35 Environmental Organizations and Nonprofits For a Sustainable Future (List and Ways You Can Get Involved)
Whenever we learn about some social or environmental issue, as the problem solvers and aspiring change-makers that we are, the natural next question we may ask is:
“What can I do to help?”
Shifting our lifestyle and consumer choices is one way we can help address particular problems; getting politically active with our voices and votes can also help push for more systemic, widespread change. And one of the most effective ways to help realize a more sustainable future is to also support environmental nonprofits.
This is because they are equipped with the much-needed background research, social networks, know-how, and action plan to fully serve their missions, and often they're able to tackle issues that social enterprises and individual votes may not be able to.
However, since their operations run on donations and fundraisers, contributing financially and getting involved in whichever ways we are able to can really help to make a difference. In light of this, we put together this nonexhaustive list of 34 nonprofits you can check out and support for a sustainable future.
We've grouped them into six different categories—ocean conservation, forests and reforestation, wildlife protection, social and environmental justice, climate action, and regenerative agriculture—although each organization may cover additional areas with their work, and each of these categories is intricately linked with the others.
Since it may be overwhelming to do too much at once, our recommendation is for you to save and share this list as a reference, and to start by getting involved with just one to two organizations whose missions resonate most deeply with you.
Social & Environmental Justice
Cultural Survival
Did you know that Indigenous peoples, making up just over 5% of the global population, steward 80% of Earth's biodiversity? Cultural Survival (in English: @CSORG; en Espanol: @CSORG72) is a nonprofit organization that fights for Indigenous Peoples' rights and supports Indigenous communities’ self-determination, cultures, and political resilience. Their work involves political action, amplifying Indigenous voices, advocacy with grassroots partner organizations, and grant-making.
Get involved: Contribute to its storytelling efforts in its award-winning journal; pledge to boycott companies guilty of abuse against Indigenous communities; donate.
*Listen to its Executive Director Galina Angarova on Green Dreamer Podcast EP223.
A Growing Culture
The majority of food globally is produced by smallholder farmers and producers. A Growing Culture is a nonprofit focused on advancing a culture of farmer autonomy and agroecological innovation. They do this by 'reframing the way the world views farmers, facilitating collective learning and catalyzing innovation through farmer-to-farmer exchange, and supporting on-the-ground efforts for farmer-led research and documentation."
Get involved: Follow and amplify its educational content on Instagram and donate what you can.
Native American Traditional Food Systems
Native American Traditional Food Systems (NATIFS) is a nonprofit dedicated to "addressing the economic and health crises affecting Native communities by re-establishing Native foodways." They imagine a new North American food system that generates wealth and improves health in Native communities through food-related enterprises.
Get involved: Donate what you can; purchase its co-founder's award-winning cookbook.
*Listen to its co-founder Sean Sherman on Green Dreamer Podcast EP223.
Fashion Revolution
Fashion Revolution is a global movement uniting people and brands to work together towards creating a safer, cleaner, and fairer fashion industry. Founded after the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, Fashion Revolution believes that collaboration across the value chain (from farmers, manufacturers, dye houses, to consumer) is the best way to radically transform the industry. It works with global coordinators to host events every year for an entire week in April—around the anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse—that aim to inspire consumers and brands to take a closer look at how and by whom their clothes were made.
Get involved: Participate in the #WhoMadeMyClothes campaign all year round and especially during Fashion Revolution Week which takes place annually late April. You can get involved in a number of other ways including writing a letter to a brand or policymaker, writing a fashion love story, or hosting your own event. Donations are also welcome.
*Listen to its co-founder Orsola de Castro speak on Green Dreamer Podcast EP22.
Earthjustice
Earthjustice is the United States’ largest environmental law organization, “because the earth needs a good lawyer.” Founded in the 1960s, Earthjustice attorneys have since supported various major environmental wins including the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act. The organization works with activists, national politicians, international policymakers, and individuals to protect and strengthen laws for the benefit of people and a healthy planet.
Get involved: Make a one-time or monthly donation, and add your voice to important campaigns.
*Listen to its President Abigail Dillen speak on Green Dreamer Podcast EP143.
