Alliance for the Great Lakes
A nonprofit environmental organization working to protect and restore the freshwater resources, shorelines, and communities of the Great Lakes.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a United States nonprofit environmental organization focused on protecting and restoring the Great Lakes through public engagement, scientific information, legal action, coalition building, and public policy. Its work covers the interconnected ecological, economic, and civic issues affecting Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, with particular emphasis on the U.S. Great Lakes states and the wider binational basin. The organization originated in a regional movement concerned about industrial pollution, shoreline development, proposed nuclear power facilities, and threats to ecologically important areas such as Indiana's Lake Michigan dunes. On April 12, 1969, environmental activists and civic leaders from the four-state Lake Michigan region met at a conference convened with the involvement of Lee Botts, an editor of the Hyde Park Herald and a staff member of the Openlands Project. Participants concluded that a standing organization was needed to develop policy solutions for Lake Michigan. At a second conference on May 2, 1970, organizers announced the formation of the Lake Michigan Federation, which was formally established later that year. The early federation gave citizens tools to monitor industrial compliance with pollution-discharge permits, challenge shoreline power-plant proposals, and advocate for stronger pollution controls. In 1971, it lobbied Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley to prohibit phosphates in detergents, an effort aimed at reducing excessive algae growth. The organization also became involved in national environmental policy. Its work on the effects of polychlorinated biphenyls in the Great Lakes contributed to congressional efforts that resulted in the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act and the federal regulation of PCBs. The group expanded its geographical reach during the 1980s under executive director Glenda Daniel, opening offices in Muskegon, Milwaukee, and Green Bay. Following the 1987 amendment to the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the federation supported remediation efforts in designated Areas of Concern. The organization later faced contraction and a serious organizational crisis after Daniel's departure in 1992. Cameron Davis, who had first become involved as a volunteer under Botts and later served as deputy director, returned as executive director in 1998. He pursued broader partnerships with businesses, environmental organizations, and elected officials from both major political parties. During this period, the organization expanded from a primarily Lake Michigan-focused federation into a Great Lakes-wide institution. In 2003 it created the Adopt-a-Beach program, which mobilizes volunteers to clean shorelines, record litter and environmental conditions, and contribute information used in conservation and public-policy work. In 2005, the board unanimously adopted the name Alliance for the Great Lakes, and Davis became its first president and chief executive officer. The Alliance has participated in campaigns that helped advance the Great Lakes Legacy Act, the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact, and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. It has also used litigation and the public-trust doctrine to contest privatization or unauthorized transfers of Great Lakes resources. In 2008, it received the American Bar Association's Distinguished Achievement Award in Environmental Law and Policy, reportedly becoming the first nonprofit citizen organization to receive that distinction. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Davis to coordinate federal interdepartmental Great Lakes restoration work. Joel Brammeier, previously the Alliance's vice president for policy, succeeded Davis as president and CEO in December 2009. Under Brammeier, the Alliance continued advocacy for federal restoration funding, invasive-species controls, and stronger protection of the Chicago Area Waterway System. The organization also remained active in the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition and in public participation programs. Its Adopt-a-Beach network has engaged thousands of volunteers annually and has generated beach-litter and shoreline data relevant to issues including single-use plastics, cigarette litter, and microplastics. The Alliance remains an advocacy and civic-engagement organization rather than a commercial product company, and its principal public-facing offerings are education, volunteer programs, policy campaigns, research, and legal or regulatory advocacy.
