Friends of the Forest Preserves

What Friends of the Forest Preserves does

Friends of the Forest Preserves is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that serves as the primary advocacy and conservation organization for the Cook County forest preserve system—the nation's first and now largest forest preserve district, encompassing approximately 70,000 acres of prairies, savannas, woodlands, and wetlands that provide refuge to more than 100 threatened and endangered species. The organization mobilizes 2,500+ members and a volunteer base that has completed 500,000 hours of hands-on habitat restoration (invasive species removal, native planting, prescribed burns) across regional sites led by field organizers in Calumet, North Branch, Spring Creek, and Poplar Creek. Its core programmatic portfolio includes paid Conservation Corps job-training programs (Adult, High School, and a two-year Engagement Corps) that have created 2,400 jobs and produced nearly 2,500 alumni, predominantly people of color and women, supported through partnerships with the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Housing Authority of Cook County, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, and the Student Conservation Association.

The organization's revenue model is donation- and grant-based, with individual memberships and donations accounting for approximately 10% of annual revenue and the remaining 90% drawn from government grants and structured corporate engagements. Membership is tiered from a $30 Acorn level to a $2,500 Champion Tree level (with intermediate Sprout, Seedling, Sapling, Giving Tree, and Council Tree tiers), each conferring benefits such as nature guides, branded merchandise, and executive-led tours; a 'Best Friend' monthly giving program provides recurring revenue. Corporate Team Building Days are sold to enterprise clients at $1,500-$5,000 based on group size (up to 100 participants), with named partners including First Industrial Realty Trust and Assurance Agency. Distribution is regional—exclusively within Cook County, Illinois—through volunteer workdays, the fotfp.org website, email newsletter, social media (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram), the Bonfire merchandise storefront, and partnerships including the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. There is no proprietary technology platform; the organization operates standard nonprofit CMS, CRM, and event tools, and has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities.

Name

Friends of the Forest Preserves

Legal name

Friends of the Forest Preserves

Website

https://fotfp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Friends of the Forest Preserves is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that mobilizes 2,500+ members and volunteers to protect, restore, and advocate for Cook County's 70,000-acre forest preserve system through ecological restoration, paid Conservation Corps job training, and community engagement programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Forest preserve conservation
• Ecological restoration services
• Volunteer habitat restoration
• Conservation job training
• Membership nonprofit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Memberships: Individual contributions including memberships account for approximately 10% of total annual revenue. Membership levels range from $30 (Acorn) to $2,500 (Champion Tree), with benefits including newsletters, nature guides, branded merchandise, and exclusive tours with the Executive Director.
2. Corporate Team Building: Corporate team building days where businesses pay for employee volunteer experiences. Contributions range from $1,500 (up to 15 participants) to $5,000 (51-100 participants). These are tax-deductible donations covering program costs and supporting the organization's mission.
3. Government Grants and Partnerships: Funding from government sources including the Forest Preserves of Cook County (both programmatic and financial partnership), Forest Preserve Foundation, Housing Authority of Cook County, and Cook County Bureau of Economic Development for Conservation Corps programs.
4. Monthly Giving Program: The 'Best Friend' monthly giving program provides convenient recurring donations with year-end membership gifts and benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Friends of the Forest Preserves is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that mobilizes individual members, donors, volunteers, and Conservation Corps participants to protect, restore, and advocate for the 70,000-acre forest preserve system in Cook County, Illinois. Core offerings include tiered annual memberships, monthly recurring giving, paid Conservation Corps job-training programs, volunteer ecological restoration workdays, corporate team-building experiences, and educational programming such as the Trailblazer guided walks and the Hidden Life of the Forest Preserves webinar series.