School Girls Unite
School Girls Unite is a nonprofit on a mission to tackle prejudice against girls worldwide while expanding their freedom and opportunities through education and leadership. The organization believes that education is the best way to end poverty, improve global health, and bring about a more peaceful world. Moreover, according to Project Drawdown's research-based analysis, supporting girls' education is among the top 10 most impactful things we can do to tackle climate change; this emphasizes the interconnectedness of women's rights and sustainability.
Get involved: Sign up to its newsletter to stay updated, print out and help share its Equal Education for Girls Globally petition, or make a donation.
Natural Resources Defense Council
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a nonprofit working to safeguard the earth—including its people, plants and animals, and “the natural systems on which all life depends.” Founded in the 1970s by a team of law students and attorneys, it is now a membership-based organization that collaborates with lawyers, activists, scientists, businesses, and individuals to identify the root cause of problems and formulate sustainable solutions. It works internationally to ensure the everybody has the right to clean air, clean water, and healthy wild spaces.
Get involved: Make a one-time or monthly donation, or add your voice to urgent campaigns.
Conservation & Reforestation
One Percent For the Planet
One Percent For the Planet is a global network of businesses, nonprofits, and individuals working together for a healthy planet. Founder Yvon Chouinard (also Founder of Patagonia) started the organization on the idea that bringing "dollars and doers" together can create change. Member brands commit one percent of their profits towards environmental action, and the organization ensures that those dollars go to trusted nonprofits engaged in wildlife and nature conservation, ocean cleanups, reforestation, and other environmental efforts.
Get involved: Become an individual member and commit one percent of your annual salary to the group. To ensure your purchases support sustainability, you can also keep an eye out for the 1%FTP logo denoting that a business is a member of the organization. Check its list of members here.
*Listen to its Executive Director, Kate Williams, speak on Green Dreamer Podcast EP101.
American Forests
American Forests is a national conservation organization working in the U.S. and Canada to advance the conservation of forests. It works together with brands and governments to restore native forests, promote and expand urban forests, and improve upon forest policy. In over 140 years of forest restoration projects, American Forests has successfully planted over 50 million trees across North America.
Get involved:Make a one-time or recurring donation, give a tree as a gift, shop with their partner brands, or even select American Forests as your charity of choice through Amazon Smile.
Conservation International
Conservation International (CI) is a global nonprofit dedicated to protecting the most fundamental things that nature provides for us: food, fresh water, our livelihoods, and a stable climate. It works with governments, business leaders, and people on the ground to implement real solutions to climate change related problems. In its 30 years of operation, CI has successfully protected over 601 hectares of land, marine, and coastal areas, including areas of the Amazon and rainforests in Indonesia.
Get involved: A $25 donation here will go directly towards protecting one acre of forest. Other ways to get involved with CI include signing up to receive conservation news and calls to action in your inbox, taking the “I Need Nature and Climate Action Pledge,” or reading their tips for greener living.
*Listen to its climate strategy lead Shyla Raghav on Green Dreamer Podcast EP140.
Eden Projects
Eden Projects is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit on a mission to employ impoverished peoples through reforestation. Its projects involve working directly with people in small villages in Ethiopia, Madagascar, Nepal, Haiti, and Indonesia to plant over 250 million trees and plan to continue to plant over 100 million trees each year.
Get involved: Donate directly or sign up to stay in touch with the group’s efforts. Businesses looking to make a positive impact can partner with Eden Projects, committing to fund the planting of one tree per sale or service provided.
One Tree Planted
One Tree Planted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Vermont that has a simple directive: one dollar = one tree. Founded in 2014 with a mission to make it easy for people to help the environment, One Tree Planted works together with reforestation organizations around the world to fund the planting of trees that help stabilize the climate, provide habitat for biodiversity, and create sustainable jobs.
Get involved: Donate a dollar to plant a tree or pool your donations with friends & family to make a larger impact. Those who are looking to get their hands dirty can even become a Tree Ambassador and learn how to plant trees in their own community!
WeForest
WeForest is an NGO that was founded as a simple solution to global warming. The group works to empower communities and create sustainable, high standard, and scalable initiatives for reforestation. It believes that healthy forests are the best technology for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and have built corporate and scientific partnerships to fund tree planting initiatives around the world.
