breathe project
Breathe Project is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit air quality information platform and advocacy clearinghouse serving Southwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. It operates free public monitoring tools (Breathe Cam, Smell Pittsburgh app, Pollution Map) and coordinates the 60+ organization Breathe Collaborative to advance clean air campaigns in industrial communities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersPittsburgh, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What breathe project does
Breathe Project is a nonprofit air quality information clearinghouse and advocacy platform serving Southwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Founded in 2016 and operated as a program of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, the organization functions as the communication backbone for the Breathe Collaborative — a coalition of 60+ environmental organizations, public health professionals, and academics coordinating clean air campaigns across the tri-state region. Its primary constituents are environmental justice communities in industrial corridors (Mon Valley, Clairton, Braddock, Beaver County) and the advocacy organizations that serve them; the broader Pittsburgh-area public is a secondary audience. The organization is led by Executive Director Matt Mehalik (since September 2016) with a team of approximately 10, and is primarily funded by the Heinz Endowments.
The organization's core technology stack is a suite of free public-facing monitoring and information tools. Breathe Cam provides 24-hour live, zoomable panoramic camera feeds of Pittsburgh's skyline, the Mon Valley, and the Ohio River Valley, powered by Carnegie Mellon University's CREATE Lab Time Machine software. Smell Pittsburgh is a mobile app (iOS/Android) allowing Allegheny County residents to report air quality problems and odors in real time. Breathe Meter compares air quality percentile rankings across U.S. cities using EPA data. Pollution Map and Plume Pittsburgh visualize regional pollution sources and plumes. The Air Pollution Impacts Tool evaluates community-level health impacts. These tools are supported by a Database of Resources (74+ reports and studies), a Breathe Weekly newsletter, and a network of Community Portals covering 12+ communities.
Breath Project has no commercial revenue model: all tools, resources, and organizing support are provided free of charge. Funding flows from foundation grants (primarily the Heinz Endowments) and charitable contributions. The Breathe Collaborative member organizations coordinate collective action and campaigns. Distribution occurs through digital self-serve channels (website, mobile apps), direct community engagement via Community Portals, and channel partners among the 60+ member organizations. The organization is operationally active with campaigns targeting data centers, petrochemical expansion (Shell Plastic Plant), and traditional industrial sources (U.S. Steel, coke ovens).
breathe project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- breathe project
- Legal name
- Breathe Project
- Website
- https://breatheproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Breathe Project is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit air quality information platform and advocacy clearinghouse serving Southwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. It operates free public monitoring tools (Breathe Cam, Smell Pittsburgh app, Pollution Map) and coordinates the 60+ organization Breathe Collaborative to advance clean air campaigns in industrial communities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
breathe project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Advocacy and Air Quality Information
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pollution Prevention & Toxics Reduction (BPAGAGAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Airborne Chemical Exposure Monitoring (VOCs, Solvents, Gases) (EUAHAGAA), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)
Keywords
Where breathe project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pittsburgh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
breathe project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation Grants and Donations: The Breathe Project operates as a program of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies with funding support from the Heinz Endowments. Revenue comes from grants and charitable contributions from environmental foundations.
- Coalition Membership Services: Facilitates collaboration and collective action between 60+ member organizations in the Breathe Collaborative, potentially including membership fees or shared resource contributions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
breathe project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Breathe Project is a nonprofit air quality clearinghouse and communication platform that provides real-time monitoring tools (Breathe Cam live camera feeds, Smell Pittsburgh citizen reporting app, Breathe Meter city comparison, Pollution Map, Plume Pittsburgh, Air Pollution Impacts Tool), educational resources, and civic engagement infrastructure for Southwestern Pennsylvania residents. It coordinates the Breathe Collaborative, a coalition of 60+ environmental organizations, public health professionals, and academics working collectively to address regional air pollution from industrial facilities.
Product overview
Breathe Project is a nonprofit clearinghouse and communication platform for air quality information in Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania. It operates a suite of community-focused monitoring and advocacy tools rather than a traditional commercial product. The core technology offerings include Breathe Cam (live 24-hour panoramic camera feeds of industrial areas), Smell Pittsburgh (community reporting mobile app), Breathe Meter (city comparison tool), Pollution Map (geographic visualization), and an Air Pollution Impacts Tool (health impact assessment). These tools are supported by a Database of Resources and a network of Community Portals. The platform is powered by the Breathe Collaborative, a coalition of 60+ member organizations, and maintains partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University's CREATE Lab for technology development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Pittsburgh ranks 8th worst in the nation for air quality according to American Lung Association
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use breathe project
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
breathe project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
breathe project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Carnegie Mellon University CREATE LabcoreDeveloped the Breathe Cam technology including Time Machine software for panoramic time-lapse imaging of air quality. Ongoing collaboration for air monitoring technology.
- Allegheny County Health DepartmentcoreProvides meteorological and pollutant data for Breathe Cam displays. Primary regulatory agency for air quality enforcement in Allegheny County.