Product overview

Friends of the Forest Preserves operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of conservation-focused programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include membership tiers, Conservation Corps job training programs (Adult, High School, and Engagement Corps), volunteer-based ecological restoration workdays, Trailblazer guided walks, Corporate Team Building Days, an annual Photo Contest, and marathon charity partnership. The membership program provides tiered benefits from $50 Sprout to $2,500 Champion Tree levels, while the Conservation Corps programs offer paid training in habitat restoration and conservation careers. Supporting offerings include educational webinars and monthly giving options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 70,000 acres of forest preserves protected through advocacy
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Forest Preserves of Cook CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe primary government partner for Friends of the Forest Preserves. Friends conducts its Conservation Corps work in partnership, both programmatically and financially, with the Forest Preserves of Cook County. This includes joint programs, shared facilities, and coordinated restoration efforts across the 70,000-acre preserve system.
• Housing Authority of Cook CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on the Forest Preserve Experience program, providing summer employment and educational opportunities for high school students. Helps connect underserved youth to conservation careers.
• Student Conservation Association (SCA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Friends on the Chicago Conservation Leadership Corps internship. SCA provides training to students across the country and supports the internship program.
• Brookfield ZoominorOthersOwned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and operated by the Chicago Zoological Society. Listed as a partner organization providing recreational and educational opportunities in the preserve system.
• Chicago Botanic GardenminorOthersOwned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and operated by Chicago Horticultural Society. A 300-acre living museum offering educational opportunities and part of the preserve ecosystem.
• Chicago WildernessmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA regional alliance dedicated to protecting nature and enriching life in the Chicago region. Collaborates on regional conservation initiatives.
• North Branch Restoration ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer restoration group operating in the North region of Cook County. Removes invasive species and restores natural areas as part of the broader volunteer steward network.
• Audubon-Great LakesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaves local wildlife and habitat using volunteer conservation efforts to keep natural areas permanently safe. Works to build community among bird enthusiasts and conservation volunteers.
• OpenlandsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHas taken leadership roles in securing more than 45,000 acres of land in the Chicago area for public parks, forest preserves, land and water greenway corridors, and urban gardens.
• First Industrial Realty TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that has participated in Corporate Team Building Days, with Vice President Valerie Baxa providing testimonial endorsement for the program.
• Assurance Agency, Ltd.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that has participated in Corporate Team Building Days, with Chairman Jeff Blackburn providing testimonial endorsement.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Openlands: Chicago-based nonprofit that has secured more than 45,000 acres for parks, forest preserves, and greenways in the Chicago region. Directly comparable as a fellow regional land-conservation and advocacy organization operating in the same Cook County ecosystem and partnering with many of the same government agencies.
• Student Conservation Association (SCA): National nonprofit providing conservation job training and internships for young people. Closely comparable as a current partner on the Chicago Conservation Leadership Corps internship and as a peer in paid conservation workforce development for teens and young adults.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: 300-acre living museum and public garden owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. Comparable as a sister institution within the Cook County preserve ecosystem, sharing educational programming, visitor base, and conservation mission.
• Audubon Great Lakes: Regional arm of the National Audubon Society focused on bird and habitat conservation in the Great Lakes region. Directly comparable as a habitat-restoration and volunteer-driven conservation nonprofit serving overlapping geographies and donor pools.
• Chicago Wilderness: Regional alliance dedicated to protecting nature and enriching life in the Chicago region. Comparable as a coordinating body for conservation nonprofits working across the same geography, sharing member networks and policy advocacy priorities.
• Forest Preserve Foundation: The affiliated fundraising foundation for the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Closely comparable as a sister nonprofit supporting the same 70,000-acre preserve system with overlapping donor bases, programmatic funding, and conservation mission.

Broad incumbents

• National Wildlife Federation: Largest US private conservation education and advocacy organization. Comparable in environmental advocacy, membership fundraising, and habitat-protection mission, but with a national mandate and substantially broader donor base.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit working to conserve land for public access and parks. Comparable in its mission to protect natural areas and create public access to nature, but operates nationally and at significantly larger scale than Friends of the Forest Preserves.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the world's largest environmental nonprofits operating across all 50 states and internationally. Comparable as a broader incumbent in land conservation that competes for the same corporate, foundation, and high-net-worth donor dollars, but operates at vastly greater scale and with a global mandate.
• Sierra Club: One of the oldest and largest grassroots environmental organizations in the US. Comparable as a membership-driven conservation advocacy nonprofit, but operates nationally across many issue areas beyond forest preserves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ForestPreserves
• Facebookfacebook.com/forestpreserves
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-the-forest-preserves
• Instagraminstagram.com/fotfp
• Xx.com/forestpreserves

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Friends of the Forest Preserves