History
The Alliance for the Great Lakes traces its origins to a late-1960s environmental movement around Lake Michigan. Activists were concerned about pollution, industrial development, proposed nuclear power facilities, and the degradation of shoreline habitats, including Indiana's dunes. Lee Botts, then associated with the Hyde Park Herald and the Openlands Project, helped bring together activists from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin at a regional conference on April 12, 1969. The meeting concluded that a permanent organization should be created to develop and promote policy solutions for Lake Michigan. At a second conference on May 2, 1970, participants announced the Lake Michigan Federation. The organization was formally established in September of that year with support from philanthropic organizations including the Chicago Community Trust and the Wieboldt Foundation. Its initial board represented the four Lake Michigan states, and Lee Botts became the first executive director. The federation's early approach combined citizen participation with technical and legal advocacy. It helped residents monitor industrial compliance with pollution-discharge permits, opposed new and existing shoreline power plants, and promoted stronger controls on water pollution. In 1971, it lobbied Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley to ban phosphates in detergents in response to algae growth and eutrophication concerns. The federation also developed a role in federal environmental policy. Its advocacy regarding PCB contamination in the Great Lakes contributed to efforts that led Congress to regulate PCBs through the Toxic Substances Control Act. In 1989, the organization brought litigation over the proposed sale of Lake Michigan lake bottom by the Illinois legislature to a Chicago university. The resulting case, Lake Michigan Federation v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, became associated with the application of the public-trust doctrine to Great Lakes resources. During the 1980s, the organization broadened its regional footprint. Glenda Daniel became executive director in 1986, and offices were opened in Muskegon, Milwaukee, and Green Bay. After the 1987 amendment to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement created the framework for identifying Areas of Concern, the federation supported cleanup and restoration work in those seriously degraded locations. Daniel's departure in 1992 was followed by a period of contraction during which the organization nearly ceased operating. Cameron Davis returned to the organization in 1998 as executive director after earlier serving as a volunteer and deputy director and later working in environmental litigation. He emphasized partnerships across state borders and political parties and sought cooperation among nonprofit organizations, business interests, and public officials. The organization supported the development and passage of the Great Lakes Legacy Act in 2002 and 2008, legislation that provided resources for contaminated-site and Area of Concern cleanups. It also helped develop the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact, which established regional standards for water withdrawals and conservation and was signed into law in 2008. In 2003, the organization launched Adopt-a-Beach, a volunteer program combining shoreline cleanup with data collection and environmental education. In 2005, the board adopted the name Alliance for the Great Lakes, reflecting an expanded geographic mission. Davis became the first president and CEO under the new name. The Alliance's policy and coalition work contributed to the evolution of the Great Lakes Legacy Act into a model for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The organization also participated in the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, a large network advocating sustained federal restoration funding. In 2008, the Alliance received the American Bar Association's Distinguished Achievement Award in Environmental Law and Policy. In 2009, Davis was appointed by President Barack Obama to coordinate federal Great Lakes restoration work. In December of that year, Joel Brammeier, who had served as the Alliance's vice president for policy, was selected as president and CEO. During Brammeier's leadership, the Alliance continued to advocate for restoration appropriations, invasive-species prevention, and protection of the Chicago Area Waterway System. The organization remains an active nonprofit whose public programs combine volunteer stewardship, education, scientific information, coalition advocacy, and legal or regulatory intervention.
- 2009
Leadership transition
[1]Cameron Davis entered federal Great Lakes coordination work, and Joel Brammeier became the Alliance's president and CEO in December.
- 2008
Great Lakes policy and legal recognition
[1]The Alliance supported the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact and received the American Bar Association's Distinguished Achievement Award in Environmental Law and Policy.
- 2005
Lake Michigan Federation renamed Alliance for the Great Lakes
[1]The board adopted the current name to reflect the organization's broader Great Lakes mission.
- 2003
Adopt-a-Beach launched
[1]The Alliance established its volunteer beach cleanup and monitoring program.
- 1998
Cameron Davis returns as executive director
[1]Davis returned to lead the organization and pursued broader cross-state and bipartisan partnerships.
- 1987
Support for Areas of Concern cleanups
[1]Following an amendment to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the organization supported remediation in designated Areas of Concern.
- 1986
Glenda Daniel becomes executive director
[1]Daniel's appointment was followed by expanded operations and offices in additional Great Lakes cities.
- 1976
PCB regulation advanced
[1]The organization's Great Lakes PCB advocacy contributed to the federal Toxic Substances Control Act and regulation of PCBs.
- 1971
Phosphate-detergent advocacy in Chicago
[1]The federation lobbied Chicago's mayor to prohibit phosphates in detergents as a response to excessive algae growth.
- 1970
Lake Michigan Federation formed
[1]A second regional conference announced the Lake Michigan Federation, which was formally established later that year.
Products and positioning
A citizen-centered Great Lakes conservation organization that combines volunteer action, environmental policy advocacy, legal work, research, and cross-sector coalition building.
