What Acterra does

Acterra is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization founded in 1970 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, that delivers community-based climate programs across the San Francisco Bay Area. It organizes its work around four pillars: Electrification (GoEV, Green@Home, EV Charging for All Coalition), Food (Climate Friendly Kitchens, Farm Fresh Futures, Healthy Plate Healthy Planet, San Mateo Food System Alliance), Education (ASAP Student Ambassadors Program, You(th) Be the Change, Public Lecture Series), and Advocacy (Code Red Resource Hub, Food Systems and San Quentin). Programs are delivered free of charge through in-person consultations, workshops, cohort-based learning, and digital channels, serving Bay Area residents, restaurants, students, young professionals, and corporate sustainability teams. The organization is led by Executive Director Lauren Weston and operates with approximately 20+ named staff and a documented multilingual delivery capability in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Vietnamese.

Underlying technology is conventional and non-proprietary. Service delivery relies on a standard web platform, social media, email/newsletter infrastructure, and human-led community engagement rather than any software product or platform architecture. There is no indication of proprietary data assets, AI/ML components, or licensed technology products. Mission delivery is executed through direct outreach, professional volunteer networks (Green Team Network, Young Professionals Group), and multi-stakeholder coalitions anchored on long-tenured community relationships built over 50+ years of continuous operation.

The business model is donation-and-grant funded rather than commercial. Revenue sources include individual one-time and monthly recurring gifts (Climate Action Circle), institutional grants (e.g., foundation and government grants), and a fiscal sponsorship program that lends Acterra's 501(c)(3) status to aligned environmental initiatives in exchange for a 10% administrative fee on sponsored project revenues (2-year minimum engagement). Through fiscal sponsorship, Acterra has incubated multiple now-independent organizations including Canopy, The Cleantech Open, Grassroots Ecology, Environmental Volunteers, and Climate Resilient Communities, and currently hosts ARCCA and BayCAN. The organization reports a Charity Navigator 77% accountability rating, and all programs are offered free of charge to end beneficiaries.

Name

Acterra

Legal name

Acterra

Website

https://acterra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Acterra is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization founded in 1970, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, delivering community-based climate programs across electrification, food systems, education, and advocacy for Bay Area residents, restaurants, students, and corporate sustainability teams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Environmental nonprofit services
• Climate action programs
• Community sustainability
• Fiscal sponsorship services
• Environmental education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

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. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Acterra operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and raises funds primarily through individual donations, monthly giving (Climate Action Circle), and general charitable contributions. Donors are encouraged to give monthly or one-time gifts to sustain programs.
2. Fiscal Sponsorship Fees: Acterra provides fiscal sponsorship to aligned environmental initiatives, typically charging a 10% fee on all revenues received by sponsored projects. This generates operating revenue while supporting new climate initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Acterra is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization headquartered in Palo Alto, California, that delivers community-based climate action programs in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its work spans home and building electrification, sustainable food systems, environmental education for youth, and policy advocacy. It also operates a Fiscal Sponsorship Program that provides operational and financial back-office support to aligned environmental projects and small nonprofits.

Product overview

Acterra is a nonprofit environmental organization offering community programs and professional networks focused on climate action in the Bay Area. Rather than a unified software product, Acterra operates a portfolio of service programs organized around four pillars: Electrification (EV programs, home energy optimization), Food (sustainable food systems, restaurant sustainability), Education (youth programs, public lectures), and Advocacy (policy coalitions). Key programs include Climate Friendly Kitchens (restaurant sustainability), the Green Team Network (workplace sustainability professionals), Young Professionals Group (Bay Area climate professionals ages 21-40), and ASAP (8-week hybrid climate education for high school students). Acterra also provides fiscal sponsorship services for aligned environmental initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Climate Action Circle: Monthly giving program providing reliable funding to sustain Acterra's programs, with special perks at each giving level.
• Karl Knapp GoEV Program
• Green@Home
• Healthy Plate, Healthy Planet
• Farm Fresh Futures
• HomeGrown Bay Area
• San Mateo Food System Alliance
• You(th) Be the Change
• Acterra Student Ambassadors Program (ASAP)
• EV Charging for All Coalition
• Code Red Resource Hub
• Food Systems and San Quentin
• Climate Friendly Kitchens
• Green Team Network
• Young Professionals Group (YPG)

Products and services

• Green@Home

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of Americans are willing to eat more plant-based foods; 63% are making efforts to consume less red meat (referenced in Climate Friendly Kitchens marketing)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 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 minor and core.

• CanopyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanopy is one of the organizations that has been incubated under Acterra's fiscal sponsorship and has since become an independent nonprofit or benefit corporation.
• The Cleantech OpenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cleantech Open was incubated under Acterra's fiscal sponsorship and has since grown into an independent organization focused on clean technology entrepreneurship.
• Grassroots EcologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrassroots Ecology was incubated under Acterra's fiscal sponsorship and has become an independent environmental organization.
• Environmental VolunteersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental Volunteers was incubated under Acterra's fiscal sponsorship and has become an independent environmental volunteer organization.
• Climate Resilient CommunitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate Resilient Communities was incubated under Acterra's fiscal sponsorship and has become an independent climate-focused organization.
• Alliance of Regional Collaboratives for Climate Adaptation (ARCCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARCCA is a current fiscal partner of Acterra. It is a network of leading regional collaboratives and allies from across California that work together to advance climate adaptation statewide and increase local capacity to build community resilience.
• Bay Area Climate Adaptation Network (BayCAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBayCAN is a current fiscal partner of Acterra. It is a collaborative network of local government staff and partnering organizations working to help the Bay Area region respond effectively and equitably to the impacts of climate change.
• Green Team Network Hero SponsorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerA corporate sponsor that supports the Green Team Network program. Contact for sponsorship: [email protected].

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Greenbelt Alliance: Bay Area land-use and climate advocacy nonprofit. Overlapping regional mission, donor base, and Bay Area climate advocacy programming with Acterra.
• Earth Island Institute: Bay Area-based nonprofit that incubates environmental projects through a fiscal sponsorship model nearly identical to Acterra's. Highly comparable as a peer fiscal sponsor and environmental project incubator.
• Sustainable Conservation: California environmental nonprofit advancing practical solutions across land, air, and water. Comparable regional environmental advocacy scope and programmatic approach.
• 350 Bay Area: Bay Area climate-action volunteer network focused on local climate solutions and advocacy. Comparable grassroots organizing model and community-led climate programming.
• Green Foothills: Bay Area-focused environmental nonprofit working on land use, open space, and climate advocacy in and around Palo Alto and Silicon Valley. Direct regional peer with overlapping community and donor base.
• Sustainable San Mateo: San Mateo County environmental and sustainability nonprofit. Geographic and programmatic peer, particularly given Acterra's role as Network Manager for the San Mateo Food System Alliance.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Major national environmental advocacy organization. Competes for institutional climate, food, and electrification grant funding that Acterra also pursues.
• Sierra Club Foundation: Large national environmental nonprofit foundation. Comparable mission space but operates at vastly greater scale; competes with Acterra for the same regional donor pool.
• Food Policy Action / Food Tank: Food policy advocacy and education organizations working on sustainable food systems. Comparable to Acterra's food-systems pillar and Farm-to-School programming at a national scale.

Emerging players

• Rewiring America: National nonprofit focused on electrifying households and buildings. Directly comparable to Acterra's Electrification pillar (GoEV, Green@Home) at a much larger national scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/planetacterra
• Facebookfacebook.com/Acterra
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acterra

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Acterra