What McDowell Sonoran Conservancy does

The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 1991 as the McDowell Sonoran Land Trust and renamed in 2005, that serves as the official stewardship, science, and education partner for the City of Scottsdale-managed McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Arizona. The Preserve spans 30,500+ acres across 48 square miles, with approximately 225 miles of multi-use trails, and attracts more than 750,000 visitors annually. The Conservancy operates with only 9 full-time staff, supported by a trained volunteer steward corps of 650+ individuals who deliver 62,000+ hours of trail maintenance, patrol, and visitor education services each year, valued at more than $1.5 million in in-kind contribution to the city.

The organization's core programmatic offerings sit in three pillars. Stewardship covers volunteer-led trail work, native species protection, and cultural site monitoring (in partnership with the Arizona Site Steward Program). Science is delivered through the Parsons Field Institute, which has documented 1,000+ plant and animal species and hosts the IUCN Sonoran Desert Plant Species Specialist Group, and partners with Northern Arizona University on conservation research. Education encompasses Expedition Days for 3rd- and 4th-grade students aligned to Arizona State Science Standards (serving 13,000+ youth annually), adult lifelong-learning programs (4,000+ adults annually), the Speakers Bureau, guided hikes and bike rides (October through April), the award-winning Mountain Lines quarterly magazine (since 1993), the annual Tour de Scottsdale cycling event (2,700+ riders in 2024), and the Children's Learning and Play Festival.

The Conservancy is funded through a diversified mix of revenue streams: individual donations and recurring memberships (including the Guardian Fund and the $200+/year Conservancy Women tier), corporate and foundation grants, voter-approved sales tax proceeds administered by the City of Scottsdale, event fees (Tour de Scottsdale, with HonorHealth as title sponsor), and modest merchandise sales via the MSC Shop (Field Guides at $25, Wildflower Books at $20, Sonoran Snuggly plush toys at $30). The AmazonSmile rebate partnership provides incremental passive revenue. A leadership transition is underway, with Angy Shearer appointed CEO effective December 15, 2025. The organization is governed by a 21-member Board of Directors whose roster includes senior executives from KPMG, Cisco/Webex, HonorHealth, Charles Schwab, and the Flinn Foundation, reflecting a deeply embedded institutional governance structure rather than a venture-backed operating model.

Name

McDowell Sonoran Conservancy

Legal name

McDowell Sonoran Conservancy

Website

https://mcdowellsonoran.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as the official stewardship, science, and education partner for the 30,500-acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona, funded by donations, grants, and membership programs and supported by 650+ trained volunteer stewards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Land conservation
• Environmental education
• Volunteer stewardship
• Habitat preservation
• Citizen science

