Top Environmental Organizations by Employees
Environmental education, energy conservation, or natural resource conservation programs employ the most people, often 100-4000 employees
The environmental organizations that employ the most people have between 143 and 4,091 employees, and tend to run environmental education, energy conservation, or natural resource conservation programs (among other types of environmental organizations). The more popular environmental organizations — Nature Conservancy, Greenpeace, Sierra Club, etc. — are present, but the realm of environmental nonprofits is much larger than just environmental advocacy. And geographically these top environmental organizations are distributed throughout the country, with states like Minnesota, Colorado, and Montana having a disproportionate presence.
Trends among the top environmental organizations
States with the most large environmental organizations
| State | Number of big environmental orgs | |
|---|---|---|
| California |
14
| |
| Virginia |
9
| |
| New York |
9
| |
| Massachusetts |
9
| |
| District of Columbia |
8
| |
| Minnesota |
5
| |
| Ohio |
4
| |
| North Carolina |
4
| |
| Colorado |
4
| |
| Pennsylvania |
3
| |
Type of environmental nonprofit most common among large environmental organizations
List of the top environmental organizations
- The Nature ConservancyEmployees4,091Revenue$1.1 billionEIN53-0242652LocationWebsiteYear founded1951
- Foundation for California Community CollegesEmployees3,939Revenue$68 millionEIN68-0412350LocationWebsiteYear founded1998
- Alliance for Sustainable EnergyEmployees2,866Revenue$546 millionEIN26-1939342LocationYear founded2008
- Wildlife Conservation SocietyEmployees2,796Revenue$255 millionEIN13-1740011LocationWebsiteYear founded1895
- Student Conservation AssociationEmployees2,605Revenue$37 millionEIN91-0880684LocationWebsiteYear founded1964
- Conservation LegacyEmployees2,043Revenue$28 millionEIN84-1450808LocationWebsiteYear founded1998
- American Conservation ExperienceEmployees1,621Revenue$21 millionEIN37-1473291LocationWebsiteYear founded2004
- Coastal Villages Region FundEmployees1,357Revenue$54 millionEIN92-0156736LocationWebsiteYear founded1992
- National Audubon SocietyEmployees1,161Revenue$157 millionEIN13-1624102LocationWebsiteYear founded1905
- National Outdoor Leadership SchoolEmployees1,095Revenue$25 millionEIN83-0204184LocationWebsiteYear founded1965
- Sierra ClubEmployees1,033Revenue$156 millionEIN94-1153307LocationWebsiteYear founded1892
- New York Public Interest Research Group FundEmployees980Revenue$2.7 millionEIN13-2876109LocationWebsiteYear founded1976
- Natural Resources Defense CouncilEmployees868Revenue$197 millionEIN13-2654926LocationWebsiteYear founded1970
- Massachusetts Audubon SocietyEmployees867Revenue$37 millionEIN04-2104702LocationWebsiteYear founded1896
- The Trustees of ReservationsEmployees812Revenue$88 millionEIN04-2105780LocationWebsiteYear founded1891
- Environmental Defense FundEmployees785Revenue$200 millionEIN11-6107128LocationWebsiteYear founded1967
- Appalachian Mountain ClubEmployees760Revenue$35 millionEIN04-6001677LocationWebsiteYear founded1876
- George Washington's Mount VernonEmployees752Revenue$66 millionEIN54-0564701LocationWebsiteYear founded1853
- WurstfestEmployees686Revenue$5.2 millionEIN74-1590351LocationWebsiteYear founded1964
- Ducks UnlimitedEmployees678Revenue$185 millionEIN13-5643799LocationWebsiteYear founded1937
- World Wildlife FundEmployees677Revenue$286 millionEIN52-1693387LocationWebsiteYear founded1960
- World Resources InstituteEmployees622Revenue$159 millionEIN52-1257057LocationWebsiteYear founded1982
- Great Basin InstituteEmployees614Revenue$15 millionEIN88-0431016LocationWebsiteYear founded1999
- Golden Gate National Parks ConservancyEmployees575Revenue$60 millionEIN94-2781708LocationWebsiteYear founded1981
