Colorado National Monument Association

What Colorado National Monument Association does

Colorado National Monument Association (CNMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cooperating association (EIN 84-6035626) founded in 1964 as the Colorado-Black Canyon Nature Association and reestablished under its current name in 1977. Headquartered at the Saddlehorn Visitor Center in Fruita, Colorado, CNMA operates as the official fundraising and retail partner to the National Park Service for Colorado National Monument, a 20,500-acre unit protecting 900+ species and 64 miles of trails. The organization's mission is to fund educational programs, scientific research, visitor services, and conservation initiatives that NPS budgets alone cannot support.

CNMA generates revenue through a diversified mix of individual and business memberships (six individual tiers from $35 to $1,000 plus four business tiers from $300 to $2,500+), recurring and one-time donations ($50-$1,000), gift shop and online bookstore sales via the Rim Rock Shop at rimrockshop.com, event-based fundraising (including the annual A Monumental Celebration), and a 2025 licensing royalty arrangement with Leopold Bros. Distillery contributing 10% of Monument Canyon Trail whiskey sales. Programs span Junior Ranger training (3,000+ annually), school field trips (1,371 students across 29 schools in spring 2025), the Resiliency Ranger veteran wellness program (500+ participants), dark-sky astronomy programming, accessibility-focused birding, and the inaugural Community Artist in Park initiative. Distribution runs through both a captive-audience physical bookstore at Saddlehorn and a global online storefront, supplemented by email, social media, community events, and earned media.

The organization runs with a core staff of 10-15 led by Executive Director Ashley Ojala (joined July 2025), governed by a nine-member board chaired by Sue Conry, and supported by 300+ members and a broad partnership ecosystem including the National Park Service, National Park Foundation, Rotary Clubs of Fruita and Grand Junction, Confluence Center of Colorado, Birdability, and Environment for the Americas. CNMA reported $150k+ in direct aid to NPS, $123,000 raised at its 60th anniversary event, and over $4.66M committed toward the Confluence Center capital project.

Name

Colorado National Monument Association

Legal name

Colorado National Monument Association

Website

https://coloradonma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Colorado National Monument Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cooperating association that funds education, conservation, and visitor programs for Colorado National Monument through tiered memberships, donations, a visitor center bookstore, online retail, and licensing partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Lands Cooperating Association / Nonprofit Park Support

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

National Parks & Protected Area Visitor Services (Concessions, Guided Access) (THAAAAAH)

Keywords

• National park support
• Nonprofit membership programs
• Conservation fundraising
• Visitor center bookstore
• Educational programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Fruita

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $35 to $1,000 for individuals and $300 to $2,500 for businesses. Members receive benefits including bookstore discounts, newsletters, volunteer opportunities, and event invitations.
2. Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting preservation and educational programs. Donation amounts range from $50 to $1,000 or custom amounts.
3. Gift Shop/Bookstore Sales: Sales from the visitor center bookstore and online Rim Rock Shop featuring merchandise, books, apparel, and souvenirs. The bookstore is a primary revenue source that closed during government shutdowns.
4. Events and Fundraisers: Revenue from signature events like A Monumental Celebration annual fundraiser, sponsorships, and event participation fees.
5. Licensing Royalties: Leopold Bros. Distillery contributes 10% of Monument Canyon Trail whiskey sales to CNMA, representing a licensing/royalty arrangement for brand collaboration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CNMA is the official 501(c)(3) cooperating association for Colorado National Monument, selling tiered personal and business memberships, accepting donations, and operating a visitor center bookstore and online store (rimrockshop.com) selling books, apparel, and souvenirs. Proceeds fund NPS-supported education, conservation, and visitor service programs including Junior Ranger training, school field trips, astronomy, resiliency programming, and raptor monitoring.

Product overview

Colorado National Monument Association (CNMA) operates as a nonprofit cooperating association supporting Colorado National Monument through membership programs, donations, educational initiatives, and retail operations. The organization offers a tiered personal membership structure (Chinle at $35, Wingate at $50, Kayenta at $100, Entrada at $250, Morrison at $500, and John Otto at $1,000 annually) providing bookstore discounts, event access, and exclusive perks. Business memberships range from Bronze ($300) to Platinum ($2,500+) with advertising and sponsorship benefits. The organization runs diverse programs including Junior Ranger training, astronomy and dark sky viewing events, Resiliency Ranger mental health initiatives, Community Artist in Park, Let's Go Birding accessibility programs, and Monument on Tap lecture series. CNMA also manages the Rim Rock Shop online bookstore and participates in the Confluence Center of Colorado initiative. Donations support education programs, ranger positions, internships, and monument preservation projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Membership Program Tiered annual individual membership program for Colorado National Monument supporters, ranging from Chinle ($35) to John Otto ($1,000) per year. Members receive 15% bookstore discount (20% in December), reciprocal discounts at other cooperating associations, members-only yearly sticker, advance email notifications, quarterly newsletter, volunteer opportunities, invitations to annual member events, and a bookstore gift card scaled by tier.
• Business Membership Program
• Donation Program
• Rim Rock Shop Online Store
• Saddlehorn Visitor Center Bookstore
• Junior Ranger Program
• Monument on Tap Lecture Series
• CNMA Walks and Talks
• Astronomy Programming
• Resiliency Ranger Program
• Let's Go Birding Program
• Community Artist in Park Program
• Scientist in Parks Internship Program
• Confluence Center of Colorado Initiative

Quantifiable outcome

• $150k+ in direct aid to NPS annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 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 and minor.

