Going Coastal

What Going Coastal does

Going Coastal is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, that promotes public access to coastal and waterways, principally through editorial content and on-the-ground infrastructure projects. Its flagship initiative is the NYC Water Trail, launched in 2008, which maps 578 miles of New York City coastline with identified launch sites and rest stops for paddlers, developed in collaboration with over 100 partner organizations. The organization also publishes destination guides, blog articles, and books covering beaches, paddling, boating, birdwatching, waterfront dining, and urban waterfronts across Northeast U.S. destinations including New York City, Boston, and Italy.

The core technology stack is intentionally minimal: a content website at goingcoastal.org plus an e-commerce storefront that sells branded coastal-themed merchandise (apparel, bags, drinkware, home goods, and family items) on a print-on-demand basis via Printful, with blank products sourced from manufacturers in Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduras, Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, and the U.S. Going Coastal owns no mobile apps, no API, and no proprietary backend; production and fulfillment are outsourced entirely. Revenues are generated through three streams: (1) direct-to-consumer merchandise sales at unit prices from $12.00 to $53.50, (2) affiliate referral commissions from Amazon Associates, AvantLink, CJ Affiliate, ShareASale, eBay Partner Network, Viator, Fairharbor, and Omio, and (3) tax-deductible donations and membership fees collected via PayPal (EIN 16-1666507).

The customer base is a long-tail of individual coastal and outdoor enthusiasts, NYC beach visitors, paddlers, and birdwatchers, with no enterprise or institutional customer relationships identified in the data. Distribution is concentrated on the owned website and a single Facebook page, with content produced by a team of approximately 10 employees. The organization operates as an independent nonprofit with no parent company, no subsidiaries, no funding rounds, and no ownership disclosures.

Name

Going Coastal

Legal name

Going Coastal, Inc.

Website

https://goingcoastal.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Going Coastal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes coastal access through editorial guides and the mapped NYC Water Trail, serving individual outdoor enthusiasts, paddlers, and beach visitors in the Northeast U.S. It supplements donations and memberships with a print-on-demand merchandise storefront and affiliate referral revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coastal Conservation Nonprofit

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Coastal conservation nonprofit
• Water trail mapping
• Branded merchandise store
• Outdoor recreation guides
• Affiliate referral programs

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Merchandise Sales: Direct e-commerce sales of branded apparel and accessories including t-shirts, hoodies, bags, drinkware, and travel gear. Products are print-on-demand via Printful with no inventory requirements.
2. Affiliate Commissions: Earns commissions from affiliate relationships including Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, AvantLink, CJ Affiliate by Conversant, ShareASale, eBay Partner Network, Viator, Fairharbor, and Omio.
3. Donations and Membership: Tax-deductible contributions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID: 16-1666507. Offers membership options for ongoing supporter engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Going Coastal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops water trail infrastructure and produces educational content about coastal access and outdoor recreation. It sells branded coastal-themed merchandise (apparel, bags, drinkware, home goods) through a print-on-demand e-commerce storefront powered by Printful, with revenue supporting its coastal education and water access advocacy mission, most notably the NYC Water Trail covering 578 miles of coastline.

