Headwaters Charitable Trust

Our rich history of success can be attributed to the diversity of our programs. Perhaps most prevalent has been our work to restore water quality and fish habitat. Of the 172 projects Headwaters has supported, 65% have focused on water quality improvements, fishery restoration and rural water access for fire protection. The founding members of the Charitable Trust lived in the “headwaters” of the Genesee, Susquehanna and Allegheny River systems; hence the name “Headwaters”. As we look to the future, Headwaters will not stray from our roots. We recognize that our enduring relationships with funders, government, community groups and the public is key to our success. Over the past 30 years, Headwaters Charitable Trust has raised more than $13.7M to benefit our rural communities. Even with our successes, we now find we must continue to redefine our niche. In 2016, the Board initiated a new strategic direction that highlights more of the economic impacts of our work. Our tag line “Employment, Enjoyment, Ecology” is predicated on a restoration economy that increases green collar jobs in water management, recreational development and agricultural sustainability. There is a ripple effect on economic impact from direct jobs, supply chain jobs and tourism/recreation jobs. Our new approach is a big challenge to show the importance of natural resource restoration on local economies and we are very excited to take on this new endeavor.