish-level communities such as St. Martin, Iberville, Assumption, and St. Landry.

The organization's core 'technology' is its institutional advocacy platform, anchored by the proprietary Atchafalaya Basin Management Plan and supported by a Tulane Environmental Law Clinic partnership and a dedicated in-house Staff Attorney. Distribution occurs through community channels rather than commercial products: monthly ABK Acadiana meetings hosted at Cavalier House Books in Lafayette, the annual Save the Basin fundraiser, canoe trips, volunteer training programs (Basin Basics), and the 'On Our Watch' podcast. Marketing relies on a 32K-strong Facebook presence, 30K Instagram followers, and a 1,500+ subscriber newsletter, supplemented by community-led volunteer mobilization.

Revenue is generated through a tiered annual membership program (Student $15+ to Steward $1,000+), annual fundraising events (Save the Basin gala, Pack and Paddle Fundraiser), tiered corporate sponsorships (Friend of the Basin $500 to Protector of the Basin $5,000), legacy gifts and bequests, and 501(c)(3) tax-deductible donations processed through Network for Good. The customer base is highly distributed across individual donors, advocacy-minded community members, and a small set of recurring commercial sponsors. No software products, APIs, or digital services are offered; the organization's primary outputs are legal victories, public education, and conservation outcomes rather than commercial deliverables.

Name

ATCHAFALAYA BASINKEEPER INC

Legal name

Atchafalaya Basinkeeper Inc

Website

https://basinkeeper.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Atchafalaya Basinkeeper Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that protects and restores the Atchafalaya Basin in South Central Louisiana through legal advocacy, community organizing, and environmental monitoring, serving 2,000+ members, commercial fishermen, and local parishes as a Waterkeeper Alliance affiliate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy and Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH)

Keywords

• Wetland conservation advocacy
• Environmental nonprofit services
• Watershed protection programs
• Community conservation organizing
• Water quality monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Plaquemine

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Memberships: Tiered annual membership program with levels ranging from Student ($15+) to Steward ($1,000+), providing recurring revenue and community engagement
2. Annual Fundraising Events: Annual Save the Basin gala and fundraiser events featuring live music, auctions, and raffles to generate donations and community support
3. Legacy Gifts and Bequests: Planned giving program allowing supporters to leave donations in wills and trusts, providing long-term financial support
4. Corporate and Nonprofit Sponsorships: Sponsorship program for businesses, nonprofits, and government entities to support ABK's conservation work

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Atchafalaya Basinkeeper is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that protects and restores the Atchafalaya Basin (North America's largest contiguous wetland forest) through environmental advocacy, legal action, community education, volunteer programs, and sedimentation monitoring. The organization litigates against projects that harm the Basin, monitors ecological threats, and engages local communities through monthly meetings, canoe trips, and annual fundraising events.

Product overview

Atchafalaya Basinkeeper is a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization and member of Waterkeeper Alliance, not a technology product company. The organization focuses on protecting and restoring the Atchafalaya Basin through advocacy, legal action, community education, volunteer programs, and fundraising events. Its primary activities include patrolling the Basin, monitoring environmental threats, filing lawsuits against harmful projects, educating communities, organizing volunteer activities, and hosting fundraising events. The organization does not offer software products, technology platforms, or digital services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BASIN Membership Program Tiered annual membership program with levels ranging from Student ($15+) to Steward ($1,000+), providing recurring revenue and community engagement for supporters of the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper's conservation work.
• Annual Save the Basin Fundraiser Annual fundraising event featuring live music, auctions, raffles, and community celebration of the Atchafalaya Basin, with ticketed admission (General Admission $25, Children 5-12 $15, Children 0-5 Free).
• Volunteer Program Organized volunteer opportunities including Basin Basics training, field trips, canoe trips, and event support across the Basin region, designed for community members who want to participate directly in conservation activities.
• ABK Acadiana Monthly Meetings Monthly community meetings held on the 3rd Monday of each month at Cavalier House Books in Lafayette, Louisiana, featuring guest speakers on Basin-related topics, volunteer training, and community education.
• Legacy Gifts and Planned Giving Program Planned giving program allowing supporters to leave donations in wills and trusts, providing long-term financial support for Atchafalaya Basinkeeper's conservation mission.
• Corporate and Nonprofit Sponsorship Program Sponsorship program for businesses, nonprofits, and government entities to support ABK's conservation work, with tiered levels: Friend of the Basin ($500), Steward of the Basin ($1,000), and Protector of the Basin ($5,000).

