Prairie State Conservation Coalition
PSCC is a 501(c)(3) statewide coalition that unites and supports 40+ Illinois conservation land trusts through membership, training, an annual conference, and the Prairie State Conservation Fund grant program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersSpringfield, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Prairie State Conservation Coalition does
Prairie State Conservation Coalition (PSCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit statewide coalition founded in 2005 and headquartered in Springfield, Illinois, that unites and supports more than 40 conservation land trusts operating across the state. PSCC serves these members — which range from volunteer-run local trusts to larger statewide organizations such as Openlands, The Nature Conservancy of Illinois, and Ducks Unlimited — through membership services, an annual Land Conservation Conference (150+ attendees and 53 sponsors in 2025), training resources, and a Stewardship Connector video series. The coalition also operates the I-View interactive web-based mapping platform, which aggregates Illinois protected-lands data (categorized by ownership type and overlaid with Conservation Opportunity Areas, biologically significant streams, trails, and electoral districts), and the PSCC Hike App for public trail access.
PSCC's business model is grant- and membership-driven rather than commercial. Following a transformational $42-47 million grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF) — its final grant before ICECF's 2024 wind-down — PSCC established the Prairie State Conservation Fund (PSCF) to disburse $1.5-2 million annually for land acquisition, conservation easements, restoration, stewardship, and organizational capacity-building to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits and government conservation agencies. Operational revenue comes from membership dues, conference sponsorships, donations, and restricted foundation support (notably the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation for I-View). Core technology consists of web-based platforms (I-View mapping, the Hike App, and a Land Trust Directory) that are differentiated by domain specialization rather than proprietary AI or advanced analytics.
Strategically, PSCC has repositioned itself via a 2024-2026 Strategic Plan to function as both a convener and a major state-level grant-maker, with a formal 20-year ecosystem of partner land trusts and government agencies (Illinois Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Land Trust Alliance, County Forest Preserve Districts). Leadership comprises President Brook McDonald, Executive Director Cynthia Kanner, Consultant David Holman, and Communications/Media lead Sandy Kaczmarski, supported by a 1-10 person staff and a multi-stakeholder board.
Prairie State Conservation Coalition firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Prairie State Conservation Coalition
- Legal name
- Prairie State Conservation Coalition
- Website
- https://prairiestateconservation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- PSCC is a 501(c)(3) statewide coalition that unites and supports 40+ Illinois conservation land trusts through membership, training, an annual conference, and the Prairie State Conservation Fund grant program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Prairie State Conservation Coalition industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Conservation Nonprofit Services / Land Conservation Coalition
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)
Keywords
Where Prairie State Conservation Coalition is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Springfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Prairie State Conservation Coalition business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Grant Funding: PSCC received a $42 million grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF) to support land conservation efforts including land acquisition, capacity building, and promoting diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in conservation activities. ICECF ceased operations at end of 2024, making PSCC its final grant recipient.
- Prairie State Conservation Fund Grants: PSCC established the Prairie State Conservation Fund (PSCF) as a grant-making program following the ICECF grant. PSCF offers grants to eligible 501(c)3 nonprofits and government agencies for land acquisition ($1.5-2 million available in 2025), restoration/stewardship, and organizational capacity building.
- Membership Dues: PSCC operates a membership program for conservation organizations across Illinois. Members join to access resources, training, conferences, and the network of land conservation professionals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Prairie State Conservation Fund - Land Acquisition Grants |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Prairie State Conservation Coalition product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PSCC is a statewide coalition that unites and strengthens more than 40 conservation land trusts across Illinois through membership programs, annual conferences, training, and collaborative initiatives. It administers the Prairie State Conservation Fund — a multi-million-dollar grant program supporting land acquisition, conservation easements, habitat restoration, and organizational capacity building — and operates the I-View mapping platform and PSCC Hike App as shared resources for the Illinois land conservation community.
Product overview
Prairie State Conservation Coalition offers a suite of conservation-focused products and programs: I-View is a free web-based mapping platform for tracking protected lands across Illinois; the Prairie State Hike App provides trail information; the Prairie State Conservation Fund is a $47 million grant program supporting land acquisition, conservation easements, and habitat restoration; and the Land Trust Directory provides a searchable database of 40+ conservation organizations statewide. These offerings work together to unite and strengthen the land conservation community throughout Illinois.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- I-View: Interactive web-based mapping platform for protected lands database
- Prairie State Hike App
Products and services
- I-View Interactive Mapping Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 40 conservation land trusts served as members/partners
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Prairie State Conservation Coalition
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Prairie State Conservation Coalition technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Prairie State Conservation Coalition partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major.
