Duck River Watershed Society

What Duck River Watershed Society does

Duck River Watershed Society (DRWS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1987 and headquartered in Coffee County, Tennessee. The organization is dedicated to protecting the Duck River, recognized as one of the most biologically diverse freshwater rivers in North America, supporting more than 650 aquatic species (including 54 mussel species, 150 fish species, and 35 federally endangered or threatened species) and supplying drinking water to more than 300,000 people daily across its 284-mile course through Middle Tennessee.

DRWS delivers its mission through a portfolio of community programs rather than a technology platform. Core offerings include the Education Day Program (hands-on environmental learning for middle school students in partnership with Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park), the Citizen Scientist Water Testing Program, watershed Clean-Up Events, recreational Canoe Trips, and an annual Membership Program. The organization operates with no proprietary technology stack, no apps, and no API integrations; service delivery is volunteer-and-event-driven.

DRWS's business model is a hybrid of membership dues, individual donations, and competitive grant funding. Recent capital inflows include a $20,000,000 USDA award (October 2024), Jump Start and Lillian Ashley Fund grants from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, and a more than $100 million state funding commitment announced by Governor Bill Lee in his 2025 State of the State address. Revenue mechanics are dominated by grant cycles and donor generosity rather than recurring commercial contracts, with the organization governed by a volunteer board led by founder Kevin Ira Vann (Board Chair) alongside Christian F. Rieseberg (Vice-Chair/Treasurer) and Sanford McGee (Secretary).

Name

Duck River Watershed Society

Legal name

Duck River Watershed Society

Website

https://duckriverws.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Duck River Watershed Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 and based in Coffee County, Tennessee, dedicated to protecting the biologically diverse Duck River through volunteer clean-ups, water monitoring, environmental education programs, and membership-driven community engagement across Middle Tennessee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Watershed Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Watershed conservation
• Environmental education
• Citizen science
• Habitat protection
• Community conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership program offering perks and benefits to supporters. Membership dollars fund programs, events, and activities for watershed stakeholders and river communities.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting environmental conservation. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit relying on donor generosity.
3. Grant Funding: Competitive grants from foundations including Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Jump Start grants, Lillian Ashley Fund grants, and government funding. Funding supports general operating expenses, organizational capacity, and specific programs.
4. State Government Funding: Governor Bill Lee announced $100 million+ in state funds dedicated to Duck River preservation, representing significant public funding for conservation efforts in the watershed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Duck River Watershed Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that delivers watershed conservation programs and community education services for the Duck River watershed in Middle Tennessee. Its offerings include the Education Day Program for middle school students, the Citizen Scientist Water Testing Program, volunteer Watershed Clean-Up Events, Canoe Trips, and a Membership Program that engages supporters through events, advocacy, and donations to protect one of the most biologically diverse rivers in North America.

Product overview

Duck River Watershed Society operates as a non-profit conservation organization offering environmental education and community engagement programs focused on protecting the Duck River watershed. The organization provides a portfolio of programs including the Education Day Program (hands-on environmental learning for middle school students), the Citizen Scientist Water Testing Program (community-based water quality monitoring), Watershed Clean-Up Events (volunteer debris removal), Canoe Trips (recreational and educational river outings), and a Membership Program. These programs work together to fulfill the society's mission of increasing watershed health and sustainability through education, community engagement, and conservation activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ volunteers participated in single clean-up event
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Old Stone Fort State Archaeological ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for the Education Day program, providing access to one of Tennessee's most important archaeological sites where students explore the region's Native American history alongside environmental education.
• Coffee County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner supporting watershed conservation efforts and collaboration on environmental initiatives throughout the county.
• Coffee County SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership with local school districts including Manchester City Schools for the School Education Day program bringing hands-on environmental learning to middle school students.
• Duck River AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization with staff participating in educational field trips and conservation activities, contributing expertise on Duck River resources.
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing data on Normandy Lake levels and collaborating on watershed management. TVA manages water resources affecting the Duck River watershed.
• The Webb SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate educational institution partner supporting watershed education and conservation activities.
• BASSminorOthersPartner organization with logo displayed on partnerships page, nature of partnership not specified in available source material.
• Common John BCminorOthersLocal partner organization with logo displayed on partnerships page, nature of collaboration not specified in available source material.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Harpeth Conservancy: Tennessee-based watershed conservation nonprofit protecting the Harpeth River. Most direct comparable as a state-focused, grassroots-driven, membership-funded watershed organization with similar education, water-quality monitoring, and clean-up programs.
• Cumberland River Compact: Nashville-based nonprofit focused on Cumberland River watershed health through education, restoration, and water quality programs. Highly comparable scope, geography (Middle Tennessee), and program mix to DRWS.
• Wolf River Conservancy: Memphis-based nonprofit protecting the Wolf River watershed through land conservation, education, and water quality programs. Comparable as a Tennessee watershed-focused, membership-driven conservation organization with similar programming.
• Tennessee Riverkeeper: Statewide waterway advocacy and clean-up nonprofit focused on Tennessee River tributaries. Comparable in its river-cleanup and citizen engagement mission, though operates more as an advocacy/ watchdog model than conservation programming.
• Duck River Agency: Partner organization also focused on Duck River resources, with staff participating in DRWS field trips and conservation activities. Direct peer and ecosystem collaborator on the same physical asset.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee: Largest global conservation nonprofit's Tennessee chapter. Competes for similar grant funding, donor dollars, and volunteer engagement across the state but operates at much larger scale across multiple land and water priorities.
• Sierra Club Tennessee Chapter: State chapter of a national environmental advocacy organization. Competes for members, donors, and policy attention in Tennessee's environmental ecosystem though focused on advocacy/outdoor recreation rather than single-watershed conservation.
• Tennessee Conservation Voters: Statewide environmental policy and advocacy organization. Competes for environmental donor dollars and policy attention in Tennessee, though focused on electoral and legislative advocacy rather than on-the-ground conservation.
• Tennessee Environmental Council: Statewide environmental education and advocacy nonprofit. Comparable in its education programming focus and Tennessee footprint, though operates across multiple environmental issues rather than a single watershed.

Regional players

• Audubon Society of Tennessee: Statewide bird and habitat conservation organization. Adjacent in mission (species/habitat protection) with overlap on freshwater ecosystem advocacy, but primarily bird-focused rather than water-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DRWS21

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Duck River Watershed Society