- GreenpeaceEmployees563Revenue$35 millionEIN52-1541501LocationWebsiteYear founded1987
- National Arbor FoundationEmployees516Revenue$83 millionEIN23-7169265LocationWebsiteYear founded1971
- National Geographic SocietyEmployees481Revenue$70 millionEIN53-0193519LocationWebsiteYear founded1888
- Pheasants Forever IncorporatedEmployees475Revenue$67 millionEIN41-1429149LocationWebsiteYear founded1982
- Conservation InternationalEmployees424Revenue$159 millionEIN52-1497470LocationWebsiteYear founded1987
- National Wildlife FederationEmployees397Revenue$82 millionEIN53-0204616LocationWebsiteYear founded1939
- Rocky Mountain Youth CorpsEmployees374Revenue$3.4 millionEIN84-1483022LocationWebsiteYear founded1999
- The Trust for Public LandEmployees367Revenue$141 millionEIN23-7222333LocationWebsiteYear founded1972
- GrowNYCEmployees363Revenue$19 millionEIN13-2765465LocationWebsiteYear founded1970
- Lake JunaluskaEmployees356Revenue$12 millionEIN56-0547461LocationWebsiteYear founded1938
- Montana Conservation CorpsEmployees356Revenue$7.0 millionEIN81-0467431LocationWebsiteYear founded1990
- SemcacEmployees354Revenue$14 millionEIN41-0907135LocationWebsiteYear founded1966
- CallevaEmployees330Revenue$6.6 millionEIN52-2082054LocationWebsiteYear founded1999
- National Wild Turkey FederationEmployees324Revenue$33 millionEIN57-0564993LocationWebsiteYear founded1973
- Trout UnlimitedEmployees323Revenue$70 millionEIN38-1612715LocationWebsiteYear founded1959
- Grid Alternatives Affiliates & SubsidiariesEmployees314Revenue$32 millionEIN81-4042787LocationWebsiteYear founded2013
- Chesapeake Bay FoundationEmployees298Revenue$37 millionEIN52-6065757LocationWebsiteYear founded1966
- NatureBridgeEmployees295Revenue$15 millionEIN94-2145930LocationWebsiteYear founded1971
- Vermont Energy Investment CorporationEmployees292Revenue$121 millionEIN03-0304418LocationWebsiteYear founded1986
- KupuEmployees285Revenue$8.6 millionEIN51-0652665LocationWebsiteYear founded2007
- Citizens Campaign for the EnvironmentEmployees284Revenue$1.9 millionEIN11-2717326LocationWebsiteYear founded1985
- NH LakesEmployees277Revenue$1.0 millionEIN22-2668396LocationWebsiteYear founded1992
- Social and Environmental EntrepreneursEmployees277Revenue$21 millionEIN95-4116679LocationWebsiteYear founded1994
- Nature's ClassroomEmployees273Revenue$4.6 millionEIN04-2621656LocationWebsiteYear founded1977
- Georgia System Operations CorporationEmployees265Revenue$81 millionEIN58-2231207LocationWebsiteYear founded1997
- Rocky Mountain InstituteEmployees261Revenue$61 millionEIN74-2244146LocationWebsiteYear founded1982
- Voyageur Outward Bound SchoolEmployees257Revenue$3.6 millionEIN41-0877459LocationWebsiteYear founded1963
- Tree TrustEmployees252Revenue$4.7 millionEIN41-1291626LocationWebsiteYear founded1976
- Chewonki FoundationEmployees252Revenue$7.4 millionEIN01-0269460LocationWebsiteYear founded1917
- Earth Island InstituteEmployees252Revenue$16 millionEIN94-2889684LocationWebsiteYear founded1982
- Teton Science SchoolsEmployees251Revenue$14 millionEIN83-0219163LocationWebsiteYear founded1974
- IslandWoodEmployees250Revenue$6.1 millionEIN31-1654076LocationWebsiteYear founded1999
- Trail Blazer CampsEmployees246Revenue$2.1 millionEIN13-1771421LocationWebsiteYear founded1887
- Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife FoundationEmployees244Revenue$36 millionEIN82-2342237LocationWebsiteYear founded2017
- Center for Sustainable EnergyEmployees241Revenue$305 millionEIN33-0936366LocationWebsiteYear founded2000
- The WildsEmployees240Revenue$6.6 millionEIN31-1113570LocationWebsiteYear founded1984
- National Ability CenterEmployees238Revenue$8.0 millionEIN94-3025807LocationWebsiteYear founded1986
- Western Pennsylvania ConservancyEmployees233Revenue$21 millionEIN25-1053485LocationWebsiteYear founded1932
- Puerto Rican Action BoardEmployees221Revenue$12 millionEIN22-1944440LocationWebsiteYear founded1971