Product overview

Going Coastal operates an e-commerce platform selling branded coastal-themed merchandise, primarily print-on-demand products fulfilled through Printful. The product portfolio consists of apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, rash guards, flip-flops, bucket hats, baby clothing), bags and accessories (backpacks, laptop sleeves, tote bags), drinkware (water bottles, wine tumblers), and home items (coasters, notebooks). All products feature Going Coastal branding and coastal/ocean themes, with the proceeds supporting the nonprofit's mission of coastal education and water access advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coastal-themed Branded T-Shirts Unisex, men's, women's, and pocket variants of 100% cotton or cotton-blend t-shirts featuring Going Coastal branded designs in multiple colors (Aqua, Cardinal, Heather Deep Teal, Ocean Blue, Steel Blue, True Royal, Irish Green, White). Targeted at coastal lifestyle enthusiasts and nonprofit supporters for personal everyday wear.
• Going Coastal Unisex Hoodie Cozy 50% cotton / 50% polyester hoodie with double-lined hood, matching drawcord, and front pouch pocket. Sold to coastal lifestyle supporters for casual wear.
• Coastal Classic Sweatshirt Pre-shrunk 50% cotton / 50% polyester crew-neck sweatshirt with classic fit, designed for casual coastal lifestyle wear.
• Coastal-themed Rash Guards (Men's and Women's) Long-sleeve rash guards made of 82% polyester / 18% spandex with UPF 50+ sun protection and flatseam construction. Sold separately as men's and women's fitted variants for paddling, swimming, and water sports.
• Mother Earth's Baby Clothing (Tee and Onesie) 100% combed ring-spun cotton baby tee and snap-closure onesie featuring coastal-themed branding. Targeted at parents in the coastal lifestyle community.
• Go Coastal Flip-Flops Rubber sole flip-flops with customizable 100% polyester fabric lining and black Y-shaped rubber straps, marketed for beach and casual coastal wear.
• Coastal Commons Reversible Bucket Hat Breathable, moisture-wicking reversible bucket hat with linen-feel fabric, designed for sun protection during outdoor coastal activities.
• Green Wave Backpack Medium-size water-resistant 100% polyester backpack with separate 15" laptop compartment, front zipper pocket, and hidden back zipper pocket. Targeted at coastal commuters and travelers.
• Green Wave Laptop Sleeve Snug, lightweight 100% neoprene laptop sleeve with faux fur interior lining, water/oil/heat resistance, and internal padded zipper. Available in 13" and 15" sizes.
• Going Coastal Eco Tote Bag and Large Tote Bags 100% certified organic cotton eco tote and 100% polyester large tote bags with cotton webbing handles and high weight limits (30 lbs and 44 lbs respectively). Marketed as beach bags and everyday carryall for coastal enthusiasts.
• Keep Our Water Clean Stainless Steel Water Bottle 17-ounce double-walled stainless steel vacuum flask water bottle with odor- and leak-proof cap and patented ORCA coating. Keeps drinks hot or cold for hours.
• Going Coastal Wine Tumbler 12 oz stainless steel wine tumbler with double-wall vacuum seal and curved shape, designed for unbreakable outdoor use at waterfront dining and beach settings.
• Going Coastal Cork-Back Coasters Hardboard MDF cork-back coasters with waterproof, heat-resistant high-gloss top coating. Sized at 3.74" x 3.74" x 0.16".
• Coastal Classic Hardcover Notebook Hardcover bound notebook with UltraHyde cover, 80 lined cream-colored pages, elastic closure, ribbon page marker, and expandable inner pocket. Sized at 5.5" x 8.5".
• Going Coastal Books Published print and digital books covering coastal destinations, paddling routes, and outdoor recreation topics, sold via the Going Coastal online storefront.
• Going Coastal Maps

Quantifiable outcome

• NYC Water Trail connects 578 miles of NYC coastline
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Amazon Services LLC Associates ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate advertising program allowing Going Coastal to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites. Standard affiliate commission structure for e-commerce referrals.
• AvantLinkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate marketing network partner providing affiliate commission tracking and payments for referred sales through Going Coastal's website.
• CJ Affiliate by ConversantminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate marketing network partner for tracking and commissions from referred purchases through affiliate links on the Going Coastal website.
• ShareASaleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate marketing network partner for affiliate commission tracking and payments.
• eBay Partner NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate marketing partnership for earning commissions on eBay referred sales.
• ViatorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate partner for travel experiences and tours, earning commissions on referred bookings.
• FairharborminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate partner generating commissions from referred sales.
• OmiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate partner for travel booking referrals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Leave No Trace: National nonprofit educating the public on responsible outdoor recreation. Comparable education/content-driven nonprofit model and donor/support base.
• Heal the Bay: California-based nonprofit focused on coastal water quality and marine ecosystem advocacy. Comparable mission around coastal health and public education, with a larger operational footprint.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Large regional nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Comparable conservation mission and educational content model, with significantly larger scale and resources.

Regional players

• Hudson River Parks Conservancy: Nonprofit supporting Hudson River Park in NYC, with programs in waterfront access, education, and stewardship. Shares the same coastal/waterfront access mission in the same NYC geography.
• Scenic Hudson: Hudson Valley-based conservation nonprofit protecting river and coastal lands. Comparable mission of preserving public access to waterways, with a tighter geographic focus on the Hudson estuary.
• The River Project: NYC-based nonprofit focused on the Hudson River estuary's marine ecology and public education. Overlaps with Going Coastal's urban waterfront education and clean-water messaging.

Direct peers

• NYC Audubon: NYC-based nonprofit focused on urban bird conservation and coastal/wetland habitat. Similar non-profit model, similar NYC geography, and overlap on coastal wildlife viewing content.
• Surfrider Foundation: 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on coastal protection, water quality, and beach access. Highly comparable to Going Coastal's mission around coastal access and clean-water advocacy, with a more national footprint and chapter model.
• Waterfront Alliance: NYC/NY-region nonprofit advocating for a resilient, accessible waterfront. Operates in the same geography as Going Coastal and shares the coastal access and water trail infrastructure mission.
• American Littoral Society: Coastal conservation nonprofit focused on education, habitat restoration, and shoreline access along the U.S. East Coast. Closely comparable in mission and nonprofit structure to Going Coastal.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GoingCoastal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/exploregoingcoastal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Going Coastal