What National Center for Appropriate Technology does

National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Butte, Montana, founded in 1976 in response to the energy crisis of the 1970s. Its mission is to deliver trusted, practical tools and technical assistance for sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and community resilience. Programs serve farmers, ranchers, land stewards, military veterans transitioning to agriculture, low-income energy consumers, and underserved communities including Latino and women farmers. The organization employs 51-100 staff distributed across 12 states with a regional office in California, and its farmer/rancher outreach reaches an estimated 35,000+ participants annually.

NCAT's core programmatic asset is the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, which delivers technical content via a free toll-free hotline (1-800-346-9140), publications, podcasts, videos, and short courses. Supporting flagship programs include Armed to Farm and Armed to Urban Farm (veteran-targeted agriculture training in partnership with the U.S. Botanic Garden, launched 2013 with 1,400+ veterans trained across 29 states), the AgriSolar Clearinghouse (national agrivoltaics information hub), Soil for Water (regenerative grazing peer network), Regenerative Grazing, and the Transition to Organic Partnership Program. On the energy side, NCAT administers LIHEAP and partners with NorthWestern Energy on residential and commercial rebate programs. Quantified outcomes cited include 900+ farmer-veterans trained, $2.4M in projected annual energy savings facilitated, and 35,000+ farmers and ranchers supported per year.

NCAT's business model is grant-funded and donation-supported: revenue comes from cooperative agreements with USDA Rural Development, USDA NIFA, and Southern SARE, from individual donations and planned giving (Charity Navigator 4-star rated, EIN 81-0361047), and from corporate partnerships aligned with ESG and sustainability priorities. All core programs are provided free of charge to participants. NCAT holds no parent company, generates no equity, and is governed by an independent Board of Directors chaired by Jackie Hutchinson (as of August 2023); executive leadership is provided by Executive Director Fred Bahnson.

Name

National Center for Appropriate Technology

Legal name

National Center for Appropriate Technology

Website

https://ncat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 and headquartered in Butte, Montana, delivering free sustainable agriculture and clean energy education, technical assistance, and training to farmers, ranchers, veterans, and underserved communities nationwide through the ATTRA program and partner initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Agriculture and Clean Energy Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Educational Support Services (61171), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture & Food Production (EDABALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL), Crop, Soil & Agronomy Technician Training (EDAOAOAF), Forest Certification, Compliance & Chain-of-Custody Support (AFAMAAAH)

Keywords

• Sustainable agriculture education
• Clean energy assistance
• Veteran farmer training
• Nonprofit agricultural services
• Regenerative farming resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Butte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Cooperative Agreements: NCAT operates primarily through government funding including cooperative agreements with USDA Rural Development, USDA NIFA, and Southern SARE for sustainable agriculture education programs
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: NCAT is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that accepts donations to support its mission. Tax ID (EIN): 81-0361047. Charity Navigator 4-star rated.
3. Corporate Partnerships: NCAT works with businesses to support land stewards in rural and urban communities through corporate partnerships aligned with ESG and sustainability priorities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NCAT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free sustainable agriculture and clean energy education, training, and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, veterans, and underserved communities. Its cornerstone offering, the ATTRA program, provides publications, podcasts, videos, short courses, and an expert hotline covering topics such as soil health, regenerative grazing, organic farming, and farm energy. Complementary programs include Armed to Farm (veteran farmer training), the AgriSolar Clearinghouse (agrivoltaics information), Soil for Water (peer network), and energy assistance programs (LIHEAP, residential and commercial energy services).

Product overview

NCAT is a non-profit organization offering a comprehensive suite of agricultural and energy programs rather than a single product. Its flagship offerings include ATTRA (a sustainable agriculture resource program), Armed to Farm/Armed to Urban Farm (veteran farmer training), and the AgriSolar Clearinghouse. These core programs are supported by specialized initiatives in soil health, regenerative grazing, organic transition, and clean energy. NCAT also provides direct farmer support services including the ATTRA Hotline (1-800-346-9140) and Ask an Ag Expert consultation. The organization operates programs serving diverse communities including veterans, Latinos, women in agriculture, and urban farmers, while providing energy assistance through LIHEAP and commercial/residential energy services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ATTRA: ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture is a cornerstone program of NCAT providing resources, events, and trusted support for farmers, ranchers, and other land stewards.
• Armed to Farm
• Armed to Urban Farm
• Soil for Water
• AgriSolar Clearinghouse

