About
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) conservation organization headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, and describes itself as the largest independent conservation organization dedicated solely to saving the Chesapeake Bay. Operating under the motto Save the Bay, CBF works across the Bay watershed to advocate for clean water, provide environmental education, and restore the Bay's natural systems.
Mission
CBF's stated mission is to "Save the Bay and its waterways by educating, uniting, and inspiring people to take action." Its vision is "a healthy and resilient Chesapeake Bay ecosystem where people, plants, and animals thrive together."
What they do
CBF organizes its work around four core approaches — educate, advocate, litigate, and restore:
- Advocacy: advancing policies and regulations that improve the health and resiliency of the Chesapeake Bay, its people, and its fisheries, including support for the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint.
- Litigation: holding polluters, regulators, and decision-makers accountable in the courtroom to ensure clean water.
- Environmental education: partnering with schools across the Bay watershed to provide hands-on, immersive environmental education, support teachers, and integrate nature into curricula, with equitable pricing and outreach to under-resourced communities.
- Restoration: implementing projects that reduce pollution and strengthen communities' resilience to climate change, with a focus on oysters and trees as the Bay's natural filters.
Signature initiatives include the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance, a coalition working to add 10 billion new oysters to the Chesapeake Bay; the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, an effort to plant 10 million new trees in priority landscapes in Pennsylvania; and the Chesapeake 1 Million Voices for Clean Water campaign to advance funding and policy priorities for the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint.
History
CBF states it was founded in 1966 as a private, citizen-based organization, and the IRS issued its tax exemption in April 1966. From a few staff and members it has grown into a major regional force, helping lead landmark initiatives from early advances in wetlands protection and the first Chesapeake Bay Agreements to modern restoration and education programs. CBF notes that even as the region's population has grown by nearly fifty percent, pollution has been significantly reduced, fish and crab populations are generally improving, and underwater dead zones are shrinking over time.
Financials
Per its Form 990 as reported by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, for the fiscal year ending June 2025 CBF reported total revenue of 35,411,298 dollars, total expenses of 37,408,233 dollars, and net assets of 122,194,404 dollars; contributions made up 77.4 percent of revenue. In the fiscal year ending June 2024, revenue was 36,221,171 dollars and expenses were 35,057,375 dollars.
Governance
CBF is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (EIN 52-6065757), governed by a Board of Trustees and led by an executive staff. It publishes detailed financial information on how funds raised are used.