Donating to Environmental Organizations

As Monday, April 22 was the fifty-fourth Earth Day celebration many concerned donors will be reminded of the important role of environmental organizations in addressing a variety of issues. The range of activities include advocacy on climate change, natural resource conservation, environmental education, and wildlife protection for endangered species. According to Giving USA, of the $499.33 billion contributed to charities in the U.S. during 2022, $16.1 billion went to environmental organizations.  

As with other causes, we remind donors to look beyond the name of the group and find out more about what they do. Visit their website, read about their accomplishments, and check with Give.org to very if the organization meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability (i.e., a BBB Accredited Charity.)

For your reference, here is a list of nationally soliciting BBB Accredited environmental charities - 

1% for the Planet

Animal Legal Defense Fund

Appalachian Trail Conservancy

Big Life Foundation USA

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Central Park Conservancy

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Defenders of Wildlife

Earthjustice

Earthworks

Food & Water Watch

Friends of the Earth

Mohonk Preserve

National Arbor Day Foundation

National Audubon Society

National Park Trust

National Parks Conservation Association

National Wildlife Federation

Nature Conservancy

NumbersUSA Education and Research Foundation

Ocean Conservancy

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Rainforest Action Network

Riverkeeper

Scenic Hudson 

Sierra Club Foundation

Student Conservation Association

Waterkeeper Alliance

The Wilderness Society

Wildlands Conservancy

World Wildlife Fund

Heart of Giving Podcast

In this week's Heart of Giving Podcast, the featured guest is Elaine Espinola Keltz, former Mrs. DC America and a fixture in the DC media scene. She discusses her life and passion for giving back to the community.

Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association 
• Children of Armenia Fund
• Together Women Rise

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.