Get involved: Make a direct donation here. Businesses can also engage with WeForest by making a one-time donation, committing to funding tree planting efforts to match sales, purchasing offsets to their carbon outputs, or adopting a forest as part of their company’s corporate social responsibility initiative.
Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit building alliances to create a better future for people and planet. They offer a certification program for brands selling rainforest-friendly products and work alongside activists, businesses, small farmers, and forest communities to drive positive social, environmental, and economic change across forest landscapes.
Get involved: Keep an eye out for their frog seal while shopping for rainforest-dependent products such as tea, coffee, chocolate, and paper. Green travelers can even opt for Rainforest Alliance certified hotels and tours around the world, and brands looking to improve their practices can work together with the alliance to transform their businesses.
Wildlife Protection
Jane Goodall Institute
The Jane Goodall Institute is a nonprofit founded by the famous scientist to further her mission of saving chimpanzees from habitat destruction and trafficking. The scope of the institute’s work now encompasses broader nature conservation with a focus on wildlife. The Jane Goodall Institute engages with the global community to educate and inspire people to take collective action, and it also works with communities living in wild spaces to improve their lives through conservation efforts.
Get involved: You can make a donation, become a chimp guardian, get involved in or lead a campaign, or shop products that give back.
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an American nonprofit conservation organization working to protect birds and the wild places they need to thrive. Originally founded in the 1890s in protest of the slaughter of waterbirds for luxury hats, the Audubon Society now has over 500 national chapters. Together, the society works to identify crucial bird habitats and collaborates with scientists, lawmakers, educators, and grassroots activists to shape its conservation efforts.
Get involved:Make a donation, become a member, or add your voice to a number of specific campaigns. The Society also encourages you to get outside and start appreciating the diverse bird species in your area.
Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a nonprofit working to protect the lands and waters on and in which all life depends. Founded in 1951, the organization collaborates with scientists, policymakers, farmers, communities, and others to help tackle climate change in a number of different ways. Some of their priorities include greening urban spaces, encouraging regenerative farming, and protecting clean waterways.
Get involved:Volunteer at one of its events, or make a donation. The organization also encourages you to calculate your personal carbon footprint and get outside to reconnect nature more often.
Sierra Club
Sierra Club is a U.S.-based grassroots environmental organization dedicated to enjoying, exploring, and protecting the earth for everyone. Started by the legendary environmentalist John Miur, the group now has over 3.5 million members who, backed by Sierra Club's support, actively advocate for clean air, clean water, wildlife conservation, and the right of everyone to visit a national park. Notably, the group has been involved in the protection of over 400 national monuments as well as the passage of the United States' Clean Air Act and Endangered Species Act.
Get involved: Join one of their #OutdoorsForAll treks and trips geared towards helping you access and appreciate the great outdoors. You can also add your voice to important issues or make a donation.
*Listen to its director Michael Brune on Green Dreamer Podcast EP199.
Wildlife Conservation Society
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit dedicated to saving wildlife and wild places worldwide. The organization was originally founded in New York as the New York Zoological Society, promoting zoology and advancing wildlife protection. It has since rebranded and refocused its mission but continues to maintain its vision for thriving natural habitats and societies that value wildlife.
Get involved: Make a donation or get involved by learning more or adding your voice to specific campaigns.
World Wildlife Fund
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is a charitable organization committed to conserving nature and reducing threats to the diversity of life on Earth. Best known for its work with endangered species, WWF has expanded its mission to address not only specific animals and landscapes but also the larger issues that impact them. The organization partners with businesses, governments, and on-the-ground organizations to implement policies and practices that will benefit wildlife, nature, and the global climate.
Get involved: Sign up to take actionon a specific campaign, adopt a species, go on one of its partner-led conservation trips, or simply follow along with its work.
Ocean Conservation
5 Gyres Institute
5 Gyres Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering individual and collective actions against the global crisis of plastic pollution. In addition to the hands-on work it does out in the oceans and on beaches, 5 Gyres Institute also contributes as a founding member to the Plastic Pollution Coalition where it works with global businesses and thought leaders to explore sustainable solutions to the many problems caused by plastic pollution.
