Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC)

The Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC) is a left-of-center activist group that promotes environmentalist advocacy within the United States and abroad in Central and South America. The group was previously listed as providing legal assistance and other services to activists and organizations that protested the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline.  1  2  3

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Ideological Alignment: Left of Center
Issue Areas: Environmental Policy
Website: www.waterprotectorlegal.org
Formation:

2016 as 501(c)(4), 2022 as 501(c)(3

Executive Director:

Natali Segovia

Location: Albuquerque, NM View on map
Tax ID: 81-4180619
Most Recent Filing: 2022
Budget (2022): Assets: $240,997 Revenue: $601,201 Expenses: $587,703

Contents

    The radical-left National Lawyers Guild is a substantial funder of the Water Protector Legal Collective through its charitable arm, the National Lawyers Guild Foundation. In 2024 NLGF provided a $215,339 grant; it also provided $215,339 in 2023 and $348,825 in 2022. 4

    Background

    Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC) was founded in 2016 to provide legal assistance for activists protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. Since its creation, the group claims to have provided legal support in additional Indigenous activist movements within the United States as well as in Central and South America.  1

    From 2016 through 2022 the WPLC listed itself as a social-welfare organization on its 990 tax forms. Since 2022 onwards, tax forms have reported WPLC is a charitable organization. 5

    Financials

    For the fiscal year ending in September 2023, the Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC) reported $869,155 in revenue, all stemming from contributions and grants. It did not report any government funding. 6

    It reported $605,406 in expenses, of which $456,530 was spent on salaries and compensation and $36,556 on payments for travel or entertainment for federal, state, or local public officials. It ended the year with a surplus of $263,749 and net assets of $273,097. 7

    The radical-left National Lawyers Guild is a substantial funder of the Water Protector Legal Collective through its charitable arm, the National Lawyers Guild Foundation. In 2024 NLGF provided a $215,339 grant; it also provided $215,339 in 2023 and $348,825 in 2022. 4

    Activities

    The Water Protector Legal Collective (WPLC) has previously provided legal assistance and other forms of aid to activist groups and movements tied to indigenous and environmental advocacy in both the U.S. and international locations such as Central and South America. 2

    The group has previously submitted reporting on environmental and community issues before the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee and the UN Human Rights Council. Reports include data on the impact of Private Military Security Contractors (PMSC) on indigenous communities as well as the 2021 detention of controversial attorney Steven Donziger in Ecuador while providing legal assistance for Amazon-based communities impacted by Chevron. The organization also provided legal assistance and other services for demonstrators arrested during protests against a proposed Enbridge Line 3 pipeline in Minnesota.  2

    Leadership

    Natali Segovia is the executive director of the Water Protector Legal Collective, a position she has held since 2023. Since joining the Collective in 2020, she had worked in several positions with the group including as the group’s legal director from July 2021.  8

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2022 $240,997 $601,201 $587,703 View
    2021 $222,697 $550,465 $662,047 View
    2020 $291,654 $305,625 $464,285 View
    2019 $445,995 $316,157 $407,845 View

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 7

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Leoyla CowboyEXEC. DIRECT$70,000
    Sarah KnoppFINANCE DIRE$7,876

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $2,030,298
    • Number of Grants: 11
    • Number of Funders: 9

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $999,0002024 The Schmidt Family FoundationSupporting Native American Communities
    $348,8252022 National Lawyers Guild FoundationTO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE WATER PROTECTOR LEGAL COLLECTIVE, AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROVIDING LEGAL SUPPORT AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING FOR INDIGENOUS CENTERED AND GUIDED ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE MOVEMENTS.
    $280,1342023 National Lawyers Guild FoundationTO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE WATER PROTECTOR LEGAL COLLECTIVE, AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROVIDING LEGAL SUPPORT AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING FOR INDIGENOUS CENTERED AND GUIDED ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE MOVEMENTS.
    $215,3392024 National Lawyers Guild FoundationTO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE WATER PROTECTOR LEGAL COLLECTIVE, AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROVIDING LEGAL SUPPORT AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING FOR INDIGENOUS CENTERED AND GUIDED ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE MOVEMENTS.
    $75,0002025 Solidaire Network, IncGeneral support of Prutehi Litekyan
    $50,0002024 Amalgamated Charitable Foundation IncGeneral operating support and project support
    $30,0002024 Common Counsel FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $20,0002024 The New-Land Foundation IncENVIRONMENT
    $8,0002024 Urgent Action Fund for Feminist ActivismSECURITY FOR EVENTS
    $3,0002021 Christina Heroy FoundationOperatingSupport
    $1,0002020 Youth Emergency ServicesPUBLIC CHARITY

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $179,150
    • Number of Grants: 2
    • Number of Recipients: 1

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $107,1002020 Law College Association of the University of ArizonaTO CARRY OUT THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION.
    $72,0502021 Law College Association of the University of ArizonaTO SUPPORT MISSION

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Home,” Water Protector Legal Collective, accessed January 19, 2026, https://www.waterprotectorlegal.org/.
    2. “Our Impact,” Water Protector Legal Collective, accessed January 19, 2026, https://www.waterprotectorlegal.org/impact.
    3. “Our Work,” Water Protector Legal Collective, accessed January 19, 2026, https://www.waterprotectorlegal.org/legal.
    4. National Lawyers Guild Foundation. Return from an organization exempt from taxation (Form 990). 2023, 2022, 2021, Schedule I, Part II.
    5. Water Protectors Legal Collective. Return from an organization exempt from taxation (Form 990). 2022, Schedule I, Part II.
    6. Water Protectors Legal Collective. Return from an organization exempt from taxation (Form 990). 2023, Part I, VIII.
    7. Water Protectors Legal Collective. Return from an organization exempt from taxation (Form 990). 2023, Part I, IX.
    8. “Natali Segovia,” Water Protector Legal Collective, accessed January 19, 2026, https://www.waterprotectorlegal.org/ourpeople/natalisegovia.