East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District

What East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District does

East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District (ESRCD) is a not-for-profit, non-taxing special district organized under California 170(c)(1), formed in 1996 through the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). It provides conservation, restoration, and education services across approximately 984 square miles of Eastern Stanislaus County, serving farmers, ranchers, landowners, students, and community members. The organization is led by Executive Director Alexandria Miranda and an 11-person staff, governed by a five-member Board of Directors (chaired by Mitch Etchebarne), and operates from its headquarters at the Stanislaus County Ag Center in Modesto plus a dedicated SOILS Education Center in Ceres.

ESRCD's offering is structured as three core programs: Agricultural Conservation, Habitat & Restoration, and Youth & Community Education. Each program is broken into an end-to-end service framework of Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Monitoring. Agricultural Conservation delivers irrigation evaluations, soil health assessments, conservation and Carbon Farm Plans, and habitat work on working lands. Habitat & Restoration covers watershed and riparian assessments, CEQA-permitting support, native plant installation, and effectiveness, pollinator, bird, and fish (Chinook salmon) monitoring. Youth & Community Education delivers Farm to School sub-programs (Jr. Chef, Jr. Farmer, Healthy Gardens), the SLEWS internship program, and Farm to Pantry initiatives. The underlying technology stack is field-based conservation science (GIS documentation, on-site ecological data collection) augmented by operational SaaS tools (Mailchimp, Google Forms, Square, Zeffy, The Events Calendar); no AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

The business model is non-profit and grant-dependent. ESRCD generates revenue from donations (Square storefront), grants (WCB, USDA NRCS, CDFA, SCOE, BLM), contracts with public agencies, ticketed community events (e.g., Walk with a Restorationist at $15-$30), and small merchandise and wildflower seed mix sales. Conservation and education service pricing is not publicly disclosed and is accessed via online request forms. ESRCD is in its 30th anniversary year (2026), running the 'Give 30 Minutes for 30 Years' community campaign alongside its ongoing program portfolio.

Name

East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District

Legal name

East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District

Website

https://eaststanrcd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District is a not-for-profit, non-taxing California special district that delivers agricultural conservation, habitat restoration, and youth education programs across 984 square miles of Eastern Stanislaus County, serving farmers, ranchers, landowners, students, and residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural Resource Conservation Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Sustainability, Energy & Environmental (ESG/LEED) Certifications (EDAAANAO)

Keywords

• Agricultural conservation services
• Habitat restoration services
• Watershed stewardship programs
• Farm to school education
• Natural resource management

Headquarters

HQ city

Modesto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Voluntary donations from individuals and community supporters received through the ESRCD online storefront (east-stanislaus-rcd.square.site). The organization is a non-taxing, not-for-profit special district 170(c)(1).
2. Grants: Grant funding from agencies such as the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), USDA NRCS, Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE), and other federal/state sources that fund habitat restoration, education, and agricultural conservation programs.
3. Contracts: Contracts with public agencies and partners for delivery of conservation, restoration, and education services in Stanislaus County.
4. Special Fundraising Events: Ticketed community events and guided experiences such as Walk with a Restorationist at Caswell Memorial State Park ($15 adult/$10 child), with proceeds supporting conservation and restoration work.
5. Merchandise and Goods Sales: Sales of branded items (t-shirts, tote bags, enamel pins, stickers), wildflower seed mix packets for a small donation, and pollinator-themed merchandise, with proceeds supporting education programs, restoration projects, and agricultural conservation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ESRCD delivers on-the-ground conservation, habitat restoration, and youth education services to farmers, ranchers, landowners, students, and residents across approximately 984 square miles of Eastern Stanislaus County. Its core offering is organized into three programs — Agricultural Conservation, Habitat & Restoration, and Youth & Community Education — each broken into Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Monitoring service tracks, plus farm-to-school sub-programs (Jr. Chef, Jr. Farmer, Healthy Gardens), the SLEWS internship program, and the SOILS Education Center in Ceres.