Products and services

• ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture Program Comprehensive sustainable agriculture resource program providing farmers, ranchers, and land stewards with publications, podcasts, videos, short courses, and an expert hotline covering business management, crops, livestock, marketing, organic farming, soil and water, and farm energy.
• Armed to Farm Sustainable agriculture training program for military veterans, providing practical guidance on purchasing property, growing products, and marketing through multi-day workshops with USDA and state agriculture department experts.
• Armed to Urban Farm Urban-focused derivative of Armed to Farm addressing the challenges of operating a farming business in the city, including business planning, marketing, land access, and legal issues; delivered in partnership with the U.S. Botanic Garden.
• AgriSolar Clearinghouse National clearinghouse providing information and resources about agrisolar/agrivoltaics — combining solar energy production with farming — including best practices, research, and connections to agrivoltaics opportunities.
• Ask an Ag Expert / ATTRA Hotline Free direct consultation service connecting farmers and ranchers with agricultural specialists for personalized advice and guidance, delivered via a toll-free hotline (1-800-346-9140) and online submission.
• Soil for Water Network Initiative focused on improving soil health to support water infiltration and storage, connecting farmers and land managers who are taking steps to regenerate their soils through practical tools and a peer network.
• Soil Health 101 Video Series Three-part video/webinar series produced by Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Nina Prater through the ATTRA program teaching the five principles of soil health: minimize disturbance, maximize biodiversity, keep soil covered, keep living roots growing, and incorporate animals.
• Regenerative Grazing Program Program promoting grazing practices that build soil health, increase biodiversity, and improve land function using nature-based models for livestock producers and land managers.
• Transition to Organic Partnership Program Program helping farmers transition to organic agriculture production through education, mentorship, and technical assistance for organic certification.
• Wool Quality Improvement Program Program supporting wool producers with quality improvement and market access resources.
• Biochar Policy Project Initiative exploring biochar as a soil amendment and climate solution through policy development and technical assistance.
• Abundant Ogallala Regional program helping producers in the Ogallala Aquifer region with water conservation and sustainable agricultural practices.
• LIHEAP Energy Assistance Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helping low-income households with energy costs and weatherization services.
• Residential Energy Services Energy conservation services for homeowners helping reduce energy consumption and costs through audits, weatherization, and rebate administration including the NorthWestern Energy residential rebate program.
• Commercial Energy Services Energy efficiency services for businesses and commercial operations, including rebate administration through the NorthWestern Energy commercial rebate program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,400+ veteran farmers trained in sustainable agriculture across 29 states
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• U.S. Botanic GardencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCAT partnered with the U.S. Botanic Garden to present the Armed to Urban Farm program, an extension of the Armed to Farm initiative. The partnership delivers training specifically focused on urban farming operations, including business planning, marketing, land access, and legal issues. Joint training events have been held in Washington D.C., Cleveland, Baltimore, and Memphis.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA participates in Armed to Farm workshops, providing expert speakers on agricultural programs and resources. NCAT operates ATTRA sustainable agriculture program through cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. Additional partnerships with USDA NIFA and Southern SARE support educational programs including Soil Health 101 webinar series.
• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer ServicessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agriculture department participates in Armed to Farm workshops as expert speakers, providing guidance on state-specific agricultural resources and programs available to veterans.
• NorthWestern EnergysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerNCAT partners with NorthWestern Energy to administer commercial and residential energy rebate programs, helping customers access energy efficiency improvements.
• CDFA (California Department of Food and Agriculture)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFA Specialty Crop Block Grant funding supported NCAT's California hedgerow planting project providing hedgerow plants and technical assistance to 80 farmers across California.
• American Solar Grazing AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerASGA partners with American Lamb Board to host ASGA Certified Solar Grazing Training workshops teaching farmers and ranchers vegetation management standards for solar sites using sheep grazing.
• American Lamb BoardsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAmerican Lamb Board co-hosts ASGA Certified Solar Grazing Training workshops with American Solar Grazing Association for sheep ranchers interested in solar site vegetation management.
• OGRAIN, Artisan Grain Collaborative, The Land Connection, IDEA Farm Network, Mad Agriculture, and Rodale InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple organizations partner to host Organic Seed to Spirit Field Day bringing together organic farmers, buyers, and distillers to learn about food-grade grain handling and quality influences on distilled products.
• Cal PolysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCal Poly Organic Sandbox partners with NCAT to host Fourth Annual Organic Field Day at their research field for farmers, industry professionals, researchers, and students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rodale Institute: Nonprofit research and education organization focused on organic and regenerative agriculture. Highly comparable to NCAT's ATTRA program, with similar mission around farmer education and outreach; both rely on grants, donations, and federal partnerships.
• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on farmland conservation and sustainable agriculture practices. Operates similar federal partnership and grant-funded farmer education programs, serving an overlapping audience of farmers, ranchers, and land stewards.
• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE): USDA-funded program offering sustainable agriculture grants, education, and outreach. NCAT explicitly operates programs supported by Southern SARE — overlapping mission, audience, and federal funding sources.
• The Land Institute: Research nonprofit developing perennial grain crops and sustainable agriculture systems. Comparable as a mission-aligned agriculture nonprofit providing educational resources and technical guidance, though more research-oriented than NCAT's extension focus.

Emerging players

• Mad Agriculture: Nonprofit supporting farmers transitioning to regenerative and organic practices. NCAT explicitly partners with Mad Agriculture on organic field days, indicating overlapping networks and audience in regenerative agriculture.
• FoodCorps: Nonprofit connecting AmeriCorps members with schools to teach food education and support local food systems. Mission-adjacent to NCAT's Local Food Systems and Urban Agriculture programs, though focused on K-12 rather than producer education.
• Kiss the Ground: Nonprofit advocating for regenerative agriculture through storytelling, education, and farmer engagement. Comparable content-distribution model and focus on soil health, though more advocacy/media-led than NCAT's direct technical assistance approach.
• Wallace Center (Winrock International): Nonprofit supporting resilient regional food systems through programs and grants. Shares NCAT's focus on local food systems and community resilience, though with a different geographic and programmatic emphasis.
• Organic Farming Research Foundation: Nonprofit advancing organic agriculture through research, education, and policy. Comparable to NCAT's organic transition and soil health programming, with overlapping farmer audiences.

Regional players

• Carolina Farm Stewardship Association: Regional nonprofit promoting organic and sustainable agriculture in the Carolinas. Highly comparable mission and program structure to NCAT's ATTRA work, though regionally focused rather than national in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ncat_org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about National Center for Appropriate Technology