Resource Central
Resource Central is a Boulder, Colorado-based 501(c)(3) conservation nonprofit that delivers water, waste, and energy conservation programs — including low-water garden kits, sprinkler evaluations, and materials reuse — to Colorado homeowners, municipalities, and schools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersBoulder, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Resource Central does
Resource Central is a 501(c)(3) conservation nonprofit founded in 1976 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. The organization delivers a portfolio of community-facing programs across three pillars — water conservation, waste reduction, and energy efficiency — that collectively have served over 1 million Colorado residents, conserved an estimated 2 billion gallons of water, and diverted 74 million pounds of materials from landfills. Its core offerings include Garden In A Box (pre-planned low-water garden kits with drought-tolerant, pollinator-friendly perennials that save participants an average of 5,000 gallons annually per household), Lawn Replacement (turf conversion services with DIY and professional removal options), Slow the Flow (free residential and HOA sprinkler system evaluations, now delivered by 19 field staff to 39 water-provider partners), Materials Reuse (a building-materials donation, pickup, and resale program operating from a physical storefront), Renew Our Schools (a K-12 energy-conservation competition program), and Waterwise Yard Seminars (free virtual and in-person education via Zoom).
The underlying technology is modest: a WordPress-based website with an e-commerce storefront for kit and Materials Reuse sales, tablet-based field data capture for Slow the Flow evaluations, and standard multi-platform social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn). Resource Central has no public-facing APIs, proprietary software platform, or developer-facing tools — the model is fundamentally service- and community-delivery based rather than technology-driven.
Resource Central's business model mixes three revenue streams: (1) transactional program fees from Garden In A Box kit sales and Materials Reuse storefront purchases; (2) charitable donations and grants from foundations and government agencies; and (3) partnership fees from Colorado municipalities and water providers for conservation program delivery. Customer segments span Colorado homeowners (primary), HOAs and property managers, municipalities and water utilities across the Front Range and Western Slope, and K-12 schools. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, operates from a single Boulder headquarters at 6400 Arapahoe Rd (Suite B), and maintains an 11-50 employee headcount. Distribution is hybrid: physical storefront, online store, on-site residential evaluations, and free virtual seminars.
Resource Central firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Resource Central
- Legal name
- Resource Central
- Website
- https://resourcecentral.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Resource Central is a Boulder, Colorado-based 501(c)(3) conservation nonprofit that delivers water, waste, and energy conservation programs — including low-water garden kits, sprinkler evaluations, and materials reuse — to Colorado homeowners, municipalities, and schools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Resource Central industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Waste, Recycling & Sustainability Services (EDAEAAAF), Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK)
Keywords
Where Resource Central is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Resource Central business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Program Fees: Fees from Garden In A Box kit sales and Materials Reuse storefront operations. One-time transaction-based revenue from product sales.
- Donations and Grants: Charitable donations and grant funding from foundations and government agencies supporting environmental conservation programs.
- Municipal Partnerships: Partnership fees from municipalities and water providers for conservation program delivery including Slow the Flow evaluations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Garden In A Box Kits |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Materials Reuse Sales |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Slow the Flow Program |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Waterwise Yard Seminars |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Resource Central product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Resource Central is a Boulder, Colorado-based nonprofit that sells and delivers conservation programs to residents, HOAs, schools, and municipalities across Colorado. Its commercial offerings include pre-planned low-water Garden In A Box kits sold online, a physical Materials Reuse storefront and donation pickup service for reclaimed building materials, Lawn Replacement turf-conversion services (DIY and professional), and free Waterwise Yard Seminars. It also provides free on-site Slow the Flow sprinkler evaluations to households and businesses, and runs the Renew Our Schools energy competition for K-12 schools.
Product overview
Resource Central is an award-winning conservation nonprofit offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on water conservation, waste reduction, and energy efficiency. The core programs include Garden In A Box (pre-planned low-water garden kits), Lawn Replacement (turf conversion services), and Slow the Flow (sprinkler system evaluations) for water conservation; Materials Reuse for waste reduction; Renew Our Schools for energy conservation; and Waterwise Yard Seminars for education. These programs work together to help Coloradans live more sustainably, having served over 1,000,000 people and saved 2 billion gallons of water over 50 years of operation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Garden In A Box: Waterwise landscaping program offering low-water garden kits with drought-tolerant, pollinator-friendly plants
- Slow the Flow
- Lawn Replacement
- Materials Reuse
- Renew Our Schools
- Waterwise Communities
- Waterwise Yard Seminars
Products and services
- Garden In A Box Pre-planned waterwise garden kits sold online to Colorado homeowners, containing drought-tolerant, pollinator-friendly perennials designed to replace water-intensive grass lawns; participants save an average of 5,000 gallons of water per year per household.
- Lawn Replacement Application-based program helping Coloradans transform traditional grass lawns into waterwise landscapes, with options for do-it-yourself removal or professional removal services.
- Slow the Flow Free sprinkler system evaluation program for residential and business/HOA customers in Colorado that assesses irrigation efficiency and provides customized watering schedules; participants save an average of 5,000 gallons per year and the program has conserved an estimated 206.9 million gallons over 20 years.
- Waterwise Yard Seminars Free virtual and in-person educational classes on waterwise gardening, xeriscaping, native plants, and sustainable landscaping practices tailored to Colorado's climate.