Volunteer conservation and monitoring program · 2003
Adopt-a-Beach
A volunteer program launched in 2003 that organizes shoreline cleanups, records litter and beach conditions, and uses participant-generated data to support Great Lakes conservation and public-policy decisions. The program also provides a public-facing mechanism for environmental education and community stewardship.
Environmental policy and advocacy
Great Lakes policy advocacy
The Alliance develops and promotes policies concerning pollution control, restoration funding, invasive species, water withdrawals, shoreline protection, and Great Lakes governance. Its work includes public education, coalition building, engagement with elected officials, and participation in legislative and regulatory processes.
Restoration education and civic engagement
Great Lakes restoration engagement
Public programs and partnerships that connect residents, community groups, businesses, and government agencies with restoration of contaminated and degraded Great Lakes sites, including Areas of Concern.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition
United States Great Lakes region · Washington, D.C.
The Alliance participated in the coalition's advocacy for sustained federal investment in Great Lakes restoration. Joel Brammeier served as a coalition co-chair.
Outcome. The coalition helped build support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
- 2008Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact
Great Lakes states
The Alliance helped author and advocate for a regional compact establishing standards for water withdrawals, conservation, and protection of Great Lakes water resources.
Outcome. The compact was signed into law in 2008.
- 2003Adopt-a-Beach
Great Lakes shoreline communities
The Alliance launched a volunteer cleanup and monitoring platform intended to combine direct shoreline stewardship with standardized environmental data collection.
Outcome. The program developed into a major citizen-engagement and data-driven conservation initiative.
- 2002Great Lakes Legacy Act advocacy
United States Great Lakes region · Washington, D.C.
The Alliance worked with business interests and other environmental organizations to develop and advance legislation funding cleanup of contaminated Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
Outcome. The act became an important precedent for subsequent federal Great Lakes restoration funding.
- 1974Great Lakes PCB controls
United States Great Lakes region · Washington, D.C.
The organization advocated federal action in response to PCB contamination and its effects on the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Outcome. The effort contributed to congressional action under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
- 1971Chicago phosphate-detergent campaign
Chicago · Illinois
The Lake Michigan Federation urged Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley to ban phosphates in detergents to reduce nutrient pollution and excessive algae growth.
Brand decisions
2009
Appoint Joel Brammeier as president and CEOOtherBackground
Cameron Davis moved into a federal role coordinating interdepartmental Great Lakes restoration work.
Action taken
The board selected vice president for policy Joel Brammeier as president and CEO in December 2009.
Aftermath
The organization continued its policy, coalition, and invasive-species advocacy under new leadership.
2005
Adopt the Alliance for the Great Lakes nameStrategyBackground
The organization had expanded beyond its original Lake Michigan focus and was working across the broader Great Lakes region.
Action taken
The board unanimously changed the name from Lake Michigan Federation to Alliance for the Great Lakes.
Aftermath
The new identity established the organization's current basin-wide positioning.
2003
Launch Adopt-a-BeachProduct launchBackground
The Alliance sought to make residents direct participants in Great Lakes stewardship while collecting useful shoreline information.
Action taken
It created Adopt-a-Beach as a volunteer cleanup, education, and monitoring program.
Aftermath
The initiative became one of the organization's principal public engagement programs.
Recent events
- 2009
Joel Brammeier selected as president and CEO[1]
Leadership change
The board selected Joel Brammeier, previously the organization's vice president for policy, to lead the Alliance after Cameron Davis moved into a federal Great Lakes coordination role.
- 2009
Cameron Davis appointed to coordinate federal Great Lakes restoration work[1]
Leadership change · Other
President Barack Obama appointed former Alliance leader Cameron Davis to coordinate restoration work across federal departments.
- 2008
Alliance receives environmental law and policy award[1]
Other
The organization received the American Bar Association's Distinguished Achievement Award in Environmental Law and Policy for its environmental advocacy work.
- 2005
Alliance changes name from Lake Michigan Federation[1]
Other · Leadership change
The organization adopted the name Alliance for the Great Lakes as part of its broader Great Lakes-wide identity and appointed Cameron Davis as its first president and CEO.
Sources2 sources
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