Northeast Iowa RC&D

What Northeast Iowa RC&D does

Northeast Iowa RC&D (legal name: Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1987 and headquartered in Postville, Iowa, serving a defined seven-county region (Allamakee, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek). Its functional mission is to advance natural resource-based economic development through a bottom-up, partnership-driven model: the organization convenes and provides technical assistance to county conservation boards, county supervisors, watershed management authorities, educational institutions, and local producers. It manages 50–75 active projects annually across five programmatic areas: branding and marketing local resources, fostering rural economies, promoting natural resource-based tourism, protecting land and water, and supporting local communities.

Its core deliverables span publications, services, and physical assets. The publications portfolio includes 20+ printed maps and guides (bike, paddling, trout fishing, scenic byway, birding, travel) sold online and through visitor centers at $0–$35 per unit, plus handbooks and toolkits for farmers market managers. Service offerings include GIS mapping, interpretive design, grant writing, project management, and community development planning. Notable physical assets include the Driftless Mobile Juicing Service (a $480,000 mobile cider press in a travel trailer, the first in Iowa), the Regional Urban Stormwater Demonstration Site at the Postville office, and oversight of 200+ miles of trails and four scenic byways. Underlying technology is limited to conventional tools—GIS, video production, interpretive design platforms, and stormwater demonstration infrastructure—with no proprietary software or AI components.

The revenue model is predominantly grant-driven. Primary funding flows from federal sources (USDA, HUD, NEA, US Fish & Wildlife Service) supplemented by state agency grants, private foundation support (Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque), and minor fee-for-service and merchandise income. The organization is governed by a board with mandatory representation from each served county, operates with 10–15 staff, and distributes outcomes through direct technical assistance, an e-commerce storefront, and a network of regional visitor and welcome centers.

Name

Northeast Iowa RC&D

Legal name

Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development, Inc.

Website

https://northeastiowarcd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Northeast Iowa RC&D is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 that delivers natural resource-based economic development across a seven-county region in Northeast Iowa, serving county governments, conservation boards, agricultural producers, and tourism organizations through grant-funded technical assistance, publications, and project management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development and Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Forestry & Indigenous Land Stewardship Services (IMAMAJAM), ROW Access, Road & Trail Construction/Maintenance (EUADAOAE), Monitoring, Survival Surveys & Carbon/MRV Services (Remote Sensing, Field Audits) (AFAMACAO)

Keywords

• Natural resource conservation
• Rural economic development
• Watershed management services
• Environmental education programs
• Community development planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Postville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: Primary funding through federal, state, and local grants including USDA funding, as well as private donations from foundations and individuals
2. Publication Sales: Sale of educational publications, guides, and maps through online store and physical locations
3. Fee-for-Service: Technical assistance and consulting services provided to communities, governments, and organizations
4. Tree Tube Sales: Sale of tree tubes for reforestation and conservation projects

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Northeast Iowa RC&D provides technical assistance, project management, and grant administration for natural resource conservation and rural economic development across a seven-county region in Northeast Iowa. It produces and sells printed maps, paddling, fishing, biking, birding, scenic byway, and travel guides, farmers market handbooks and toolkits, and tree tubes/stakes, and operates the Driftless Mobile Juicing Service — a mobile cider and juice production facility serving local orchards. The organization coordinates watershed resiliency planning, manages 200+ miles of trails and four scenic byways, and delivers educational and interpretive services.

Product overview

Northeast Iowa RC&D is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that offers a diverse portfolio of publications, maps, guides, and technical services focused on natural resource conservation, rural economic development, and community enhancement. The organization's offerings include over 20 types of printed guides covering recreational trails (bike guides, paddling guides, trout fishing guides, scenic byway maps), community development resources (farmers market handbooks, watershed resiliency plans, interpretive displays), and practical products (tree tubes, stormwater demonstration site tours). They also provide professional services including branding and marketing, GIS mapping, interpretive planning, grant writing, and project management. The portfolio is organized around five strategic areas: Brand & Market Local Resources, Foster Strong Rural Economies, Promote Natural Resource-Based Tourism, Protect and Improve Land and Water, and Support Local Communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Turkey River Recreational Corridor: A recreational corridor initiative linking communities of Clermont, Elgin and Elkader through land and water trails along the Turkey River
• Driftless Mobile Juicing Service

