Environmental and conservation organizations in the United States have been formed to help protect the environment, habitats, flora, and fauna on federally owned land, on private land, within coastal limits, in-state conservation areas, in-state parks and in locally governed municipalities. In addition, some organizations utilize the court system in states and at the federal level to enforce environmental and conservation regulations and laws. Most organizations operate as nonprofits. The revenue of these organizations is used to achieve their goals rather than distributing them as profit or dividends. After a nonprofit environmental and conservation organization has been established at the state level, it typically applies for tax exempt status with U.S. federal income tax. Failure to maintain operations in conformity to the laws may result in an organization losing its tax exempt status. Individual states and localities offer nonprofits exemptions from other taxes such as

sales tax A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...

or property tax. An environmental and conservation organization that is tax exempt is required to file annual financial reports ( IRS Form 990). These tax forms are required to be made available to the public.

Government agencies

* United States Department of the Interior *

Environmental Protection Agency A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...

* Fish and Wildlife Service * National Park Service

Native American Nations

Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment The Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment (ATFE) is a community-based grassroots activist organization developed to address issues of environmental justice and contamination within the Akwesasne, Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne. The mission of the A ...

* Eyak Preservation Council * Indigenous Environmental Network * Inter-Tribal Environmental Council *

InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council The InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council is a consortium of Northern California tribal nations focused on environmental and cultural preservation. The council, which includes members of 10 federally recognized tribes in Mendocino and Lake co ...

Alphabetical listing

* 350 Bay Area *

5 Gyres The 5 Gyres Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that focuses on reducing plastics pollution by focusing on primary research. Programs concentrate on science, education and adventure (research expeditions for citizen-scientists). Since 2 ...

* Abalone Alliance (historic) *

Adirondack Mountain Club The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1922. It has approximately 30,000 members. The ADK is dedicated to the protection and responsible recreational use of the New York State Forest Preserve, parks, wild l ...

* African American Environmentalist Association *

African Wild Dog Conservancy The African Wild Dog Conservancy (AWD Conservancy) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), non-governmental organization, working with local communities, and national and international stakeholders, to conserve the African wild dog through scientific resear ...

* Alaska Conservation Foundation *

Allegheny Land Trust Allegheny Land Trust is a regional land conservation group headquartered in the Pittsburgh suburb of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Mission "Allegheny Land Trust's mission is to serve as the lead land trust conserving and ste ...

* Alliance for Climate Protection — see Climate Reality Project, The * Alliance to Save Energy * American Bird Conservancy *

American Farmland Trust American Farmland Trust is a nonprofit organization in the United States with a mission to protect farmland, promote environmentally sound farming practices, and keep farmers on the land. AFT is staffed by farmers, policy experts, researchers and ...

American Forests American Forests is a 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization, established in 1875, and dedicated to protecting and restoring healthy forest ecosystems. The current headquarters are in Washington, D.C. Activities The mission of American ...

American Prairie Foundation The American Prairie Foundation is a nonprofit organization located in the U.S. state of Montana. The foundation's objective is to build one of the largest wildlife reserves in the continental United States through a combination of new land acq ...

* Appalachian Voices *

Arlington Coalition on Transportation The Arlington Coalition on Transportation (ACT) is a citizens group formed to oppose the construction of Interstate 66 through Arlington, Virginia. The focal activity of ACT was the conduct of a lawsuit filed against the Virginia Department of Tr ...

(ACT) *

Audubon movement The Audubon movement is a collective name for the more than 500 Audubon clubs, societies, and organizations in North America, all of which take their name from the famous bird artist John James Audubon. Origins Audubon lived from 1785 to 1851, a ...

* Aytzim: Ecological Judaism *

BARK Bark may refer to: * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Places * Bark, Germany * Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland Arts, ...

Ballona Wetlands Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve (pronunciation: "Bah-yo-nuh" or "Buy-yo-nah" ) is a protected area that once served as the natural estuary for neighboring Ballona Creek. The site is located in Los Angeles County, California, just south of ...

* Big Green Bus, The *

Bonneville Environmental Foundation The Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) is a national non-profit organization that focuses on water, carbon and energy solutions to help combat climate change and water scarcity. It was founded in 1998 to support watershed restoration program ...

* Boone and Crockett Club * Builders for the Bay * California Trout (CalTrout) * Californians Against Waste * Californians for Population Stabilization *

Carbon180 Carbon180 is a nonprofit environmental organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. In 2015, Giana Amador and Noah Deich co-founded the organization at the University of California, Berkeley. Carbon 180 advocates for carbon dioxide removal solu ...

* Center for Biological Diversity * Center for Environmental Philosophy *

Center for Food Safety The Center for Food Safety (CFS) is a 501c3, U.S. non-profit advocacy organization, based in Washington, D.C. It maintains an office in San Francisco, California. The executive director is Andrew Kimbrell, an attorney. Its stated mission is to ...