- Delta InstitutemajorCollaborated on a research project to understand and map out current conditions of conservation organization-based stewardship in Illinois, alongside Natural Land Institute, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, Openlands, and Illinois Environmental Council.
- Natural Land InstitutemajorPartnered with PSCC and other organizations on stewardship study research project.
- Jo Daviess Conservation FoundationmajorCollaborated on conservation stewardship research project.
- OpenlandsmajorCollaborated on conservation stewardship research project.
- Illinois Environmental CouncilmajorCollaborated on conservation stewardship research project.
- Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesmajorConservation land trusts partner with IDNR to protect and steward land alongside county forest preserve districts and conservation districts.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicemajorGovernmental conservation organization that conservation land trusts partner with to protect and steward land.
- Land Trust AlliancemajorNational organization that provides accreditation for land trusts. PSCC regularly features LTA updates and reports at annual conferences. Some land trusts may seek LTA accreditation.
- County Forest Preserve DistrictsmajorGovernment entities that conservation land trusts partner with to protect and manage conservation lands.
- Conservation DistrictsmajorGovernment conservation entities that partner with land trusts for land protection.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Prairie State Conservation Coalition competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Openlands: Chicago-based regional land trust and conservation advocacy organization operating across Illinois — a PSCC member organization that performs similar land protection work at the metropolitan/regional level.
- Heartlands Conservancy: Regional land trust based in Illinois, PSCC member organization doing land acquisition and stewardship in overlapping counties.
- The Conservation Foundation: Northeastern Illinois-focused land trust and PSCC member organization with overlapping land protection and stewardship mission.
- Great Rivers Land Trust: Illinois regional land trust and PSCC member serving the Mississippi River corridor with similar land acquisition and conservation easement activities.
- Natural Land Institute: Illinois-based regional land trust that is a PSCC member and partners on stewardship research; comparable in mission of land acquisition and stewardship in the same geography.
Direct peers
- Land Trust Alliance: National membership-based coalition that serves as the umbrella organization for land trusts across the U.S., providing accreditation, training, and advocacy — directly analogous to PSCC's role but at the national level rather than Illinois-only.
- The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit focused on land and water conservation through acquisition and sustainable use, with grant-making capabilities similar in spirit to PSCF.
Broad incumbents
- Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that protects land for public use through acquisition and conservation easements, and runs grant/loan programs similar to PSCF; comparable mission and toolset but at far broader geographic scale.
- The Nature Conservancy (Illinois): Global environmental nonprofit with active Illinois operations, member organization of PSCC, and competes for the same foundation and donor funding pool for land conservation.
- Ducks Unlimited (Illinois): National habitat conservation organization focused on waterfowl and wetlands, with active Illinois chapter and overlapping land acquisition/grant work in the state.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Prairie State Conservation Coalition social profiles
Digital presencePrairie State Conservation Coalition financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Prairie State Conservation Coalition leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Prairie State Conservation Coalition funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Prairie State Conservation Coalition M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Prairie State Conservation Coalition
What does Prairie State Conservation Coalition do?
PSCC is a statewide coalition that unites and strengthens more than 40 conservation land trusts across Illinois through membership programs, annual conferences, training, and collaborative initiatives. It administers the Prairie State Conservation Fund — a multi-million-dollar grant program supporting land acquisition, conservation easements, habitat restoration, and organizational capacity building — and operates the I-View mapping platform and PSCC Hike App as shared resources for the Illinois land conservation community.
Is Prairie State Conservation Coalition a public or private company?
Prairie State Conservation Coalition is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Prairie State Conservation Coalition founded?
Prairie State Conservation Coalition was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Prairie State Conservation Coalition based?
Prairie State Conservation Coalition is headquartered in Springfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Prairie State Conservation Coalition make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Grant Funding is the primary driver. The others are prairie State Conservation Fund Grants and membership Dues.
Who are Prairie State Conservation Coalition's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Openlands, Heartlands Conservancy, The Conservation Foundation, Great Rivers Land Trust and Natural Land Institute. Direct peers are Land Trust Alliance and The Conservation Fund. Broad incumbents are Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy (Illinois) and Ducks Unlimited (Illinois).
Does Prairie State Conservation Coalition have an API?
No public API is recorded for Prairie State Conservation Coalition.
What industry is Prairie State Conservation Coalition in?
Prairie State Conservation Coalition's product category is Conservation Nonprofit Services / Land Conservation Coalition. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAC, Land Trusts & Protected Areas. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8600.