Product overview

East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District (ESRCD) is a not-for-profit, non-regulatory special district (170(c)(1)) formed in 1996 that delivers conservation services across approximately 984 square miles east of the San Joaquin River in Stanislaus County. Rather than a single software product, ESRCD's offering is a portfolio of three core programs — Agricultural Conservation, Habitat & Restoration, and Youth & Community Education — each broken into structured service offerings (Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Monitoring). The Agricultural Conservation program includes Conservation Assessments, Conservation Planning, Conservation Implementation, and Conservation Monitoring. The Habitat & Restoration program mirrors this with Habitat & Restoration Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Monitoring (including Fish & Habitat, Effectiveness, Pollinator, and Bird & Nesting monitoring). The Youth & Community Education program delivers Farm to School (with Jr. Chef, Jr. Farmer, and Healthy Gardens), Educational Internships (SLEWS), and Farm to Pantry, anchored at the SOILS Education Center in Ceres. Supplementary offerings include the Native Wildflower Seed Mix, the 30th Year Anniversary Program, and a public events calendar. ESRCD is funded by donations, grants, and contracts and partners with USDA NRCS, UCCE, California Farm Bureau, American Farmland Trust, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Yosemite Rivers Alliance, Turlock Irrigation District, Modesto Junior College, neighboring RCDs, the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Bureau of Land Management, Stanislaus County Office of Education, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SLEWS (Student and Landowner Education and Watershed Stewardship): ESRCD's named educational internship program that connects students with hands-on learning experiences in agriculture, conservation, and environmental stewardship.
• Farm to School
• Jr. Chef
• Jr. Farmer
• Healthy Gardens
• SOILS Education Center

Products and services

• Conservation Assessments On-site water conservation and irrigation evaluations, soil health assessments, and habitat/resource assessments delivered to farmers and ranchers in Stanislaus County to inform subsequent conservation planning.
• Conservation Planning Site-specific Conservation Plans, Carbon Farm Plans, and Habitat Plans covering water, soil, and habitat goals, prepared for farmers and ranchers on Stanislaus County working lands.
• Conservation Implementation Technical guidance, funding coordination, and direct installation of habitat projects such as hedgerows and pollinator habitats; ESRCD also connects landowners with service providers for irrigation and soil systems.
• Conservation Monitoring Long-term monitoring of water conservation, soil health, and habitat outcomes on working lands, tracking project performance and informing adaptive management decisions.
• Habitat & Restoration Assessment Field-based watershed and riparian/instream assessments, plus identification of restoration opportunities, to inform habitat and restoration strategies.
• Habitat & Restoration Planning Project management, planning and design, and permitting support (including CEQA coordination) that moves restoration projects from assessment to actionable, compliant plans.
• Habitat & Restoration Implementation Hands-on implementation for select restoration projects, including site preparation, native plant installation, and on-site coordination to establish riparian, upland, and pollinator habitats.
• Habitat & Restoration Monitoring Fish and habitat, effectiveness, pollinator, and bird-and-nesting-habitat monitoring to evaluate how restored areas function and inform adaptive management.
• Farm to School School-based program bundle that brings hands-on learning into K-12 and early-childhood education through Jr. Chef, Jr. Farmer, and Healthy Gardens sub-programs, helping students grow food, learn cooking skills, and connect to where their food comes from.
• Jr. Chef Program Professional chef instruction brought into elementary, junior high, and high schools in four interactive cooking sessions per cohort, covering kitchen safety, knife skills, simple cooking techniques, and nutrition concepts using locally sourced produce.
• Jr. Farmer Program Hands-on, garden-based learning hosted on school campuses across four sessions covering seasonal growing, composting, plant care, and the basics of agriculture.
• Healthy Gardens School and early-childhood garden program that maintains and improves garden spaces while providing nutrition and garden education for students and families, including seasonal clean-ups, planting, ongoing care, and family-focused workshops.
• SLEWS (Student and Landowner Education and Watershed Stewardship) Educational Internships Paid and unpaid internship program connecting students with hands-on learning experiences in agriculture, conservation, and environmental stewardship alongside ESRCD staff, landowners, and community partners.
• Native Wildflower Seed Mix Stanislaus County native wildflower seed mix (California Poppy, Yarrow, Lacy Phacelia, Elegant Clarkia, Narrow Leaf Milkweed) distributed at events for a small donation to support home pollinator habitat.