Headquarters

HQ city

Scottsdale

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. Individual Donations and Memberships: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting conservation work, including Guardian Fund for ongoing stewardship, science, and education initiatives
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Grants from organizations supporting education, youth, and workforce development programs
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including Field Guides ($25), Wildflower Books ($20), Sonoran Snuggly plush toys ($30)
4. Event Fees: Fees for private guided activities including hikes and bikes, with proceeds supporting conservation work
5. Conservancy Women Membership: Annual donation of $200 or more for membership benefits including hikes, events, and educational activities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that preserves and advances natural open space in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve through three program pillars: volunteer stewardship of trails and habitat, scientific research via the Parsons Field Institute, and environmental education programs. It delivers services such as guided hikes, youth education, signature community events, citizen science, and a speakers bureau, while generating supplemental revenue through donations, memberships, grants, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy is a nonprofit conservation organization offering a portfolio of educational programs, volunteer stewardship services, and community events centered on the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Their offerings include: Mountain Lines Magazine (quarterly publication), the MSC Shop (merchandise store with Field Guides and educational materials), signature events (Tour de Scottsdale cycling event, Children's Learning and Play Festival), youth education programs (Expedition Days), guided activities and Speakers Bureau for public education, and the Parsons Field Institute for scientific research and biodiversity documentation. The organization relies on volunteer stewards and membership programs to support Preserve conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteer Stewardship Program Program engaging 650+ trained stewards in trail maintenance, visitor education, patrol, and conservation work across 225+ miles of preserve trails, providing more than 62,000 service hours each year.
• Parsons Field Institute Science & Research Science-based conservation research program documenting more than 1,000 plant and animal species in the Preserve, including biological inventories, species assessments, and geological and archaeological field surveys.
• Expedition Days Youth Education Program Outdoor education program that helps students understand their place in the Sonoran Desert and assists teachers in meeting Arizona State Science Standards for 3rd and 4th graders; also adapted for home school students and families.
• Guided Activities (Hikes, Bikes, Nature Walks) Seasonal educational hikes, bike rides, and nature walks led by expert guides on desert ecology, history, and conservation, offered from October through April with proceeds supporting conservation work.
• Speakers Bureau Booking service that places expert speakers at community events and organizational meetings for talks on nature, wellness, ecology, and human history topics related to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
• Children's Learning and Play Festival Free annual public event featuring children's authors, illustrators, music, live performances, rides, STEAM activities, and interactive activities for toddlers, children, and young adults, hosted for Arizona families.
• Tour de Scottsdale Cycling Event Scottsdale's premier cycling event connecting the community to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, attracting thousands of riders annually (e.g., 2,700+ riders in April 2024) and scheduled next for April 10, 2027.
• Mountain Lines Quarterly Magazine Award-winning quarterly publication covering conservation news, McDowell Sonoran Preserve updates, scientific research, and community stories from the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy.
• MSC Shop Merchandise Store Online store selling Conservancy-branded merchandise including Field Guides ($25), Wildflower Books ($20), and Sonoran Snuggly plush toys ($30) with shipping to Arizona and flat rate shipping options.
• Conservancy Women Annual Membership Annual membership tier for $200 or more providing access to the Women of the West book club, Movie Madness discussions, regularly scheduled hikes and special events, and private tours for supporters of conservation work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 750,000 annual visitors enjoy the Preserve
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of ScottsdalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe McDowell Sonoran Conservancy is the official partner of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Through a unique partnership with the City of Scottsdale, they help ensure all visitors a safe and enjoyable visit to the preserve. The conservancy provides stewardship, science, and education services while the city owns and manages the preserve land.
• Scottsdale Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership began in 1998 to train Preserve Steward volunteers. The collaboration has trained hundreds of volunteers through evening sessions and field trips, expanding the steward education program over the years.
• Scottsdale Public ArtminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on the 100 Journals Project, a public art initiative where conservancy staff and volunteers contributed to a community journal that traveled throughout the Valley collecting contributions from residents.
• Northern Arizona University (NAU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between the School of Earth and Sustainability at NAU and the conservancy's Parsons Field Institute through a new conservation practice research program. Students work on projects with internships and group capstone projects, bridging science and natural resource management.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Parsons Field Institute received approval in 2019 to become the host organization for the Sonoran Desert Plant Species Specialist Group within IUCN's Species Survival Commission. Primary goals include assessing nearly 4,000 plant species in the Sonoran Desert and catalyzing conservation action.
• Arizona Game and Fish DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on wildlife conservation efforts including research on endangered flora and fauna in the Sonoran Desert. Also involved in wildlife education programs and the Arizona Site Steward Program.
• Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for PastFinder program where stewards are trained and certified as State Historic Site Stewards to identify and monitor sensitive cultural sites within the Preserve.
• The Nature ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience Advisory Committee member providing expert support and connecting the conservancy to external resources for the Parsons Field Institute research program.
• HonorHealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the Tour de Scottsdale cycling event, supporting the conservancy's premier cycling event.
• Logan Simpson DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArcheological services firm partnered with the conservancy's Parsons Field Institute and the City of Scottsdale for aerial mapping and field surveys at Brown's Ranch homestead.
• Arizona Geological SurveyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Parsons Field Institute and City of Scottsdale for geological research and mapping projects in the preserve.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Arizona Center for Nature Conservation: Operates the Phoenix Zoo and conducts regional conservation, education, and field conservation programs. Comparable as a Phoenix-area conservation nonprofit with education, science, and donor-supported stewardship programs at similar scale.
• Sonoran Institute: A conservation nonprofit focused on the Sonoran Desert region, working on land stewardship, water resources, and community engagement in the same geography. Highly comparable in regional scope, science-led programming, and community-led stewardship model.
• Appalachian Mountain Club: Long-standing regional conservation and outdoor recreation nonprofit operating trails, huts, and education programs across the Northeast. Comparable in volunteer-driven trail stewardship, signature-event fundraising, and education/outdoor-recreation programming model.
• Open Space Institute: Land-conservation nonprofit that acquires and protects natural lands, with a focus on creating and connecting parks and protected areas. Comparable in land protection mission, public-private partnerships, and science-driven preserve management.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit focused on land conservation and creating parks/protected areas, especially in urban and community settings. Directly comparable in mission (preserving natural open space, public-private partnerships) and adjacent in donor base.
• National Park Trust: National nonprofit dedicated to completing park systems and protecting natural areas, with a focus on land acquisition and youth education. Directly comparable in land-preservation mission, K-12 education programming, and public-private park partnership models.
• National Parks Conservation Association: Independent nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the U.S. National Park System. Comparable in advocacy, science, education, and donor-driven conservation work targeting preserved natural areas.
• Catalina Island Conservancy: Operates and stewards a large protected natural area (Catalina Island, ~42,000 acres) through a combination of conservation, education, and volunteer-driven stewardship. Closest structural analog — single-territory preserve, volunteer ecosystem, science institute model.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: The largest global conservation nonprofit, operating across land preservation, science, and stewardship with vastly broader scope and fundraising reach. The Conservancy already has a Science Advisory Committee relationship with TNC, signaling partial overlap in mission and donor pool.

Regional players

• Arizona Land and Water Trust: Arizona-focused land trust working on conservation easements and natural-area protection throughout the state. Comparable in mission and regional scope, but operates primarily through easements rather than direct preserve management.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mcdowellsonoranconservancy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcdowell-sonoran-conservancy
• Instagraminstagram.com/mcdowellsonoranconservancy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 McDowell Sonoran Conservancy