What Defend Our Health does

Defend Our Health is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 2002 and headquartered in Portland, Maine (565 Congress Street, Suite 204), that campaigns to reduce public exposure to toxic chemicals—primarily PFAS, phthalates, BPA, bisphenols, microplastics, and other plastics-related contaminants. The organization operates through four interlocking programs: community organizing (training impacted residents to testify and report on toxic exposures), state policy advocacy (drafting and lobbying for health-protective legislation), corporate campaigns (targeting retailers and manufacturers), and research and laboratory testing (commissioning EPA-certified analyses of consumer products and food). Its primary constituents are Maine families and farmers affected by PFAS contamination of drinking water, farmland, and consumer products, with a secondary audience of national advocacy organizations and policymakers in other states seeking to replicate Maine's regulatory framework.

The organization's core deliverables are legislative and regulatory outcomes, advocacy reports, corporate scorecards, and public-facing research products rather than commercial goods or software. Notable outputs include the 2021 first-in-the-nation Maine law (LD 1503) requiring PFAS disclosure and phase-out by 2030; the $60M PFAS Compensation Fund secured in 2022 for contaminated farmland; the May 2023 report 'Hidden Hazards: The Chemical Footprint of a Plastic Bottle' co-released with the Beyond Petrochemicals campaign ahead of the global plastics treaty; and the 2025 Children's Fashion Scorecard benchmarking ten children's apparel brands (industry average 35.3/100). The organization operated a companion 501(c)(4) lobbying arm, Defend Our Health Action (formerly Prevent Harm), which is currently winding down operations. The in-house research and testing stack rests on EPA-certified laboratory partnerships rather than proprietary instruments.

Defend Our Health generates revenue exclusively through individual donations and institutional grants (Environmental Justice for New England is cited as one funder); no products are sold, no services are priced, and all public resources are free. Its go-to-market motion is community-led organizing combined with earned media and direct legislative engagement, supported by a multi-channel presence across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, email newsletters, a website blog, events/webinars (Authors & Friends series), and bottom-of-funnel petitions targeting corporations and federal officials. Despite a stated headcount of 1–10, the organization claims outcomes at scale—25+ Maine laws passed, 1.4 million Mainers covered, and a coalition of 29+ peer organizations nationwide.

Name

Defend Our Health

Legal name

Defend Our Health

Website

https://defendourhealth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Defend Our Health is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 in Portland, Maine, that advocates for toxic chemical regulation through community organizing, science-based research, and state-level policy campaigns targeting PFAS, plastics, and consumer product safety for families and farmers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Health Advocacy

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Policy, Advocacy & Litigation (BPAGAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pollution Prevention & Toxics Reduction (BPAGAGAJ), Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL), Public Health Strategy, Policy & Legislation (HLAJAMAA)

Keywords

• Environmental health advocacy
• Toxic chemical policy
• PFAS contamination research
• Community organizing
• Public health nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

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 donations from supporters who contribute to the organization's advocacy work protecting families from toxic chemicals.
2. Grants: Grant funding from organizations such as Environmental Justice for New England (EJforNE) which awarded funding to Defend Our Health as one of 36 recipient organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Defend Our Health is a nonprofit advocacy organization that conducts independent research, community organizing, and policy advocacy to protect Maine families and communities from toxic chemicals such as PFAS, plastics, and pesticides. It publishes investigative reports, drives corporate accountability campaigns, and lobbies state and federal policymakers for stronger chemical safety regulations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Children's Fashion Scorecard 2025 An annual investigative report and consumer guide that rates retailers on the presence of toxic chemicals in children's fashion products, intended for parents, caregivers, and policymakers.
• Hidden Hazards: The Chemical Footprint of a Plastic Bottle Report An investigative research report exposing toxic chemical exposures from everyday consumer products, produced for the public, journalists, and regulators.
• Community Organizing Program Grassroots mobilization program that trains and supports Maine residents and farmers affected by PFAS and other contamination to advocate for cleanup, safer agriculture, and protective policies.
• State Policy Advocacy Campaign Lobbying and legislative advocacy effort directed at Maine state government on issues including PFAS contamination, plastic reduction, pesticide regulation, and extended producer responsibility.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25+ laws passed in Maine addressing PFAS, drinking water, and farmland contamination
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Beyond Petrochemicals CampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-released the report 'Hidden Hazards: The Chemical Footprint of a Plastic Bottle' examining health, environmental, and climate threats of plastic bottles. Partnership ahead of global plastics treaty negotiations in Paris.
• Natural Resources Council of MainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop Environmental Organizations Policy Guide for Maine's Next Leaders, providing policy recommendations for incoming state leadership.
• MamavationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint investigation on coconut oils tested for toxic phthalates, with Mamavation commissioning EPA-certified lab testing and Defend Our Health contributing data from their 2023 study on children's foods.
• 29 Peer OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of peer environmental health organizations across the country that collaborate on advocacy efforts and policy initiatives.
• Scientists and DoctorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with scientists and doctors across Maine and nationwide who provide expertise on toxic chemical health impacts and research support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ecology Center: Michigan-based environmental health nonprofit that publishes consumer-facing product testing reports (e.g., HealthyStuff.org) and lobbies at state level on toxics in consumer products. Directly comparable on PFAS/BPA research methodology and state-level advocacy.
• Center for Environmental Health: California-based nonprofit running the same toxic chemical advocacy + corporate accountability + scientific testing model. Comparable scale (small staff, national impact), similar funding base, and overlapping issue portfolio including PFAS and phthalates.
• Earthworks: National nonprofit using scientific testing and community organizing to address environmental contamination including oil and gas and plastics. Comparable advocacy + science methodology, though focused on different chemical exposures.
• Clean Water Fund: National nonprofit focused on safe drinking water, PFAS, and agricultural contamination issues. Directly comparable on drinking water advocacy and grassroots community organizing around water contamination.
• Toxic-Free Future: Northwest-focused nonprofit that runs a near-identical model: research on toxic chemical exposure, state policy advocacy, and corporate accountability campaigns targeting manufacturers and retailers. Directly comparable playbook on PFAS, phthalates, and BPA.
• Natural Resources Council of Maine: Maine-based environmental advocacy nonprofit and existing Defend Our Health partner (co-developed Environmental Organizations Policy Guide). Operates the same regional advocacy model focused on Maine environmental protection, with overlapping donor bases and policy priorities.
• Safer States: National coalition of environmental health organizations that, like Defend's 29+ peer network, coordinates state-level toxic chemical policy. Direct peer as both a coalition partner and a comparable networked advocacy model focused on chemical safety.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Large, well-resourced national environmental organization with active PFAS advocacy and litigation. Operates the same playbook at much greater scale and broader portfolio; represents the upper bound on what a matured Defend Our Health could become.
• Environmental Defense Fund: Major national environmental organization with deep corporate partnerships and scientific research on toxic chemicals. Relevant as the dominant well-funded player in the same PFAS/toxics advocacy space, against whom Defend must compete for visibility and funding.

Emerging players

• Environmental & Public Health Network: Network organization focused on environmental health advocacy with state-level chapters. Adjacent peer in the same policy ecosystem, though at smaller scale and more limited geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBbKH6mmezRPwckxZp6_k6Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/defendourhealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/environmentalhealthstrategycenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/defendourhealth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Defend Our Health