Headwaters RC&D Council sponsors projects that address water, forest, and agriculture resources, as well as community and economic development, environmental education, and recreational needs.  Project assistance ranges from scientific and technical assistance to acting as a full grant sponsor and project manager for organizations with limited capacity.  Headwaters RC&D Council has a variety of partners within Pennsylvania and the eight counties it serves including county Conservation Districts, the USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and more.
Headwaters RC&D Council was formed in 1978 as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization to coordinate public and private agencies for projects that address the needs of eight counties in north-central Pennsylvania (Elk, Cameron, Clearfield, Jefferson, Potter, McKean, Centre and Clinton), reaching out to a population of approximately 418,000 residents.​​
Each of the eight counties within the Headwaters RC&D Council region is represented on the Council by appointees selected from County Commissioners, County Conservation Districts, and County Planning Departments.
 "At the headwaters, streams are very small and they are not always recognized as resources.  Yet it is here in the headwaters that waterways have the most intimate connection with the landscape, making them most sensitive to disturbance and pollution.  Up in the headwaters is where the battle for water quality and healthy streams is won or lost." 
​- Shandor Szalay