Get involved: Make a donation, pledge to refuse a number of different plastic products, activate your community by becoming an ambassador, and shop items that help prevent plastic waste.
*Listen to its co-founder Dr. Marcus Eriksen speak on Green Dreamer Podcast Episode 103.
Blue Sphere Foundation
Blue Sphere Foundation is a nonprofit working to safeguard the world’s oceans through action, activism, and art. Started by a global team of experts and activists, the organization seeks out the front lines of ocean conservation where they are able to gather information to turn into stories and visual assets that they then use to inspire action. Currently, it focuses on protecting diversity in West Papua, exposing overfishing of tuna around the world, and investing in scaling eco-tourism.
Get involved: Make a donation or sign up for their newsletterfor a chance to participate in an expedition.
Lonely Whale Foundation
Lonely Whale Foundation is a nonprofit founded through SEE (Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs), serving as an incubator for ideas that drive positive change for our oceans. Inspired by the power of community, the foundation focuses on creating collective action and using radical collaboration as a tool for supporting ocean conservation. Lonely Whale Foundation works with businesses and entrepreneurs to create environmental business models, gets involved in communities to better educate the next generation, and initiates global movements like the #StopSucking campaign geared towards tackling plastic pollution of our oceans.
Get involved:Check out current campaigns to get involved in or make a donation.
*Listen to its co-founder Adrian Grenier speak on Green Dreamer Podcast EPS1.
Oceana
Oceana is an international organization focused on protecting and restoring the world’s oceans. Founded in 1999 by a collection of leading charity foundations (including the Rockefeller Brothers and the Pew Trusts), Oceana has successfully protected more than 4.5 million square miles of ocean. The nonprofit primarily works with global leaders and lawmakers to create policies for the conservation of marine biodiversity, and the areas it covers include science-based fishery management, sustainable fishing practices, and the proper disposal of hazardous materials.
Get involved: Make a donation, add your voice to important campaigns, and commit to “living blue” by making daily changes that will benefit our oceans.
SeaLegacy
SeaLegacy is a collective of photographers, filmmakers, and storytellers committed to creating healthy and abundant oceans for people and the planet. Founded by National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen and pioneering conservation photographer Cristina Mittermeier, the organization leads visual storytellers on underwater expeditions and uses the power of visual storytelling to create change.
Get involved: Make a one-time donation or become a contributing member of The Tide, where you will gain access to exclusive footages from its expeditions and be connected to the SeaLegacy community.
*Learn from its co-founder Cristina Mittermeier on Green Dreamer Podcast EPS243.
Climate Justice
350.org
350 is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit that believes in a just, prosperous, and equitable world built with the power of ordinary people. With members—including activists, students, business owners, labor unions, educators, and more—in over 180 countries, 350.org uses social media campaigns, grassroots organization, and collective public action to oppose new coal, oil and gas projects, support clean energy solutions, and to take money out of the pockets of companies who are heating up the planet. Its primary missions are to keep carbon in the ground, help build a more equitable zero-carbon economy, and hold governments accountable to limiting their emissions.
Get involved: Plug into a local group near you and support the initiatives they are working on. If you are not near an existing group, you can also start your own or simply make a donation.
Cool Effect
Cool Effect is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit with a simple mission: to reduce carbon emissions. It combines science, expertise, and transparency to create communities invested in reducing carbon pollution. For example, its earliest project focused on helping communities transition to using clean-burning cookstoves. Through supporting various carbon-reducing endeavors, Cool Effect works to preserve natural habitats, implement clean energy programs, and improve the lives of rural communities.
Get involved:Make a donation to the organization or donate directly to one of their campaigns. Businesses can also purchase carbon offsets through Cool Effect.
*Listen to its CEO, Marisa de Belloy, speak on Green Dreamer Podcast Episode 65.
Earth Guardians
Earth Guardians is a nonprofit empowering young people to bring innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental issues. Currently led by 18-year-old indigenous youth activist and hip hop artist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, the organization focuses on implementing real, practical solutions to climate change. Based in Colorado, the group has activated local youth to impose a fee on plastic bags, stop pesticide spraying in public parks, and advocate against fracking in the state.
