Friends of Huntley Creek

What Friends of Huntley Creek does

Friends of Huntley Meadows Park (FOHMP) is a Virginia-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1985 and headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. It is the support organization for Huntley Meadows Park, a 50-acre freshwater wetland that is the largest in Fairfax County and part of the Fairfax County Park Authority system. FOHMP provides volunteer services, channels donations of money and materials, advocates for the park, educates the public on wetland habitat value, and funds the Natural Resource Management Internship program. Its core "products" are a portfolio of free educational and community science programs — including Monday Morning Bird Walks (weekly year-round, feeding eBird data), Frog Watch, Duck Box Monitoring, the Wildlife Sanctuary Program with Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, an annual Birdathon fundraiser running 28+ years, family and youth programming (Nature for Tiny Tots, Teen Wildlife Rangers), and facility rentals at Historic Huntley and the Norma Hoffman Visitor Center.

FOHMP has no proprietary technology platform; its digital footprint consists of a static organizational website, a quarterly email newsletter, and a Facebook page. Its principal intangible asset is decades of continuous ecological observation data contributed to eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) and the Second Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas, including a recently digitized historical avian record set covering 1984-2025.

The organization operates a community-led go-to-market motion: revenue is generated through individual membership dues ($10-$20 annually, $150 lifetime), tax-deductible donations, and event-driven fundraising (primarily the Birdathon). It serves over 400 members and a broader base of park visitors, citizen scientists, school groups, and donors in Northern Virginia. FOHMP is governed by a Board of Directors with a President (Elizabeth Train), Vice President (Elena Ryan), Secretary (Sarah Miller), and Treasurer (Celia Boertlein), plus additional board members and emeritus members. Strategic positioning is anchored in coalition partnerships — notably the Bird Safe NOVA campaign — rather than commercial product development.

Name

Friends of Huntley Creek

Legal name

Friends of Huntley Meadows Park, Inc.

Website

https://friendsofhuntleymeadows.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friends of Huntley Meadows Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 that supports Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria, Virginia through volunteer-led education, community science, advocacy, and fundraising programs serving over 400 members and regional visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation and Wetland Advocacy

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG), Wildlife Viewing Hides, Observation Towers & Birding Sites (Managed Access) (THAAAFAE)

Keywords

• Wetland conservation
• Environmental education programs
• Citizen science monitoring
• Park stewardship advocacy
• Wildlife sanctuary operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $10 (senior/student) to $20 (family), plus a $150 lifetime membership option. These fees fund educational programs, internships, and advocacy activities.
2. Donations and contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and supporters. The organization channels financial contributions to support the park's Natural Resource Management Internship, outdoor classroom construction, and other conservation projects.
3. Event fundraising (Birdathon): The annual Birdathon event raises funds specifically to support the Natural Resource Summer Internship at Huntley Meadows Park. Donations are solicited from supporters to meet annual fundraising goals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FOHMP protects, enhances and advocates for the physical, cultural and natural heritage of Huntley Meadows Park through membership programs, donations, volunteer services, educational programs and community science initiatives. It sells annual and lifetime memberships, hosts citizen science programs (Monday Morning Bird Walks, Frog Watch, Duck Box Monitoring), runs an annual Birdathon fundraiser supporting the Natural Resource Management Internship, and rents facilities (Picnic Pavilion, Visitor Center Meeting Room, Historic Huntley) through Fairfax County Park Authority.