* Center for International Environmental Law * Ceres * Chesapeake Bay Foundation *

Citizens Campaign for the Environment Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) was founded in 1985 by a small group of Long Island citizens. CCE is as a Non-profit organization, not-for-profit organization. Offices are in Farmingdale, NY, Farmingdale, White Plains, NY, White Plains ...

* Citizens Climate Lobby *

Clean Water Action Clean Water Action is an American environmental advocacy group. Created in 1972, the group focuses on canvassing and gaining support for political issues and candidates. It is a 501(c)(4) organization and is based in Washington, D.C. History The ...

The Climate Reality Project The Climate Reality Project is a non-profit organization involved in education and advocacy related to climate change. The Climate Reality Project came into being in July 2011 as the consolidation of two environmental groups, the Alliance for Cli ...

* The Climate Mobilization *

ConservAmerica ConservAmerica, formerly known as Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP), is a national nonprofit organization formed in 1995. REP's stated purpose is to strengthen the Republican Party's stance on environmental issues and support effor ...

* The Conservation Fund *

Conservation International Conservation International (CI) is an American nonprofit environmental organization headquartered in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia. CI's work focuses on science, policy and partnership with businesses, governments and communities. The organ ...

* Conservation Law Foundation *

Conserving Carolina Conserving Carolina is a non-profit conservation movement, conservation organization working to preserve water and land resources in Western North Carolina. Conserving Carolina was created in July 2017, from a merger of two previously separate ...

* Cool Effect * Defenders of Wildlife * Ducks Unlimited *

Earth Day Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 b ...

* Earth First! *

Earth Island Institute The Earth Island Institute is a non-profit environmental group founded in 1982 by David Brower. Located in Berkeley, California, it supports activism around environmental issues through fiscal sponsorship that provides the administrative and org ...

* Earthjustice *

Earth Liberation Army The Earth Liberation Army (ELA), similar to the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), is the collective name for anonymous and autonomous individuals or groups that use "economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of th ...

(ELA) * Earth Liberation Front (ELF) * Earth Policy Institute * Earth's Birthday Project *

Ecotrust Ecotrust is a nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon, working to create social, economic, and environmental benefit. History and programs Ecotrust was founded in 1991 by Spencer Beebe, who brought his conservation experience in the tro ...

* Engineers for a Sustainable World * Environment America * Environment California * Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) * Environmental Defense Fund * Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) * Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) * Environmental Law Institute *

Environmental Life Force Environmental Life Force (ELF), also known as the Original ELF, was the first radical environmental group in 1977 to use explosive and incendiary devices to advance their agenda. History The original ELF was founded by John Clark Hanna. who was ...

(ELF) * Environmental Working Group * Franciscan Action Network * GivePower * Global Water Policy Project * Great March for Climate Action *

Greenguard Environmental Institute The Greenguard Environmental Institute (corporately styled "GREENGUARD") is an industry-independent organization that aims to protect human health and improve quality of life by enhancing indoor air quality and reducing people’s exposure to chem ...

Greening of Detroit The Greening of Detroit is an urban forestry program and non-profit partner in The Detroit Partnership; it was founded in 1989. In addition to planting trees in the Detroit area, the organization engages in urban forestry education, job traini ...

Greenpeace USA Greenpeace USA is the United States affiliate of Greenpeace International, an environmental nonprofit organization that spawned a social movement inspired by direct actions on the high seas to stop whaling and nuclear testing. Headquartered in Wa ...

Heal the Bay Heal the Bay is a U.S. environmental advocacy group of activists based in Santa Monica, California. The focus is protecting coastal waters and watersheds of southern California, and is focused on Santa Monica Bay. Heal the Bay is a 501(c)(3) ...

* Honor the Earth * Hudson River Sloop Clearwater * Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) * Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST) * International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) * Island Conservation * Izaak Walton League * Keep America Beautiful * League of Conservation Voters * Marine Mammal Center, The *

McHenry County Conservation District The McHenry County Conservation District (MCCD) is a conservation district located in McHenry County, Illinois McHenry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 Census, it had a population of 310,229, ...

(MCCD) * Mission: Wolf *

National Audubon Society The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organ ...

* National CleanUp Day *

National Council for Science and the Environment The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) is a U.S.-based nonpartisan, non-profit organization which has a mission to improve the scientific basis of environmental A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding ...

(NCSE) * National Geographic Society * National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) *

National Wildlife Federation The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is the United States' largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, with over six million members and supporters, and 51 state and territorial affiliated organizations (includin ...

* National Wildlife Refuge Association * Natural Resources Council of Maine * Natural Resources Defense Council * Nature Conservancy, The * NatureServe * Negative Population Growth *

New Dream New Dream – previously known as The Center for a New American Dream – is a nonprofit organization with a stated mission to "empower individuals, communities, and organizations to transform the ways they consume to improve well-being for peopl ...

* New York–New Jersey Trail Conference *

Ocean Alliance Ocean Alliance, Inc., is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1971 as one of the world's first organizations dedicated to protecting cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises). The organization is headquartered in the iconic Tarr & Wonson Paint Manu ...

