Mission

For the past 50 years, Save The Bay has been at the forefront of the cleanup of Narragansett Bay, engaging a diverse community of people and organizations in protecting and improving this valuable ecological resource. Equipped with our 2027 Strategic Plan and the opening of the Save The Bay Hamilton Family Aquarium, we have entered one of our biggest growth periods in over a decade. Save The Bay operates in four primary areas: public policy, habitat restoration and adaptation, education, and community support and engagement. Our policy team gives a voice to the Bay and watershed by advocating for protective—and against harmful—legislation and proposals while working collaboratively with like-minded partners to advance policies that align with our mission. Our staff provides 24-hour advocacy for Narragansett Bay at the local, state, and federal levels. Our staff are first responders to environmental emergencies in the Bay and watershed, and long-term advocates for environmentally conscious and Bay-safe laws and regulations. Our staff and volunteers monitor water quality and species health, work to correct damage caused by human activities, and reestablish the Bay's productivity and health. Our habitat restoration staff collaborates with municipalities, environmental organizations, and state agencies to enhance the health and resiliency of the Bay and its watershed. Our team's expertise—particularly in salt marsh elevation and migration, stormwater management, and water quality monitoring—is in high demand, and we are expanding our organizational capacity to meet the growing needs of the state and region. Our Explore The Bay educators inspire thousands of future Bay stewards each year through hands-on, experiential K-12 programs incorporating on-the-water exploration, in-the-field observation, and interactive activities. Our public programs include Seal Tours, Lighthouse Tours, and the new Save The Bay Hamilton Family Aquarium in Newport. As an organization, our educators, policy, advocacy, and habitat restoration staff, along with our volunteers, work together to keep the public aware of the importance of our waters and teach good stewardship of the Bay and its watershed. At the heart of what we do are the thousands of members, donors, volunteers, and advocates who support our core program areas and work to provide high-impact, community-focused programs and opportunities that directly impact the health of Narragansett Bay. Each year, our volunteers support habitat adaptation initiatives, conduct shoreline cleanups, mark storm drains, monitor habitats and species throughout the watershed, support educational programs, and provide operational and event support to the organization.