Water Foundation

What Water Foundation does

The Water Foundation is a Sacramento-based 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 37-1833985) founded in 2014 and operating with 27 staff. It is described as the only intermediary foundation in the United States solely focused on water and its interconnected impacts. Its work spans four operational pillars: advancing water policy, sharing stories that elevate water as a political issue, mobilizing philanthropic resources, and ensuring effective policy implementation. The foundation delivers this through strategic grantmaking, capacity building, policy advocacy, and funder coordination rather than through technology products.

Its core "products" are programmatic structures: the Water Table national funder collaborative (housed at the foundation since 2015, aligning over $800M in water-related grants); the Texas Wellspring Fund (launched 2023 as the first pooled fund exclusively focused on Texas water); the Water Solutions Fund (launched 2022, aligning philanthropic capital with federal IIJA/IRA water infrastructure investments and helping grantees secure over $450M in federal funding); the Capacity Building Program (2023–2025); and the Safe Clean Water Grants Program administered in partnership with the LA County Flood Control District under Measure W. Technology infrastructure is limited to a Foundant/GivingData-based Grantee Portal, a public grant recipient database (2020–2024, 210+ organizations), Mailchimp newsletters, and content publishing via the Ripple Effects series. The foundation does not develop proprietary technology.

The revenue model is philanthropic donations and grants from individual donors, foundations, and institutional funders; the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Customer segments are nonprofit and community organizations (the primary recipients of grantmaking), philanthropic funders (collaborators through Water Table), and state/local governments engaged in water management. Since 2020 the foundation has distributed nearly $43M to 210+ organizations across 25+ states and Washington DC, with the heaviest concentration in California (284 grants, $17M) and the West region overall (507 grants, $23.8M). Landmark policy outcomes credited to the foundation's advocacy include California's SGMA, Measure W, the New Mexico Water Data Act, and Texas Proposition 4 ($20B/20-year water investment passed 2025).

Name

Water Foundation

Legal name

The Water Foundation

Website

https://waterfdn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Water Foundation is a Sacramento-based 501(c)(3) intermediary foundation solely focused on U.S. water systems, providing strategic grantmaking, policy advocacy, and funder coordination to nonprofit, community, and government partners across California, Texas, New Mexico, the Pacific Northwest, and nationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Water policy advocacy
• Funder collaborative
• Watershed protection
• Nonprofit grant administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations & Grants: The Water Foundation raises funds from individual donors, foundations, and institutional funders to support its grantmaking programs. It operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity and leverages donations to maximize impact by connecting resources with organizations best positioned to create lasting water policy change.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Water Foundation is an intermediary foundation that raises charitable donations and foundations capital, then awards strategic grants and pooled-fund resources to nonprofit, community, and governmental partners addressing U.S. water challenges including policy reform, drinking water access, watershed restoration, groundwater sustainability, and climate resilience. It does not accept unsolicited proposals; grantees are identified by staff and recommended partners. It also houses the Water Table funder collaborative that aligns philanthropic capital across the water field.

Product overview

The Water Foundation is an intermediary foundation solely focused on water and its interconnected impacts. It is not a technology product company; its 'products' are grantmaking programs and funder collaboratives that advance equitable, sustainable, and resilient water systems in the United States. The foundation operates through: its core Grant Recipient Database (a public record of grantees and funding from 2020–2024 totaling nearly $43 million to over 210 organizations), the Grantee Portal (grant management via Foundant/GivingData), the Water Table national funder collaborative, the Texas Wellspring Fund (Texas-focused pooled fund), the Water Solutions Fund (federal infrastructure funding alignment, launched 2022), the Capacity Building Program (sunset in 2025), and the Safe Clean Water Grants Program (LA County stormwater education). The foundation's program priorities span climate resilience, drinking water, water financing and affordability, groundwater, rivers and wetlands, Urban One Water, wastewater, and geographic initiatives in California, Texas, the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest, and nationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Water Table: National funder collaborative housed at the Water Foundation that brings philanthropic partners together to move money toward greater impact
• Texas Wellspring Fund
• Water Solutions Fund
• Safe Clean Water Grants Program
• Capacity Building Program