• National Park FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026National Park Foundation's Lift Team program brought experienced NPS professionals, nonprofit leaders, and philanthropic experts to help CNMA identify opportunities and strengthen its partnership with Colorado National Monument. This engagement represented a $30,000 in-kind donation and provided strategic planning support.
• Environment for the AmericasminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership through Birdability initiative supporting the Let's Go Birding intern at Colorado National Monument to create a more inclusive birding community for people with disabilities.
• BirdabilityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Accessibility-focused organization partnering with CNMA to support inclusive birding programs for people with disabilities through the Let's Go Birding initiative.
• Leopold Bros. DistillerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Colorado-based distillery crafted Monument Canyon Trail whiskey with 10% of every bottle sold benefiting CNMA. Partnership combines heritage craftsmanship with public lands conservation support.
• Grand Junction Rotary ClubcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Donated $8,000 to the Confluence Center project. Active supporter of CNMA's conservation and community initiatives in the Grand Valley.
• Grand Junction Commission on Arts & CultureminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Awarded CNMA a grant to support the inaugural Community Artist in Park program, celebrating the intersection of art, nature, and community at Colorado National Monument.
• Confluence Center of ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaborative land, water, and education hub at Colorado and Gunnison Rivers' confluence. CNMA is participating in this multi-nonprofit initiative formalizing as a 501(c)(3) in 2023. Six nonprofits joining forces for land and water stewardship, education, and recreation.
• National Park Service (NPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore partner relationship as the official cooperating association. NPS and CNMA work side-by-side to support Colorado National Monument. CNMA provides funding and support that helps NPS achieve goals faster.
• Rotary Club of FruitacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing community partner approaching 90 years of service. Supports environmental initiatives, educational programs, youth development, and conservation efforts at CNMA. Meetings held twice monthly at Fruita Civic Center.
• National Park TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAwarded CNMA a 2024 Every Kid Outdoors Small Grant to address transportation costs for school field trips to Colorado National Monument.
• Scientists in Parks ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint funding from CNMA and National Park Service supports Scientist in Parks intern for raptor monitoring program. Sophie's 9-month internship represents collaborative investment in scientific research.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Park Foundation: Official national nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, providing capacity-building grants and programs (including the Lift Team initiative CNMA received). Operates at the entire-NPS-system level rather than a single unit, making it the natural umbrella peer above CNMA.

Regional players

• Mesa Verde Foundation: Nonprofit supporting Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado. Geographic and contextual peer to CNMA, focused on preservation of an ancestral cultural site rather than a natural monument — relevant comparison as a Colorado-region NPS-adjacent nonprofit.

Direct peers

• Yellowstone Forever: Official nonprofit partner for Yellowstone National Park, operating bookstores, education programs, member/donor fundraising, and scientific research funding — directly comparable to CNMA's role at Colorado National Monument, but at much larger scale.
• Glacier National Park Conservancy: Official nonprofit partner for Glacier National Park, supporting education, research, and conservation through donor funding and visitor programs. Operates with a similar cooperating association structure as CNMA, including grantmaking to the NPS unit.
• Yosemite Conservancy: Official nonprofit partner for Yosemite National Park, funding education, conservation, and visitor experiences through memberships, donations, and retail — directly comparable in structure to CNMA, with similar park philanthropy model.
• Zion Forever Project: Official nonprofit partner for Zion National Park, funding wildlife conservation, education, and trail work through memberships and donations. Comparable in cooperative structure and funding model to CNMA.
• Great Smoky Mountains Association: One of the largest NPS cooperating associations, operating bookstores, education, and publishing for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Directly comparable to CNMA in operating model — bookstore retail, education, and donor programming tied to a single NPS unit.
• Western National Parks Association: WNP A is one of the largest NPS cooperating associations, operating across 67+ park units including Black Canyon of the Gunnison near Colorado National Monument. A CNMA sales associate (Carol Dominguez) previously managed a WNPA store for 18 years, and WNPA offers the closest direct comparable for a multi-park cooperating association model.
• Rocky Mountain Conservancy: Official nonprofit partner for Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, providing the closest geographic and operational parallel to CNMA — running visitor center retail, educational programs, and donor-funded conservation grants within the same state and NPS region.
• Grand Canyon Conservancy: Official nonprofit partner for Grand Canyon National Park, delivering membership programs, donor-funded grants, education, and retail operations. The scale and program mix closely mirror what CNMA does at Colorado National Monument.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/coloradonma
• Instagraminstagram.com/coloradonma
• Xx.com/cnmabighorn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-national-monument-association

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Colorado National Monument Association