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully closed Coon Trap river diversion after nearly 30 years of advocacy, preventing further sedimentation damage to the Basin
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• Waterkeeper AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtchafalaya Basinkeeper is a member organization of Waterkeeper Alliance, a global movement uniting more than 300 Waterkeeper Organizations focusing on waterway protection. CEO Marc Yaggi spoke at ABK's 20th Anniversary Gala. Waterkeeper Alliance CEO has acknowledged ABK's importance in protecting the Basin.
• Tulane Environmental Law CliniccoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides legal representation for ABK in environmental litigation, including lawsuits against the Army Corps of Engineers, challenges to illegal dams, and protection of Basin ecosystems. Has helped ABK achieve significant legal victories.
• Louisiana Crawfish Producers Association-West (LCPA-West)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-litigant in multiple lawsuits to protect the Atchafalaya Basin. LCPA-West was formed in the late 80s-early 90s to fight for free use of navigable waters. Represents crawfishermen's interests in the Basin.
• Healthy GulfmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring Gulf of Mexico natural resources. Co-litigant with ABK in environmental protection lawsuits including challenges to East Grand Lake Project.
• Sierra ClubmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican environmental organization with chapters nationwide. Co-litigant with ABK in lawsuits including the Bayou Bridge Pipeline case and East Grand Lake Project challenge.
• Pack and PaddleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal outdoor recreation business that sponsors ABK canoe trips and events. Sponsors the annual Basin Admiration Amateur Photo Contest with gift cards.
• Abita BeerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLouisiana-based brewery that provides sponsorship support for ABK events including Pack and Paddle Fundraiser at Lake Fausse Point.
• Louisiana Bayou SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit dedicated to litter and debris removal from Louisiana's Bayous. Co-founded by Alex and Dominick Chaillot. Partners with local stakeholders for clean-up efforts.
• Cavalier House BooksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal bookstore in Lafayette that hosts ABK Acadiana monthly meetings, providing venue space for community education events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana: Louisiana's oldest coastal restoration nonprofit, focused on wetland loss, coastal advocacy, and volunteer-driven restoration. Directly comparable mission (Louisiana coastal wetlands), advocacy/litigation posture, volunteer programs, and grassroots fundraising model.
• Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation: Louisiana-based nonprofit dedicated to restoring and preserving a specific large wetland/basin ecosystem (Lake Pontchartrain). Closely comparable mission and operating model — community-driven advocacy, scientific monitoring, litigation, and volunteer engagement — within the same Gulf Coast region.
• Bayou Bartholomew Waterkeeper: A Louisiana-based Waterkeeper Alliance member protecting a specific bayou/wetland system. Directly comparable small-team, grassroots nonprofit model with advocacy, community engagement, and watershed monitoring.
• Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper: Another Waterkeeper Alliance affiliate focused on the lower Mississippi River in Louisiana. Direct peer in mission, structure, and Waterkeeper Alliance affiliation, working on overlapping sedimentation and wetland issues in the same watershed.
• Mississippi Riverkeeper: A Waterkeeper Alliance member organization focused on protecting the Mississippi River — directly comparable as a regional Waterkeeper affiliate running similar advocacy, monitoring, and litigation programs on an adjacent Gulf Coast watershed.
• Healthy Gulf (formerly Gulf Restoration Network): Nonprofit dedicated to restoring and protecting the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. Active co-litigant with ABK on East Grand Lake and Bayou Bridge Pipeline cases — overlapping mission, geography, and litigation strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Club: Major national environmental organization and ABK co-litigant on Bayou Bridge Pipeline and East Grand Lake. Overlapping advocacy mission and active litigation partnership, though operating across all 50 states rather than a single basin.
• National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation organization with significant Gulf Coast and Louisiana coastal restoration programs. Comparable habitat/wetland protection mission and policy advocacy, with broader geographic scope and significantly larger resources.
• Waterkeeper Alliance: The umbrella network of 300+ Waterkeeper organizations globally, of which ABK is a member. Comparable advocacy/water-quality mission at scale, providing shared infrastructure, training, and brand that ABK leverages.

Emerging players

• Surfrider Foundation: Water-quality and coastal advocacy nonprofit with a comparable grassroots chapter-based model, beach/water monitoring programs, and policy advocacy — comparable structure and member-driven GTM though focused on coastal water quality rather than basin-scale wetland protection.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/atchafalayabasinkeeper
• Instagraminstagram.com/atchafalayabasinkeeper
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atchafalaya-basinkeeper-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 ATCHAFALAYA BASINKEEPER INC