Product overview

Friends of Huntley Meadows Park (FOHMP) offers a suite of educational, volunteer, and community science programs centered around the preservation of Fairfax County's premier wetland wildlife sanctuary. The organization provides nature-focused educational programs for all ages (including Nature for Tiny Tots, Teen Wildlife Rangers, and Birding for Beginners), community science initiatives (Monday Morning Bird Walks, Duck Box Monitoring, Frog Watch, Wildlife Sanctuary Program), facility rentals, an annual Birdathon fundraiser supporting Natural Resource Management internships, and seasonal membership with newsletter access. Species documentation programs include comprehensive lists of birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and Odonata with observation data contributing to regional and global conservation efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program Annual and lifetime membership program for individuals, seniors/students and families ($10–$150), providing voting rights to elect the Board of Directors, a quarterly newsletter, member discounts and invitations to member-only events. Membership dues and donations are tax-deductible under Section 501(c)(3).
• Educational Programs Recurring seasonal nature education offerings including Nature for Tiny Tots, Storytime on the Hill, Birding for Beginners, Sketch Hikes, Symphony of Frogs, Teen Wildlife Rangers and Catch a Critter workshops, delivered for children and adults visiting Huntley Meadows Park.
• Monday Morning Bird Walks Free weekly bird observation walks held Mondays at 7 AM (April–September) and 8 AM (October–March), generating detailed species observation data submitted to eBird and contributing to long-running research on climate change, habitat loss, insect decline and pesticides.
• Frog Watch Volunteer stewardship program monitoring frog populations at Huntley Meadows Park across the active season to track amphibian activity and habitat health.
• Duck Box Monitoring Volunteer program in which teams check duck nesting boxes in February for Hooded Mergansers and Wood Ducks, monitoring cavity-nesting duck activity.
• Wildlife Sanctuary Program (co-delivered with NVBA) Community science partnership in which trained Wildlife Sanctuary Program Ambassadors from the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance provide free backyard habitat visits to help residents improve properties for wildlife, creating safe corridors connecting backyards to Huntley Meadows Park.
• Birdathon Annual fundraiser in which participants count bird species across the park to raise money for the Natural Resource Management Internship; the 2024 edition tallied 97 species including 18 species of warblers.
• Facility Rentals Rental venues at Huntley Meadows Park: the Picnic Pavilion (seats 50 with electricity and grill), the Meeting Room in the Norma Hoffman Visitor Center (up to 50 people with full AV equipment), and Historic Huntley Manor (house for up to 60 people or lower level for 30); reservations handled through Fairfax County Park Authority.
• Quarterly Newsletter FOHMP newsletter providing park news, volunteer opportunities, wildlife observations and conservation content, with a publicly available archive going back to 2004.
• Species Lists and Observation Data Public species documentation covering birds (with seasonal abundance ratings), amphibians, reptiles, mammals and Odonata (dragonflies/damselflies), with scientific names and links to external resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• Stopping a four-lane highway through Huntley Meadows Park and preserving the park's wetlands
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• Bird Safe NOVA CampaigncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFOHMP has joined the Bird Safe NOVA campaign alongside Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, Nature Forward, DarkSky NOVA, DarkSky Virginia, Friends of Dyke Marsh, and Friends of Little Hunting Creek. The campaign works to reduce the devastating toll that the built-up environment has on birds, addressing a threat that directly impacts Huntley Meadows Park's bird populations. More than one billion birds die each year from human-made causes.
• Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFOHMP partners with the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance on the Wildlife Sanctuary Program, where trained WSP Ambassadors from NVBA provide free backyard habitat visits to help residents improve their properties for wildlife. This creates safe corridors connecting backyards to larger natural areas like Huntley Meadows Park. NVBA is also a co-partner in the Bird Safe NOVA campaign.
• Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOHMP operates in partnership with the Fairfax County Park Authority to protect, enhance, and preserve Huntley Meadows Park. FCPA transfers land (since April 1975) and manages park operations, while FOHMP provides advocacy, volunteer services, financial support for programs and internships, and serves as a link between the park and the community.
• Friends of Historic Huntley (FOHH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOHH is a separate but affiliated nonprofit dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and appropriate use of Historic Huntley and enhancing public knowledge of the site. FOHMP maintains a liaison (Carolyn Gamble) on the FOHH board and co-founded FOHH along with Norma Hoffman. Historic Huntley is an integral part of Huntley Meadows Park.
• eBird / Cornell Lab of OrnithologycoreTechnology or IntegrationFOHMP contributes decades of bird observation data to eBird, a database managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Monday Morning Bird Walk program has been collecting detailed bird observation data since the park's establishment, supporting ongoing research including climate change impacts, habitat loss, insect decline, and pesticides on bird populations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Potomac Conservancy: Regional nonprofit focused on protecting the Potomac River watershed, including wetland and bird habitat. Compares as a peer regional conservation advocacy organization serving the same Northern Virginia/Maryland ecosystem FOHMP depends on.
• Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory: A Virginia-based nonprofit running bird observatories, surveys, and citizen science. Comparable in citizen-science/observatory mission; FOHMP volunteer Kurt Gaskill previously served on CVWO's board, evidencing ecosystem overlap.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy (Virginia Chapter): Global conservation nonprofit with active Virginia work on land protection, freshwater, and climate. Compares as the broad incumbent peer that engages similar stakeholders (volunteers, donors, scientists, park authorities) at much larger scale, with overlapping objectives around wetland preservation.
• National Audubon Society: National bird and conservation nonprofit operating Chapters and Important Bird Areas, including an Audubon-at-Huntley-Meadows overlap. Compares as the broad incumbent in bird conservation that FOHMP data contributions and eBird partnership feed into.

Direct peers

• Northern Virginia Bird Alliance: A regional 501(c)(3) bird and wildlife conservation nonprofit headquartered in Northern Virginia. Closely comparable: FOHMP partners with NVBA on the Wildlife Sanctuary Program, they co-lead Bird Safe NOVA, and both run birding education, citizen science, and advocacy around the same regional ecosystem.
• Earth Sangha: A Northern Virginia-based environmental nonprofit focused on native plant restoration and urban-wildland conservation. Operates in overlapping geography with similar volunteer-driven conservation programming and habitat stewardship model.
• Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy: A Loudoun County-based 501(c)(3) running nature programs, citizen science, and habitat advocacy. Comparable program portfolio (bird counts, nature education, conservation easements) and a fellow Bird Safe NOVA co-partner.
• Nature Forward (formerly Audubon Naturalist Society): Regional environmental nonprofit serving the DC metro area (formerly Audubon Naturalist Society). Comparable in adult nature education, advocacy, and conservation; co-partner with FOHMP in Bird Safe NOVA.
• Friends of Little Hunting Creek: A Friends group protecting a tributary of the Potomac near Mount Vernon. Same organizational archetype: 501(c)(3), membership-driven, advocacy + habitat conservation, Bird Safe NOVA co-partner with FOHMP.
• Friends of Dyke Marsh: A Friends-of-park nonprofit supporting Dyke Marsh, a freshwater tidal marsh in Fairfax County. Directly comparable in mission, funding model (membership + donations), volunteer programs, and Fairfax County Park Authority partnership — many FOHMP members also serve FoDM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/friendsofhuntleymeadowspark
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/huntley-meadows-park

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Friends of Huntley Creek