Products and services

• Water Table A national funder collaborative that brings philanthropic partners together to align strategies, coordinate funding, and bridge across water-related issues and sectors in the United States, focused on equitable, sustainable, and resilient water systems.
• Texas Wellspring Fund A pooled fund that provides sustained funding to strengthen and grow a network of Texas organizations addressing systemic water issues, encouraging funder-practitioner collaboration on ecologically sound and equitable water solutions.
• Water Solutions Fund A collaborative fund that pools philanthropic capital to maximize ecological and equity outcomes from federal IIJA/IRA water-infrastructure spending, supporting grantees seeking federal co-funding for watershed, fish-passage, and water-supply projects.
• Safe Clean Water Grants Program A grants program administered with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District to fulfill Measure W public-education and community-engagement requirements, funding stormwater-focused community engagement, public education initiatives, and community-led project concepts in LA County.
• Grant Recipient Database A searchable public online database cataloging the Water Foundation's grantmaking activity from 2020 through 2024, covering over 210 organizations across multiple U.S. geographic regions.
• Grantee Portal An online portal hosted on Foundant Technologies/GivingData through which grant recipients access and manage their grants, submit reports, and track grant deliverables throughout the grant lifecycle.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly $43 million delivered to the U.S. water field since 2020
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Texas Wellspring FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The first pooled fund exclusively focused on Texas water issues. Texas Wellspring advances water solutions that are ecologically sound and equitable, supports and strengthens organizations addressing systemic water issues, and encourages collaboration between funders and ground-level practitioners. Funding partners include Meadows Foundation, Mitchell Foundation, Pisces Foundation, StillWater, Temple Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, and others.
• Water Solutions FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022A collaborative effort managed by the Water Foundation that ensures once-in-a-generation federal investments (IIJA and IRA) translate into real progress on water, climate, and equity. WSF has committed over $17 million in pooled funding and helped grantees secure more than $450 million in federal funding.
• Water Table (Funder Collaborative)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Water Table is a national funder collaborative housed at the Water Foundation. Since 2015, it has helped align over $800 million in water-related grants. It brings philanthropic partners together to coordinate strategy, mobilize resources, and bridge across issues and sectors, with a shared vision of water systems that are equitable, sustainable, and resilient.
• U.S. Forest Service (USFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Solutions Fund grantees have secured more than $450 million in federal funding through cooperative agreements with USFS for watershed restoration, climate resilience, and fish passage improvements.
• Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Solutions Fund grantees have secured federal funding through BOR for water supply projects and water infrastructure improvements supported by the Water Foundation's federal funding coordination efforts.
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Solutions Fund grantees have secured funding through NFWF for watershed restoration and conservation projects as part of the broader federal infrastructure investment effort.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Solutions Fund grantees have collaborated on projects with FWS for fish passage improvements and endangered species habitat restoration in coordination with the Water Foundation's federal engagement strategy.
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Solutions Fund has supported projects advancing abandoned mine cleanups and watershed restoration through BLM partnerships, part of the broader federal infrastructure funding coordination.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Solutions Fund grantees have secured funding through NOAA for watershed restoration and climate resilience projects under the federal infrastructure investment framework.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Solutions Fund has facilitated grantee partnerships with USDA for watershed restoration and agricultural water management projects as part of federal infrastructure funding coordination.
• U.S. Department of Interior (DOI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Solutions Fund grantees have secured funding through DOI for water infrastructure and conservation projects as part of the federal investment framework coordinated by the Water Foundation.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Water Foundation works with EPA on water equity, environmental justice, and drinking water programs. EPA's State Revolving Loan Funds and water programs are key federal partners for Water Foundation grantees working on water affordability and infrastructure.
• Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbia Riverkeeper works in coordination with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, which represents four Columbia River Treaty Tribes, on salmon recovery and water protection efforts in the Pacific Northwest.
• Yakama NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYakama Nation has issued a report to the Washington Governor's Data Centers Advisory Group detailing data center impacts on water systems and salmon fisheries, with Columbia Riverkeeper supporting these tribal advocacy efforts.
• Amigos BravosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Mexico Wild partnered with Amigos Bravos alongside the Western Environmental Law Center to advocate for SB 21, the New Mexico state-run surface water quality permitting program.
• Western Environmental Law CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with New Mexico Wild and Amigos Bravos on SB 21, advocating for state-level clean water protections in response to the federal Sackett decision.
• UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Small Farms TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAFF is part of the Department of Water Resources URCTA Program alongside UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Small Farms Team and UC Davis School of Law, providing technical assistance to family farmers under SGMA.
• UC Davis School of LawminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnering with CAFF and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources under the URCTA Program to help small family farmers participate in groundwater sustainability planning under SGMA.
• California Department of Water Resources (DWR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAFF participates in DWR's URCTA Program providing technical assistance to farmers and helping state and local agencies understand vulnerabilities to small farmers under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
• 230+ National and Local Organizations (Moratorium Letter)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbia Riverkeeper joined over 230 organizations across the country in 2025 calling on Congress to pass a nationwide moratorium on new data centers, citing unsustainable energy and water consumption and rising utility costs.
• River NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndrew Fahlund serves on the board of directors for River Network, a national organization supporting river conservation efforts that aligns with the Water Foundation's watershed protection priorities.
• Los Angeles County Flood Control DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Water Foundation partnered with LA County Flood Control District to develop and administer the Safe, Clean Water Public Education and Community Engagement Grants Program, supporting stormwater capture and community engagement in LA County.
• America Wins With Water Campaign PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Solutions Fund's America Wins With Water communications campaign partnered with content creators on TikTok and Reels and developed podcast series with Lemonada Media to advocate for water infrastructure investment.
• OpenETminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Table supports OpenET, a data tool using NASA satellite data to help farmers understand water usage, improving transparency and informed water management decisions.
• Internet of WaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Table supports the Internet of Water coalition, improving access to water data to help communities understand supply, demand, and affordability challenges.
• Water Finance ExchangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Table supports Water Finance Exchange, a finance and implementation effort helping mobilize funding for water infrastructure projects.
• Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) / SNF Agora Institute at Johns HopkinsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Hahrie Han holds the SNF professorship at Johns Hopkins and served as inaugural director of SNF Agora Institute 2019-2026, supporting democracy and civic engagement research relevant to the foundation's water and democracy work.
• Water DeskminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Desk, a narrative and media platform for water journalism, is supported by Water Table as part of sustained investments in water field infrastructure.
• Water HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Hub, a narrative and media platform, is supported by Water Table as part of sustained investments in water field communications infrastructure.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pisces Foundation: Pisces Foundation is a direct peer (and existing Water Table partner) focused on climate, water, and environmental grantmaking; comparable as a water/environment-focused foundation that participates in collaborative funding models and supports water policy advocacy.
• ClimateWorks Foundation: ClimateWorks Foundation is a direct peer as an intermediary foundation that pools and aligns philanthropic capital across multiple climate-related issue areas, using a similar model of funder collaboratives and grantmaking intermediaries to drive systemic change.
• Sea Change Foundation: Sea Change Foundation is a direct peer as a private foundation dedicated primarily to water and ocean conservation grantmaking, with similar approach of pooling donor resources to support water-related policy and advocacy initiatives.
• Energy Foundation: Energy Foundation is a direct peer as an intermediary foundation that coordinates pooled philanthropic funding across multiple energy/climate subfields, with similar structure of funder collaboratives and policy-driven outcomes.
• Resources Legacy Fund: Resources Legacy Fund is a direct peer as a California-based intermediary foundation that provides grants and coordinates funders around environmental and natural resource issues, with similar focus on policy advocacy and multi-funder pooled funds.
• Great Lakes Protection Fund: Great Lakes Protection Fund is a direct peer as a regional water-focused foundation that makes grants to support water quality and ecosystem health, with similar intermediary-style grantmaking but limited to the Great Lakes basin.

Broad incumbents

• Walton Family Foundation: Walton Family Foundation is a broad incumbent as a major foundation with extensive environment and water grantmaking, including Mississippi River and oceans programs; comparable in water field influence, but as a primary funder of Water Table rather than a true peer intermediary.
• William and Flora Hewlett Foundation: Hewlett Foundation is a broad incumbent as a major multi-program foundation with significant environmental and water grantmaking programs; comparable in operating scale and as a Water Table funding partner, but operating across a much broader portfolio beyond water.

Others

• River Network: River Network is an adjacent peer as a national nonprofit supporting river and watershed conservation through capacity building, training, and grants to local organizations; comparable mission focus on freshwater conservation and grantee support, though operating as a direct service provider rather than grantmaking intermediary.

Emerging players

• Park Foundation: Park Foundation is an emerging player as a family foundation with significant environmental grantmaking including water-related programs; comparable in making grants to environmental nonprofits, but with broader program scope and less water specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/water-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Water Foundation