Our mission is to preserve, protect, and advocate for the environmental health of Grand Traverse Bay and its watershed to ensure regional economic sustainability and water quality for future generations. This mission is achieved through outreach, education, collaboration and research.

In 1990, about a dozen local agencies and organizations realized they each managed programs with similar visions: "sustaining or restoring the Bay's watershed to ensure the region's economic viability, high quality of use and employment for future generations." These agencies and organizations also realized collaboration could only enhance their individual efforts.

The Watershed Center is governed by a board of directors consisting of a mix of representatives from non-profit organizations, businesses and governmental units from throughout the Grand Traverse Bay region.

A fundamental concept of watershed protection is cooperation across political jurisdictions to protect land and water resources.