About
The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots environmental nonprofit dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's ocean, waves, and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network. Founded by surfers in Malibu, California, in 1984, it has grown into one of the largest volunteer-activist coastal protection organizations in the United States, with its headquarters in San Clemente, California.
Mission
Surfrider is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's ocean, waves, and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network. The organization engages environmental experts to create solutions, unites local and national resources to protect the coast, and leverages its local chapter network's knowledge with a national perspective. Its priority issues are plastic reduction, ocean protection, beach access, coasts and climate, and clean water.
What they do
- Beach Cleanups: tackling ocean litter, primarily caused by plastic pollution, through education, community science, and policy campaigns.
- Blue Water Task Force: the largest volunteer-run beach water testing program in the country, launched in 1990, alerting communities to local water quality problems.
- Beach Guardian Program: empowering people to protect their local beaches through cleanups, coastal monitoring, and community science.
- Climate Action Program: connecting volunteers to coastal restoration projects that reduce erosion, sequester carbon, and remove invasive species.
- Ocean Friendly Restaurants and Ocean Friendly Hotels: helping businesses reduce single-use plastic.
- Ocean Friendly Gardens: a sustainable landscaping program that reduces polluted runoff.
History
Surfrider was founded in 1984 by Glenn Hening, Lance Carson, Tom Pratte, Dan Young, Chris Blakely, and Steve Merrill, together with a group of surfers concerned about environmental threats from escalating coastal development at their favorite surf break, Surfrider Beach in Malibu, California. The Articles of Incorporation were filed with the State of California on August 22, 1984. The chapter network followed, with the first chapters chartered in Orange County and San Diego County, California, and the Blue Water Task Force water testing program launched in 1990.
Scale and impact
According to the organization's website, Surfrider today has 200 chapters and student clubs, works on more than 100 active campaigns around the country at any given time, and has recorded more than 900 campaign victories to protect the coast since 2006. Volunteers contributed 185,000 volunteer hours in 2024. A staff of more than 75 people supports the chapter network, policy advocacy, and legal work. Surfrider reports that for every dollar donated, 84 cents directly funds programs and campaigns, 13 cents is invested to generate future donations, and 3 cents covers administrative and operating costs.
Financials
According to ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, for fiscal year 2024 the Surfrider Foundation (EIN 95-3941826) reported total revenue of $14,490,016, total expenses of $14,543,905, and net assets of $20,017,851. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.