Corporate Partnerships

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) was founded in 1966 by local business leaders who believed the private sector should be part of the solution to restore the Chesapeake Bay. That spirit of corporate leadership is as vital today as it was then. CBF partners with companies that bring a genuine commitment to environmental sustainability—and a desire to make that commitment visible, meaningful, and measurable. Partnering with CBF means aligning your brand with a proven conservation leader, connecting your employees to hands-on experiences that build culture and purpose, and contributing directly to the recovery of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams.

Why Partner with CBF

CBF is the largest independent conservation organization dedicated solely to saving the Chesapeake Bay. Recognized by 91 percent of residents across Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., and rated highly favorable by 97 percent of our 200,000 members, CBF brings unmatched regional credibility to every partnership we form. Our work is backed by the highest ratings from the biggest charity watchdogs—a Charity Navigator four-star rating, Candid Platinum Transparency designation, and CBF meets all 20 Better Business Bureau’s Charity Standards.

Reputation

CBF’s credibility is built on more than 50 years of scientific expertise, policy leadership, and on-the-ground results—making a partnership with CBF a meaningful signal to customers, employees, and communities.

Impact

Each year, CBF:

• Provides more than 23,000 students, teachers, and principals with hands-on environmental education across 14 field programs throughout the region.
• Inspires tens of thousands of advocates to take action for clean water.
• Plants trees, restores oyster reefs, constructs living shorelines, and advances watershed restoration across Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
• Advocates for and litigates on behalf of clean water policy at the state and federal levels.

The Bay is showing signs of recovery—and corporate partners play a meaningful role in sustaining that progress.

The Business Case

Companies that align their business practices with a clear corporate purpose saw a 32 percent increase in median revenue and a 45 percent boost in median pre-tax profits in 2023 (Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose). A CBF partnership supports those goals—connecting your brand to a mission that resonates across the region, elevating employee engagement, and earning your company recognition as a leader in environmental responsibility. Benefits are tailored to your level of engagement. [Benefit details below.]

Pathways to Partnership

CBF works with businesses of all sizes across the watershed. Every partnership is customized to align with your company’s goals and reflect your organization’s values. Opportunities include:

Event Sponsorship

Support CBF’s signature events, which draw thousands of environmentally engaged attendees annually.

• Bands in the Sand—our annual beach concert at the Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis, drawing more than 1,600 guests each summer.
• DC on the Half Shell—our biennial gala honoring an exemplary Conservationist of the Year.
• Clean the Bay Day—now spanning six days, this event has engaged more than 162,000 volunteers to remove more than 7.1 million pounds of debris from Bay shorelines since 1989.

Sponsorship opportunities exist at regional and local levels to fit your market and goals.

Brands for the Bay

Boost customer loyalty and drive sales through cause marketing campaigns that connect your brand with Bay recovery. These partnerships follow established regulatory guidelines. Learn more about our Brands for the Bay program and see who we’re currently working with.

Workplace Giving & Volunteerism

CBF offers a wide range of opportunities to connect your team directly to the Bay’s recovery — from hands-on restoration experiences in the field to pro bono professional services that strengthen our organizational capacity. These experiences build team culture, support employee engagement goals, and generate meaningful content for ESG reporting.

Workplace giving campaigns and matching gift programs are welcome at any level and can be paired with volunteer activities for a more comprehensive partnership.

Companies making direct corporate gifts of $5,000 or more can work directly with CBF staff to design a customized volunteer experience for their team. Submit an inquiry here.

To explore the full range of volunteer experiences available to your team, visit our Volunteer Opportunities page.

Mission Support

Direct investment—including cash grants and in-kind gifts—in CBF’s mission-critical work supports conservation, education, and advocacy across the watershed. CBF’s current strategic priorities include:

• Driving the policy and accountability actions needed to protect clean water.
• Building the next generation of environmental leaders through hands-on education.
• Advancing restoration of the Bay’s natural infrastructure.

Mission support partnerships begin at $10,000 and are tailored to your company’s priorities. Your dedicated account manager will work with you to connect your investment to specific programs and outcomes you can measure and share.

Corporate Partner Benefits

When you partner with CBF, you don’t just support a cause—you join a movement. Your company gains meaningful recognition as a leader in environmental responsibility, and your employees gain experiences that connect them to something larger than the workday. Because every partnership is built around shared goals rather than off-the-shelf packages, benefits are customized to reflect your level of engagement and the nature of our partnership.

Meet our current corporate partners.