Quantifiable outcome

• 13,168 acres assisted with technical assistance in the past year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner shown on the ESRCD 'Thank You to Our Partners & Sponsors' wall and recognized in the 'Who We Are' page as the primary federal conservation agency ESRCD coordinates with. ESRCD helps farmers and landowners access NRCS funding and conservation programs, with Bob Ott (ESRCD board member) encouraging growers to explore NRCS funding opportunities. NRCS logo featured alongside other partners on the homepage.
• University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCCE Cooperative Extension logo is featured on the ESRCD partner wall. UC researchers and local growers presented at the 'Stacking Regenerative Practices - A Field Day for Almond Growers' workshop (May 7, 2026) held at the SOILS Education Center.
• California Farm BureaucoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCalifornia Farm Bureau logo is featured on the ESRCD 'Thank You to Our Partners & Sponsors' wall as a recognized supporter of agricultural conservation work in Stanislaus County.
• USDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA logo is featured on the ESRCD partner wall, reflecting the agency's broader role in conservation and agricultural support that ESRCD helps channel to local farmers and landowners.
• Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Alliance with Family Farmers logo is featured on the ESRCD partner wall as a recognized ally in supporting family-scale agriculture and conservation in the region.
• American Farmland TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Farmland Trust logo is featured on the ESRCD partner wall, reflecting alignment on farmland protection and stewardship of working lands.
• Yosemite Rivers AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYosemite Rivers Alliance logo is featured on the ESRCD partner wall, supporting joint interest in the health of Central Valley rivers and watersheds, including the Stanislaus River.
• Turlock Irrigation District (TID)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTID logo is featured on the ESRCD partner wall. TID is also one of the irrigation districts ESRCD works alongside on water stewardship priorities affecting Eastern Stanislaus County.
• Modesto Junior College (MJC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMJC logo is featured on the ESRCD partner wall as a recognized educational partner in the region.
• East Merced Resource Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogo featured on the ESRCD partner wall, reflecting inter-RCD coordination and peer support between neighboring California Resource Conservation Districts.
• Madera/Chowchilla Resource Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogo featured on the ESRCD partner wall, reflecting inter-RCD coordination and peer support between neighboring California Resource Conservation Districts.
• Modesto Irrigation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the irrigation districts ESRCD works alongside in stewardship of water resources within the 984-square-mile district. Listed alongside Turlock, Oakdale, and Eastside Irrigation Districts as a key local water partner.
• Oakdale Irrigation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the irrigation districts ESRCD works alongside in stewardship of water resources within the district. Listed alongside Modesto, Turlock, and Eastside Irrigation Districts.
• Eastside Irrigation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the irrigation districts ESRCD works alongside in stewardship of water resources within the district. Listed alongside Modesto, Turlock, and Oakdale Irrigation Districts.
• Duarte NurseryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated the peach tree planted at the SOILS Education Center in Ceres during the Sherman Boone Memorial Tree Planting in early April 2026, supporting ESRCD's memorial and education work.
• Cramer Fish SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-time partner in river restoration efforts along the Stanislaus River. Cramer Fish Sciences brings scientific expertise (Rocko A. Brown, PhD, PE) to ESRCD's collaborative riparian and Chinook salmon habitat projects. The partnership is highlighted as a model for science-driven conservation collaboration.
• Bureau of Land ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with ESRCD on native planting efforts. ESRCD interns support these Bureau of Land Management native planting projects as part of hands-on conservation training.
• Stanislaus County Health Services AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAshley Worley (PHN, MPH), Health Initiative Manager at Stanislaus County Health Services Agency, collaborates with ESRCD through the CFHL sustainability work to support Head Start and community gardens as hands-on learning spaces connecting nutrition education, environmental stewardship, and family engagement.
• Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded a recent initiative that brought garden-based learning to 12 Head Start preschool sites across the region, with each site receiving a mini garden featuring multiple companion planting systems. SCOE also partners with ESRCD on Healthy Gardens school programs.
• Modesto Certified Farmers' MarketcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed the Jr. Chef Program with ESRCD, providing professional Chef instruction directly to school campuses and after-school programs using locally sourced produce. Each Jr. Chef cohort includes four interactive cooking sessions.
• California Native Plant Society (CNPS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts the Modesto Pollinator Festival at La Loma Native Garden alongside the La Loma Neighborhood Association. ESRCD attends with a booth featuring a mini seed swap, native wildflower seeds, and pollinator merchandise.
• Love ModestominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity volunteer event where ESRCD hosts a morning of hands-on work at the SOILS Education Center in native gardens, greenhouse, and garden spaces. Listed on the Love Modesto projects platform (Project ID 586).
• City of ModestominorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosts Earth Day in the Park at Graceada Park in Modesto, where ESRCD operates an outreach booth with seed swaps, native wildflower seeds, pollinator merch, and hands-on activities.
• California State Legislature (SB 272)minorOthersIn accordance with California SB 272, ESRCD provides an enterprise systems catalog of multi-departmental data systems.
• La Loma Neighborhood AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts the Modesto Pollinator Festival at La Loma Native Garden alongside the California Native Plant Society, with ESRCD attending as an outreach and engagement partner.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• East Merced Resource Conservation District: Neighboring California Resource Conservation District operating under the same state RCD statutory framework, delivering agricultural conservation, habitat restoration, and education services to farmers and landowners in eastern Merced County. Directly comparable governance model, funding mix (grants + donations), and program structure to ESRCD.
• Madera/Chowchilla Resource Conservation District: Adjacent California RCD serving farmers and landowners in the Madera/Chowchilla region with agricultural conservation and habitat restoration services. Operates under identical state legal framework and funding model (grants, contracts, donations) as ESRCD, with overlapping partner agencies (NRCS, irrigation districts).
• Yosemite Rivers Alliance: Central Valley-focused river and watershed conservation nonprofit partnering with ESRCD on Stanislaus River restoration including Chinook salmon habitat. Comparable mission (riparian restoration, water stewardship), comparable funding model (grants, donations), and overlapping geographic focus in Stanislaus County.
• Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF): California-based nonprofit supporting family-scale agriculture and on-farm conservation practices. Listed as an ESRCD partner; directly comparable in mission around working-lands conservation, technical assistance to farmers, and grant-funded program delivery, though operating at statewide rather than district scale.

