About EFM

Our Environmental Mission

The Environmental Fund for Maryland (EFM) is a federation of twenty-five non-profit organizations dedicated to preserving, protecting and sustaining Maryland’s natural heritage.
EFM was formed in 1993 to raise awareness and funds for its member organizations by gaining participation in public and private workplace giving campaigns so that donors could support Maryland’s environment through payroll deduction.
The work of EFM’s member agencies has an expansive focus serving the state of Maryland, the National Capital and Chesapeake Bay areas, protecting the community’s health and environment through education, advocacy and outreach.
Each member agency must annually pass high quality standards to maintain their membership in EFM and contribute volunteer hours towards the overall success of the group. Member agencies designate representatives to serve on the board of directors, creating a real sense that members are governed by members.

Everyone Benefits

Whether you are a fisherman, sailor, outdoor enthusiast, birdwatcher, student, or gardener or even just drink the water and breathe the air you benefit from all of the hard work that EFM’s member groups carry out every day in the Maryland community.
Donations to EFM and its member groups have helped our environment in many ways:

Thousands of students every year learn the value and benefits of our natural resources first hand through hands-on projects including water quality sampling, restoration projects and apprenticeship programs.

Hundreds of acres of land are purchased or placed under protective status each year.

Thousands of volunteers are put to work statewide—planting trees to stabilize stream banks and replace lost forests and wildlife habitat; building nesting boxes
for waterfowl; cleaning up local streams; and making the outdoors accessible for everyone including the physically challenged.

Threats to Our Environment and Quality of Life

Our quality of life depends on the health and resilience of our natural systems. Yet these are the very systems that are now under threat throughout the region.

Community after community is confronting: Vanishing farmland, forests and open spaces.

Declining wildlife habitat.

Depleted Chesapeake Bay harvests.

Polluted air and water. EFM currently participates in the following workplace giving campaigns:

Donors have a unique opportunity when contributing to the Environmental Fund for Maryland. Each contribution made to the group as a whole, supports each of the members and each of their missions equally. For the donor who is interested in more than one environmental and conservation issue, this is an important option.Workplace fundraising is the most efficient means of raising funds, while informing and educating the community about the resources available to address these issues. The Environmental Fund for Maryland was formed to further democratize philanthropy, provide working individuals the opportunity to support the charitable organizations of their choice and increase everyoneâs greater involvement in the community.