- Materials Reuse Building materials donation and resale program with a physical home improvement store at the Boulder headquarters, a free donation pickup service, and a deconstruction consultation service; has diverted 74 million pounds of material from landfills.
- Renew Our Schools School-based energy conservation competition program empowering K-12 students to reduce their school's energy use through a web portal-based challenge, combining STEM learning with measurable energy savings.
- Waterwise Communities Partnership program connecting Colorado municipalities and water providers with Resource Central's conservation portfolio, including Large Property Water Assessment and HOA Turf Conversion Consultation services.
- HOA & Large Property Services Service line for homeowner associations and large property managers that bundles Turf Conversion Program delivery and Water Assessment Program consulting for community-wide landscape and irrigation projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5,000 gallons annual water savings per household
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Resource Central
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Resource Central technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Resource Central partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of BouldercoreMunicipal partnership for conservation programs and community engagement initiatives
- Colorado Water Conservation BoardcoreState agency partnership for water conservation initiatives and programs
- Northern WatercoreRegional water utility partnership for water conservation programs
- Aspen (City)minorPartnership for garden program delivery in Aspen community
- Denver Botanic Gardenscorehorticultural education and programming partnership
- Colorado State University ExtensioncoreAcademic partnership for research and educational programming
- Audubon RockiesminorPartnership for conservation and wildlife education seminars
- Butterfly PavilionminorPartnership for pollinator and conservation education programs
- Namaste SolarminorLocal business partnership for community events and programs
- Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLCminorLegal firm partnership for community engagement
- Waterwise YardscoreProgram partnership for water-wise landscaping initiatives
- Keep It Clean PartnershipcoreRegional partnership for environmental cleanup and waste reduction
- Eco-CyclecoreRecycling and waste reduction partnership for sustainability programs
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Resource Central competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Western Resource Advocates: Western US-focused environmental advocacy and conservation nonprofit working on water, energy, and land issues across Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. Closest direct peer given shared Colorado/Western US water-conservation focus and nonprofit advocacy model.
- Center for Watershed Protection: Nonprofit focused on clean water and watershed conservation through technical assistance, tools, and program delivery to communities. Directly comparable mission around water conservation program implementation and municipal partnership model.
- Alliance for Water Efficiency: Nonprofit organization dedicated to water efficiency and conservation through research, education, and partnerships with utilities. Comparable to Resource Central's Slow the Flow and water-partnership programs serving water providers.
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Nonprofit reuse-retail operation that sells donated building materials and home furnishings to fund affordable housing. Directly comparable to Resource Central's Materials Reuse storefront business model and diversion-from-landfill impact metric.
- Eco-Cycle: Boulder, Colorado-based nonprofit focused on zero-waste programs, recycling, and composting. Direct geographic peer and existing Resource Central partner; both share the Colorado Front Range community-led waste-reduction mission.
Emerging players
- Trees for the Future: Nonprofit focused on environmental regeneration through tree planting and sustainable agriculture training programs. Comparable in being a community-led conservation nonprofit with measurable per-household/per-beneficiary impact metrics.
- Leave No Trace: Nonprofit environmental education organization delivering conservation awareness programs in outdoor settings. Comparable in delivering free educational programming (seminars) and behavior-change campaigns around conservation practices.
- Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: National nonprofit focused on invertebrate conservation, including pollinator habitat programs. Overlaps with Resource Central's pollinator-friendly garden-kit positioning and Audubon Rockies partnership.
Broad incumbents
- The Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit focused on land and water conservation, including park creation, climate resilience, and conservation financing. Broader incumbent in conservation space with overlapping water and community-engagement programs.
- National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation nonprofit with community-based habitat and water programs including Certified Wildlife Habitat and Garden for Wildlife. Comparable educational/marketing channel model and conservation-mission overlap with Resource Central's garden programs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Resource Central social profiles
Digital presenceResource Central financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Resource Central leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Resource Central funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Resource Central M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Resource Central
What does Resource Central do?
Resource Central is a Boulder, Colorado-based nonprofit that sells and delivers conservation programs to residents, HOAs, schools, and municipalities across Colorado. Its commercial offerings include pre-planned low-water Garden In A Box kits sold online, a physical Materials Reuse storefront and donation pickup service for reclaimed building materials, Lawn Replacement turf-conversion services (DIY and professional), and free Waterwise Yard Seminars. It also provides free on-site Slow the Flow sprinkler evaluations to households and businesses, and runs the Renew Our Schools energy competition for K-12 schools.
Is Resource Central a public or private company?
Resource Central is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Resource Central founded?
Resource Central was founded in 1976. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Resource Central based?
Resource Central is headquartered in Boulder, United States, in the North America region.
How does Resource Central make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Grants and municipal Partnerships.
Who are Resource Central's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Western Resource Advocates, Center for Watershed Protection, Alliance for Water Efficiency, Habitat for Humanity ReStore and Eco-Cycle. Emerging players are Trees for the Future, Leave No Trace and Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Broad incumbents are The Trust for Public Land and National Wildlife Federation.
Does Resource Central have an API?
No public API is recorded for Resource Central.
What industry is Resource Central in?
Resource Central's product category is Environmental Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMAJAK, Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES), with a secondary code of BPAGADAB, K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 92412 and its SIC code is 8744.