Broad incumbents

• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on farmland protection and stewardship of working lands. Listed as an ESRCD partner; operates at national scale with overlapping mission around agricultural conservation easements, soil health, and farmer technical assistance, but with broader portfolio and deeper resources than a single California RCD.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Federal agency delivering conservation technical assistance, planning, and cost-share programs to farmers and landowners nationwide. Listed as ESRCD's primary federal partner; provides the same conservation planning, assessment, and implementation services as ESRCD but at national scale and with direct federal funding authority.
• The Nature Conservancy — California: Major international conservation organization with significant California operations covering habitat restoration, river conservation (including San Joaquin tributaries), and agricultural working-lands programs. Comparable mission around riparian restoration and stewardship, with vastly deeper resources, science capacity, and grantmaking reach than a single RCD.

Emerging players

• Sustainable Conservation: California-based nonprofit advancing practical conservation solutions including groundwater management (a key ESRCD focus area under SGMA), stewardship of working lands, and pollinator protection. Comparable in deploying grant-funded programs alongside farmers, but statewide in scope and more policy-engaged than a single RCD.

Regional players

• California Native Plant Society (CNPS): Statewide nonprofit dedicated to California native plants and habitat, co-hosting the Modesto Pollinator Festival with ESRCD. Overlapping mission around native plant conservation, pollinator habitat, and public education, though operating statewide rather than at the single-district level.

Others

• Cramer Fish Sciences: Long-time ESRCD partner providing scientific expertise on Stanislaus River restoration and Chinook salmon habitat. Functions as an enabling technical/scientific services provider rather than a direct conservation delivery peer, but deeply comparable in working on the same river systems and habitat monitoring challenges ESRCD addresses.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/eaststanislausrcd
• Instagraminstagram.com/eaststanislausrcd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eaststanrcd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District