* Ocean Conservancy * Ohio Citizen Action *

One Planet One Future One Planet One Future is a US public charity, based in New York and Milan, Italy. The Foundation was established in 2016 by artist and film director Anne de Carbuccia. The aim is to draw attention to human-caused threats to the planet, to the en ...

* One World One Ocean (California) *

Oregon Wild Oregon Wild, formerly the Oregon Natural Resources Council, is an American conservation organization based in Portland, Oregon, with offices in Eugene and Bend. The group is notable for having had a case, ''Marsh v. Oregon Natural Resources Coun ...

* Pacific Environment *

People's Climate Movement The People's Climate Movement (PCM) is a coalition of civil society organizations, including environmental and religious organizations, trade unions and social justice groups, in the United States of America that advocates for political and socia ...

* Population Action International * Population Connection * Population Council * Population Media Center * Population Reference Bureau *

Power Shift Network Power Shift Network is a North American non-profit organization made up of a network of youth-led social and environmental justice organizations working together to build the youth clean energy and climate movement. It runs campaigns in the Unite ...

* Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) *

Prairie Rivers Network Prairie Rivers Network (PRN) is a non-profit organization (a registered 501(c)(3) organization in the United States), located in Champaign, Illinois. Their work goes on throughout Illinois as an independent, state affiliate of the National Wildli ...

* Rainforest Action Network * Resources for the Future (RFF) * Rising Tide North America *

Riverkeeper Riverkeeper is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection of the Hudson River and its tributaries, as well as the watersheds that provide New York City with its drinking water. It started out as the Hudson River Fisherma ...

* Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation *

Royal River Conservation Trust The Royal River Conservation Trust (abbreviated RRCT) is a volunteer-run conservation group based in Yarmouth, Maine, United States. Established in 1988 and funded by its members, it owns many preserves and trail networks, and has assisted in ...

RuckusRoots RuckusRoots is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which brings sustainable art education programs to teens and young adults. It is centered in Los Angeles, California and was founded in 2009 by University of Colorado Boulder graduate Christine ...

Sand County Foundation Sand County Foundation is a non-profit private land conservation organization located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1965, its work is inspired by world-renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold’s land ethic. Mission To advance t ...

* Santa Lucia Conservancy * Save the Redwoods League *

Scenic Hudson Scenic Hudson is a non-profit environmental organization in New York that protects land, creates, and enhances parks, and advocates for environmentally responsible policies and development practices. History Scenic Hudson was founded as the Scen ...

* School for Field Studies, The * Sea Shepherd Conservation Society *

Sierra Club The Sierra Club is an environmental organization with chapters in all 50 United States, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by Scottish-American preservationist John Muir, who be ...

Sierra Student Coalition The Sierra Student Coalition (SSC) is the national student chapter of the Sierra Club, a grassroots environmental organization. Founded by Adam Werbach in 1991. It now has about 14,000 members and is almost entirely student-led. The SSC is direct ...

Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) was formed in San Jose, California- as a research and advocacy group that promoted safe environmental practices in the high tech industry. The organization was founded in 1982 after leaks at manufacturi ...

* Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC) * Southern Environmental Law Center * Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance *

Stand.earth Stand.earth (formerly ForestEthics) is a grassroots environmental organization founded in 2000. The organization protects endangered forests by transforming corporate policy and governmental laws in the United States and Canada. Stand.earth uses p ...

* Student Conservation Association * Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) *

Surfrider Foundation The Surfrider Foundation USA is a U.S. 501(c)(3) grassroots non-profit environmental organization that works to protect and preserve the world's oceans, waves and beaches. It focuses on water quality, beach access, beach and surf spot preservati ...

* Texas Campaign for the Environment * Torreya Guardians * TreePeople * Trout Unlimited * The Trust for Public Land * Union of Concerned Scientists * Waterkeeper Alliance * West Harlem Environmental Action (WEACT) * WILD Foundation *

Wild Salmon Center The Wild Salmon Center (WSC) is an international conservation organization that works to protect wild salmon, Rainbow trout, steelhead, Salvelinus, char, trout and the ecosystems on which these species depend. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, P ...

* Wilderness Society, The * WildEarth Guardians *

Wild Farm Alliance The Wild Farm Alliance (WFA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing biodiversity by expanding the idea and practice of wild farming. Rooted in Watsonville, the heart of central California's agricultural lands, the WFA was founded ...

* Wildlife Conservation Network * The Wildlife Society * Wild Montana * Whippany River Watershed Action Committee * Worldwatch Institute * World Wildlife Fund (WWF) *

Wyoming Outdoor Council The Wyoming Outdoor Council is the oldest independent, membership-based conservation organization in Wyoming, United States. Wyoming native Tom Bell founded the group in 1967, along with Carrol R. Noble, Margaret E. “Mardy” Murie, Dr. Harold ...

References

{{Reflist 01 01 USA Environment Organizations

Government agencies

Native American Nations

Alphabetical listing

See also

References