Resource Media

Resource Media
Name	Resource Media
Type	Nonprofit organization
Founded	2000
Founder	Jerry Kramer
Headquarters	Seattle, Washington, United States
Focus	Environmental communications, conservation advocacy, strategic media

Resource Media is a nonprofit communications organization focused on environmental advocacy, conservation strategy, and public outreach. Founded in 2000 in Seattle, Washington, it provides communications services, campaign design, and media training to nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, and community coalitions. Resource Media works across regional and national networks on issues including freshwater protection, ocean health, species recovery, and climate resilience, engaging with civic institutions, philanthropic foundations, and partner organizations.

History

Resource Media was established in 2000 by founder Jerry Kramer, emerging from networks around conservation foundations in the Pacific Northwest and national environmental philanthropy. Early efforts linked to work on salmon recovery drew connections to the restoration agendas of groups operating in the Columbia River basin and Puget Sound, aligning with initiatives led by the Bonneville Power Administration, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, and regional tribes such as the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and Puyallup Tribe of Indians. Growth in the 2000s connected Resource Media to national campaigns involving organizations like the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Defenders of Wildlife, positioning it as a communications hub during debates over fisheries policy, federal habitat regulations, and regional land-use planning. During the 2010s the organization expanded services to include digital strategy, research synthesis, and multi-stakeholder convening, working alongside institutions such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and philanthropic entities including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Bullitt Foundation.

Mission and Activities

The stated mission centers on strategic communications to advance conservation outcomes, supporting partners across campaign design, message development, media outreach, and stakeholder engagement. Activities include media training for leaders from groups like The Nature Conservancy and Audubon Society, research translation for academic institutions such as the University of Washington and the Oregon State University, and strategic counsel for coalitions addressing state-level policy in legislatures such as the Washington State Legislature and the Oregon Legislative Assembly. Resource Media produces briefing materials, storytelling assets, and rapid response communications used by partners in legal and policy arenas including cases before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The organization also emphasizes capacity building for community-based groups representing Indigenous nations and municipal governments like the City of Seattle.

Campaigns and Projects

Resource Media has supported campaigns on freshwater protection, marine conservation, wetlands restoration, and climate adaptation. Notable project work includes support for salmon recovery initiatives linked to the Columbia River Basin restoration efforts and campaigns to protect estuaries such as the Puget Sound and the Salish Sea. The organization has produced communications for ocean protection campaigns connected to marine protected areas advocated by partners like Ocean Conservancy and coordinated messaging around legislative efforts such as state-level Clean Water campaigns and ballot measures including initiatives in Washington (state). Projects have also addressed species recovery and endangered species policy in coordination with stakeholders involved in listings under the Endangered Species Act and litigation brought before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Organizational Structure and Funding

Resource Media operates as a nonprofit entity governed by a board of directors drawn from conservation, communications, and philanthropy sectors. Leadership and staff include communications strategists, digital specialists, researchers, and trainers who collaborate with campaign partners and funders. Funding sources encompass philanthropic foundations, charitable trusts, and project-specific grants from organizations such as the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, and corporate philanthropy programs. The organization has entered contractual partnerships and grant arrangements with governmental agencies and regional institutions for capacity-building work, while maintaining nonprofit status and reporting obligations under United States nonprofit law.

Partnerships and Collaborations

A core operating model emphasizes partnerships with national environmental organizations, local conservation groups, Indigenous nations, academic researchers, and philanthropic funders. Collaborations have included the National Audubon Society, regional chapters of The Wilderness Society, community organizations in the Salmon-Safe network, and academic centers such as the Center for Environmental Law and Policy at major universities. Resource Media frequently partners with coalition campaigns involving legal organizations like the Center for Biological Diversity and policy-focused groups including Earthjustice, providing communications support during administrative rulemaking, legislative advocacy, and public comment campaigns. Cross-sector engagements have extended to municipal agencies, tribal governments, and multilateral conservation initiatives.

Impact and Criticism

Supporters credit Resource Media with professionalizing communications for conservation campaigns, increasing media visibility for restoration projects, and improving stakeholder engagement outcomes in regional policy debates. The organization’s work is cited by partner groups as contributing to ballot victories, legislative wins, and increased funding for habitat restoration projects administered by entities such as state departments of ecology and fisheries commissions. Critics and watchdogs have raised concerns typical of nonprofit advocacy intermediaries, questioning boundaries between strategic communications and lobbying, the influence of major philanthropic funders on agenda-setting, and transparency around funding sources and campaign tactics during contentious policy battles. Debates have occurred in public forums and among policy commentators regarding the role of nonprofit communicators in shaping public perceptions during environmental litigation and administrative rulemaking.

Category:Environmental organizations based in the United States