Get involved: Head to its action center for concrete directives on how you can help reverse climate change. You can also become an Earth Guardian, attend an event, or make a donation.
*Listen to its Youth Director, Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, speak on Green Dreamer Podcast Episode 41.
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is an international organization dedicated to creating a green and peaceful world that is ecologically diverse and healthy. Founded in the 1970s, the nonprofit now has a presence in over 40 countries and relies on its membership of activists, students, educators, scientists, and environmentalists to investigate issues and solutions, lobby governments, and show up for actions against climate change. Greenpeace is well-known for its Detox movementagainst consumption as well as its fleet of boats deployed to physically block oil tankers from leaving port.
Get involved: Join a local group of activists and follow along with Greenpeace’s journalism site, Unearthed. Donations are also welcome.
Project Drawdown
Project Drawdown is a nonprofit organization and group of scholars, scientists, entrepreneurs, and advocates around the globe who are collaborating to lay out a comprehensive plan to reverse global warming. Conclusions from its analysis show that we already have the tools to tackle climate change. In light of this, today, the group now focuses on educating people around the world and supporting initiatives that implement the effective tools identified from its research.
Get involved: Start by reading the book which lays out 100 of the most effective solutions for reversing global warming. You can also learn more by attending an event, or support the group by making a donation.
Ecological Agriculture
Fibershed
Fibershed is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit re-envisioning a system of regional and regenerative fiber systems. It initially began in 2010 as a challenge by its founder, Rebecca Burgess, to only wear garments grown, dyed, and manufactured within 150 miles of her home. As Burgess began to work with local farmers and artisans, the project quickly became a movement that championed carbon farming and independent producers. Today, Fibershed dedicates itself to educating the public about the environmental benefits of decentralized textile systems, and also works to connect farmers, ranchers, and producers to each other and with end consumers.
Get involved: Individuals can donate to become a supporting member or attend educational events in Northern California. Those involved in farming or textiles can also become a member of its producer network.
*Listen to its founder Rebecca Burgess speak on Green Dreamer Podcast Episode 61.
Regenerative Agriculture Alliance
Regenerative Agriculture Alliance is a nonprofit is "a community of industry leaders, farmer and public interest organizations, food sector businesses and cooperatives, tribes and elected officials” dedicated to a regenerative future. They are led by people who choose to approach agriculture and food from an indigenous way of thinking.
Get involved: Make a one-time or recurring donation here.
*Listen to its founder Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin on Green Dreamer Podcast Episode 241.
Regeneration International
Regeneration International (RI) is a global nonprofit working to promote, facilitate, and accelerate the global transition to regenerative food, farming, and land management. Founded in 2015, it works with over 250 international partners and scientists, farmers, policymakers, activists, and communities to help restore climate stability, end world hunger, and rebuild deteriorated ecological and economic systems.
Get involved: Join its partner network, attend an event, or make a donation.
The Soil Association
The Soil Association is a U.K.-based charity working with members to advocate for healthy, humane, and sustainable systems for food, farming, and land use. The group lobbies politicians, certifies sustainable products, and provides resources and education for both farmers and consumers in the food and fashion industries. Its current campaigns focus on regenerative farming, agroforestry, banning pesticides and dangerous antibiotics in the food supply chain, and making healthy, sustainable eating easier for everyone.
Get involved: Make a one-time donation, become a monthly member, volunteer for running its campaigns, or choose to bring your business to its certified partners
Sustainable Harvest International
Sustainable Harvest International is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit on a mission to preserve the environment by improving people's well-being through sustainable farming. Founded in 1997, the organization has been working to train families and farmers in Central America in farming practices that fight hunger, poverty, and deforestation all at once. It firmly believes in empowering farmers and their communities to become leaders in regenerative agriculture. Get involved:Travel to experience its sustainable farming programs in person, attend a local event, volunteer, or make a donation.
Author: Faye Lessler is a California-born, Brooklyn-based freelance writer and founder of lifestyle blog, Sustaining Life. She loves to write mission-driven content while sipping black tea in a beam of sunshine.
Contributor: Kamea Chayne is the podcast host and creator of Green Dreamer.