- Breathe Collaborative MemberscoreCoalition of 60+ environmental organizations including 350 Pittsburgh, Sierra Club Pennsylvania, Clean Air Council, PennFuture, and others working collectively on clean air campaigns.
- University of PittsburghminorPartner supporting Breathe Cam skyline views and academic research collaboration on air quality.
- Clean Air CouncilcoreCollaborates on community events including Treaty of Renewed Friendship signing with Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania for environmental protection.
- Lenape Nation of PennsylvaniaminorPartnership for Treaty of Renewed Friendship signing ceremony to protect everyone's right to a healthy environment.
- ProtectPTcoreNonprofit citizens group dedicated to protecting community from effects of unconventional gas development. Part of Eyes on Shell initiative and coordinates data center opposition efforts.
- Eyes on ShellcoreCommunity watchdog team that records and reports smells, spills, and air emissions from the Shell Plastic Plant in Beaver County.
- Beaver County Marcellus Awareness CommunitycoreCommunity organization focused on monitoring Shell petrochemical plant impacts and providing citizen watchdog reporting through Eyes on Shell.
- PennFuturecoreProvides educational videos and resources on data centers, economics and policies. Collaborates on campaigns against fossil fuel expansion.
- GASP (Group Against Smog and Pollution)coreWorks on Title V air permit advocacy, coke oven regulations, and hosts air permits clearinghouse for community engagement.
- Environmental Integrity ProjectcoreHelps citizens and advocacy groups prepare for expanding oil and gas operations through Pennsylvania Citizen Toolkit.
- FracTracker AlliancecoreProvides mapping tools and data on data center and oil/gas infrastructure buildout across the region.
- Environmental Health ProjectcoreSupports Washington County residents studying Ewing's Sarcoma cancer cluster linked to fracking industry.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
breathe project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sierra Club (Pennsylvania Chapter): Large national environmental organization with a Pennsylvania chapter; member of the Breathe Collaborative and works on overlapping clean air and fossil fuel campaigns.
- Moms Clean Air Force: National grassroots organization focused on clean air and climate, with active Pennsylvania membership; comparable in mission to Breathe Project's community organizing model but at national scale.
Direct peers
- ProtectPT: Southwestern PA citizens group opposing shale gas development and petrochemical buildout; core channel partner on the Eyes on Shell initiative with Breathe Project.
- Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP): Pittsburgh-based nonprofit focused on air quality advocacy, Title V permits, and coke oven regulations; an explicit Breathe Project partner and the most directly comparable regional advocacy peer.
- PennFuture: Pennsylvania-wide environmental advocacy organization that co-produces educational content and campaigns with Breathe Project on data centers, fossil fuel expansion, and air permits.
- Clean Air Council: Philadelphia-based regional air quality and climate advocacy nonprofit; collaborates with Breathe Project on Treaty of Renewed Friendship and broader SWPA clean air campaigns.
- Earthworks: National nonprofit focused on fossil fuel industry impacts including fracking and petrochemicals; operates in overlapping SWPA communities and policy fights with Breathe Project.
- Environmental Integrity Project: National nonprofit focused on enforcement of clean air and clean water laws; partnered with Breathe Project on the Pennsylvania Citizen Toolkit for oil and gas oversight.
- FracTracker Alliance: Nonprofit that maps and visualizes oil and gas infrastructure impacts; a technology partner to Breathe Project on regional data center and fossil fuel mapping.
- Environmental Health Project: SWPA-based nonprofit addressing environmental health concerns including the Washington County Ewing's Sarcoma cancer cluster linked to fracking; directly collaborates with Breathe Project.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
breathe project social profiles
Digital presencebreathe project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
breathe project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
breathe project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
breathe project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about breathe project
What does breathe project do?
Breathe Project is a nonprofit air quality clearinghouse and communication platform that provides real-time monitoring tools (Breathe Cam live camera feeds, Smell Pittsburgh citizen reporting app, Breathe Meter city comparison, Pollution Map, Plume Pittsburgh, Air Pollution Impacts Tool), educational resources, and civic engagement infrastructure for Southwestern Pennsylvania residents. It coordinates the Breathe Collaborative, a coalition of 60+ environmental organizations, public health professionals, and academics working collectively to address regional air pollution from industrial facilities.
Is breathe project a public or private company?
breathe project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was breathe project founded?
breathe project was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is breathe project based?
breathe project is headquartered in Pittsburgh, United States, in the North America region.
How does breathe project make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Foundation Grants and Donations are the primary driver. The others are coalition Membership Services.
Who are breathe project's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sierra Club (Pennsylvania Chapter) and Moms Clean Air Force. Direct peers are ProtectPT, Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), PennFuture, Clean Air Council, Earthworks, Environmental Integrity Project, FracTracker Alliance and Environmental Health Project.
Does breathe project have an API?
No public API is recorded for breathe project.
What industry is breathe project in?
breathe project's product category is Environmental Advocacy and Air Quality Information. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAJ, Pollution Prevention & Toxics Reduction, with a secondary code of EUAHAGAA, Airborne Chemical Exposure Monitoring (VOCs, Solvents, Gases). Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8734.