Resource Central

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.

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

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

• Water conservation programs
• Waste reduction services
• Sustainable landscaping
• Environmental education
• Energy efficiency programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulder

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Fees from Garden In A Box kit sales and Materials Reuse storefront operations. One-time transaction-based revenue from product sales.
2. Donations and Grants: Charitable donations and grant funding from foundations and government agencies supporting environmental conservation programs.
3. Municipal Partnerships: Partnership fees from municipalities and water providers for conservation program delivery including Slow the Flow evaluations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers4 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

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of BouldercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partnership for conservation programs and community engagement initiatives
• Colorado Water Conservation BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partnership for water conservation initiatives and programs
• Northern WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional water utility partnership for water conservation programs
• Aspen (City)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for garden program delivery in Aspen community
• Denver Botanic GardenscoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerhorticultural education and programming partnership
• Colorado State University ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research and educational programming
• Audubon RockiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for conservation and wildlife education seminars
• Butterfly PavilionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for pollinator and conservation education programs
• Namaste SolarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business partnership for community events and programs
• Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLegal firm partnership for community engagement
• Waterwise YardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partnership for water-wise landscaping initiatives
• Keep It Clean PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership for environmental cleanup and waste reduction
• Eco-CyclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecycling and waste reduction partnership for sustainability programs

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ResourceCentral
• Facebookfacebook.com/ResourceCentral
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/resource-central-org
• Instagraminstagram.com/resourcecentral
• Pinterestpinterest.com/ResourceCentral
• TikToktiktok.com/@resourcecentral1
• Xx.com/ResourceCentral

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Resource Central