- The Conservation FundEmployees220Revenue$221 millionEIN52-1388917LocationWebsiteYear founded1985
- Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of ArtEmployees210Revenue$6.8 millionEIN51-6020908LocationWebsiteYear founded1967
- Southern Environmental Law CenterEmployees206Revenue$39 millionEIN52-1436778LocationWebsiteYear founded1985
- Southern California Mountains FoundationEmployees203Revenue$5.6 millionEIN33-0556414LocationWebsiteYear founded1992
- Alliance for a Green Revolution in AfricaEmployees202Revenue$95 millionEIN98-0513530LocationWebsiteYear founded2007
- Friends of the High LineEmployees199Revenue$20 millionEIN31-1734086LocationWebsiteYear founded2000
- North Carolina Outward Bound SchoolEmployees199Revenue$4.3 millionEIN56-0857708LocationWebsiteYear founded1966
- Stark County Community Action AgencyEmployees196Revenue$14 millionEIN34-1320658LocationWebsiteYear founded1980
- National Parks Conservation AssociationEmployees194Revenue$40 millionEIN53-0225165LocationWebsiteYear founded1919
- Friends of the Forest PreservesEmployees192Revenue$2.7 millionEIN36-4519273LocationWebsiteYear founded1998
- Slipstream GroupEmployees190Revenue$50 millionEIN39-1356152LocationWebsiteYear founded1980
- Energy FederationEmployees188Revenue$23 millionEIN04-2790398LocationWebsiteYear founded1982
- The New Haven Ecology ProjectEmployees187Revenue$5.4 millionEIN22-3171185LocationWebsiteYear founded1991
- OceanaEmployees186Revenue$38 millionEIN51-0401308LocationWebsiteYear founded2001
- Conservation Corps of Long BeachEmployees185Revenue$5.8 millionEIN33-0293393LocationWebsiteYear founded1987
- Strategic Energy InnovationsEmployees185Revenue$4.8 millionEIN68-0404081LocationWebsiteYear founded1997
- Hale ReservationEmployees182Revenue$3.0 millionEIN04-2111550LocationWebsiteYear founded1930
- International Fund for Animal WelfareEmployees178Revenue$31 millionEIN31-1594197LocationWebsiteYear founded1998
- Camp JoyEmployees178Revenue$4.3 millionEIN31-0672822LocationWebsiteYear founded1937
- Center for Energy and EnvironmentEmployees177Revenue$15 millionEIN41-1647799LocationWebsiteYear founded1989
- CeresEmployees177Revenue$24 millionEIN22-3053747LocationWebsiteYear founded1990
- Wilderness SocietyEmployees175Revenue$39 millionEIN53-0167933LocationWebsiteYear founded1937
- Dollar Energy FundEmployees170Revenue$21 millionEIN25-1442933LocationWebsiteYear founded1983
- Find OutdoorsEmployees168Revenue$3.2 millionEIN56-1302500LocationWebsiteYear founded1972
- Defenders of WildlifeEmployees166Revenue$34 millionEIN53-0183181LocationWebsiteYear founded1947
- Community Action Partnership of Strafford CountyEmployees166Revenue$12 millionEIN02-0268636LocationWebsiteYear founded1965
- Ecology Action of Santa CruzEmployees162Revenue$21 millionEIN94-2584236LocationWebsiteYear founded1979
- Chattahoochee Nature CenterEmployees160Revenue$2.8 millionEIN58-1275604LocationWebsiteYear founded1976
- Cornerstone Community Action AgencyEmployees160Revenue$6.5 millionEIN75-1230663LocationWebsiteYear founded1965
- Thompson Island Outward Bound Education CenterEmployees158Revenue$8.0 millionEIN04-3027900LocationWebsiteYear founded1988
- Eagle's Nest FoundationEmployees155Revenue$3.0 millionEIN56-6009912LocationWebsiteYear founded1948
- Elevate EnergyEmployees154Revenue$28 millionEIN36-4443093LocationWebsiteYear founded2001
- Grid AlternativesEmployees152Revenue$16 millionEIN26-0043353LocationWebsiteYear founded2002
- Miami Valley Community Action PartnershipEmployees146Revenue$14 millionEIN31-0709198LocationWebsiteYear founded1965
- Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife CommissionEmployees144Revenue$10 millionEIN39-1468447LocationWebsiteYear founded1983
- Pacific American FoundationEmployees143Revenue$1.8 millionEIN54-1696134LocationWebsiteYear founded1993
- Keep Indianapolis BeautifulEmployees143Revenue$3.4 millionEIN31-1005792LocationWebsiteYear founded1980