Products and services

• Northeast Iowa Bike Guide A folding map covering 28 bike trails across seven Northeast Iowa counties (Allamakee, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek), with trail details including mileage, difficulty, surface type, and amenities. Sold at $8.00.
• Trout Streams of Winneshiek County Map & Fishing Guide Pocket-sized guide covering 19 spring-fed creeks comprising over 32 miles of fishable water in Winneshiek County, with detailed stream maps and fishing information.
• Trout Streams of Allamakee County Map & Fishing Guide Pocket-sized guide covering 15 spring-fed creeks comprising over 77 miles of fishable water in Allamakee County, including 10 individual trout stream maps.
• Trout Streams of Clayton County Map & Fishing Guide Angler's guide covering 12 spring-fed creeks comprising over 28 miles of fishable water in Clayton County, including three of Iowa's most-visited trout streams.
• Trout Streams of Fayette County Map & Fishing Guide Pocket-sized fishing guide for trout streams in Fayette County with detailed maps and stream descriptions.
• Upper Iowa River Paddler's Guide Comprehensive paddling guide for the Upper Iowa River providing river mileage, access points, campgrounds, and detailed section descriptions.
• Turkey River Water Trail Map & Guide
• Yellow River Water Trail Map & Guide Water trail guide for the Yellow River in Northeast Iowa with access points and paddling information.
• Wapsipinicon River Water Trail Map & Guide Water trail guide for the Wapsipinicon River covering paddling routes and access points.
• Maquoketa River Paddler's Guide Guide covering 58 miles of the Maquoketa River through Eastern Iowa including Backbone State Park, Lake Delhi, and Maquoketa Caves State Park.
• Scenic Byway Maps Maps for four scenic byways: Driftless Area (144 miles), River Bluffs (109 miles), Delaware Crossing (36 miles), and Grant Wood (80 miles).
• Northeast Iowa Travel Guide Regional travel guide covering tourism destinations and attractions across Northeast Iowa's seven counties.
• Allamakee County Iowa Bird Guide Birding guide for Allamakee County featuring birding locations grouped by skill levels, visit lengths, and group needs, with tips for new birders. Sold at $5.00.
• Farmers Market Manager Handbook Comprehensive handbook combining best practices with ideas from Iowa farmers market managers, designed to help market managers operate successful markets.
• Iowa Farmers Market Manager Toolkit Multi-component toolkit including Vendor Handouts, Farmers Market Manager Handbook, and Lettuce Grow Training Series for farmers market management.
• Our Postville Area Wide Plan Brownfield Area-Wide Plan for Postville, Iowa completed in February 2020, focusing on community development, capacity building, and economic revitalization strategies.
• Tree Tubes and Tree Stakes Tree shelters available in 4-foot and 5-foot lengths that protect trees from deer damage, sold along with fiberglass stakes for support. Priced $2.50–$3.50 each.
• Driftless Mobile Juicing Service Mobile juice production facility housed in a self-contained travel trailer that allows orchards and producers to make and sell pasteurized or unpasteurized juice from fruits on-site, supporting the local food economy.
• Online Store (Publications and Maps) E-commerce storefront at northeastiowarcd.org/publications selling maps, brochures, guides, handbooks, and related publications produced by Northeast Iowa RC&D.

Quantifiable outcome

• 28 flood reduction projects completed through $4 million grant
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Luther CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership for regional development initiatives. Luther College serves as an educational partner supporting natural resource-based economic development projects in Northeast Iowa.
• University of IowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Campus Compact program. Received 2023 Presidents' Community Partner Award recognizing the collaboration. University of Iowa students and faculty collaborate on regional development projects.
• Iowa DNRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartment of Natural Resources partnership for conservation and natural resource projects throughout Northeast Iowa. Collaborates on environmental initiatives and watershed management.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partnership supporting wildlife conservation and habitat restoration projects in the Northeast Iowa region.
• Upper Iowa River Watershed Management AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed management partnership addressing water quality and flood mitigation in the Upper Iowa River watershed.
• Upper Wapsi River Watershed Management AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed management partnership for the Upper Wapsi River region focusing on water quality and conservation.
• Turkey River Watershed Management AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed management partnership that received Iowa Tourism Award for Turkey River Recreational Corridor. Manages 98-mile Turkey River Water Trail.
• Northeast Iowa Tourism Association (NEITA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism partnership for promoting Northeast Iowa as a tourism destination. Collaborates on marketing initiatives and trail development.
• County Conservation Boards (7 counties)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with all seven county conservation boards (Allamakee, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, Winneshiek) for natural resource management and conservation projects.
• Motor Mill FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership supporting historic Motor Mill site development and tourism initiatives in the region.
• Convergence CiderWorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal producer partnership utilizing mobile cider press operations. Represents $480,000 investment in value-added agricultural processing infrastructure.
• Project RootedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting local food systems and agricultural initiatives in Northeast Iowa.
• Byways of Iowa CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership managing four scenic byways in Northeast Iowa. Received Governor's Arts Award for Byways of Iowa Public Art Initiative.
• Iowa Department of Cultural AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partnership for arts and cultural initiatives. Collaborated on Byways of Iowa Public Art Initiative awarded Governor's Arts Award in 2020.
• Iowa Conservation Education CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partnership for conservation education. Awarded 2022 Outstanding Interpretative Non-Print Media Award for 'Mike the Milk Jug and Friends'.
• Iowa Association of NaturalistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partnership for natural resources education. Co-awarded 2022 Outstanding Interpretative Non-Print Media Award for educational materials.
• Iowa Recycling AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partnership for recycling and waste reduction education. Awarded 2023 Excellence in Education Award recognizing environmental education efforts.
• American Flood CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational coalition partnership supporting flood resilience initiatives. Collaborated on $4 million grant funding 28 flood reduction projects.
• Iowa Flood CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership providing flood modeling and hydrological expertise for watershed planning and flood mitigation projects.
• Upper Explorerland Regional Planning CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional planning partnership supporting coordinated development initiatives across Northeast Iowa counties.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Xx.com/neiarcd
• Facebookfacebook.com/NEIARCD

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northeast Iowa RC&D