Ecotrust

What Ecotrust does

Ecotrust is a Portland, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991 that works with communities from California to Alaska to advance environmental conservation, sustainable land management, Indigenous leadership, and regional economic development. Operationally, Ecotrust runs two main owned event venues — The Redd on Salmon Street (831 SE Salmon Street) and the Natural Capital Center (721 NW 9th Avenue) — alongside a diversified programmatic portfolio that includes the Indigenous Agroforestry Network, a Community Grants program for subsidized venue access, educational webinars (e.g., Foundations of Agroforestry), and recurring cultural and environmental events such as Portland Flea, Fuji to Hood, WasabiFest, Electrify Portland, Raíces Gala, and the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering. The organization functions through a hybrid structure in which the parent nonprofit controls a wholly-owned subsidiary, Natural Capital Holdings, that governs properties, investment vehicles, endowment funds, Community Investments, and New Markets Tax Credits.

The underlying technology stack is limited and conventional: an event-management and venue-booking platform (ecotrustevents.org) for the venues business, with payment processing handled through Blackbaud for donations under PCI-DSS compliance. There is no proprietary AI/ML, no mobile app, no published API, and no SDK. Its GTM motion is event-driven: venue rentals and ticketed events generate earned revenue, while donations, monthly sustaining gifts, legacy giving, and foundation grants (supporting 30+ collaborative projects) supplement mission-related income.

The business model combines earned revenue (venue rentals, event ticket sales through owned and partnered events), contributed revenue (individual donations, sustaining giving, stock and wire donations), and investment/endowment returns through Natural Capital Holdings. Ecotrust serves environmental and conservation organizations, event organizers and community groups, and Tribal and Indigenous communities, with a board-governed leadership structure chaired by Megan Colwell and an executive team including Founder Spencer B. Beebe, VP of Development & Communications Patrick Tran, and Senior Director of Finance Brian Christiansen. Recognition includes Platinum Transparency 2025 (Candid), a 4-Star Charity Navigator rating, and 1% for the Planet membership.

Name

Ecotrust

Legal name

Ecotrust

Website

https://ecotrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ecotrust is a Portland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that operates event venues (The Redd, Natural Capital Center) and runs environmental, Indigenous-leadership, and community programs across California to Alaska via grants, donations, and earned event revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Environmental Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Environmental & Sustainability Events (Earth Day, Clean-Up Festivals) (MPAGAEAO), Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK)

Keywords

• Nonprofit conservation programs
• Event venue rental
• Community development
• Environmental stewardship
• Indigenous agroforestry

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental and Event Hosting: Ecotrust operates multiple event venues including The Redd on Salmon Street and Natural Capital Center, hosting third-party events and generating rental income. Events range from cultural galas to farmers markets to workshops.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donors contribute monthly sustaining gifts or one-time donations. Ecotrust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with tax identification number 93-1050144. Legacy giving, stock donations, and wire transfers are also accepted.
3. Grants and Foundation Funding: Ecotrust receives grants from philanthropic organizations as part of its funding model, supporting 30+ collaborative projects across the region.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ecotrust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates event venues (The Redd on Salmon Street and Natural Capital Center) and runs community programs focused on environmental conservation, sustainable land management, Indigenous agroforestry, and regional economic development across the Pacific Northwest. The organization provides venue rental services, community grants, educational programming, and facilitates collaborative projects with a network of 500+ partners.

Product overview

Ecotrust operates as a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) that functions as both an events venue operator and community programs provider. The organization offers event venue rental services through Ecotrustevents.org, including The Redd on Salmon Street and the Natural Capital Center, with a Community Grants program for subsidized community access. Beyond venue management, Ecotrust produces and hosts a diverse portfolio of events including the recurring Portland Flea market, the Fuji to Hood Japan/Oregon collaboration festival, educational webinars like Foundations of Agroforestry, cultural celebrations such as Raíces Gala, and environmental initiative events like Electrify Portland. The organization also facilitates the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering and operates venue spaces for partner events including WasabiFest and Veganizer Asian Market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Natural Capital Holdings: Governs properties, investment vehicles, and venues including The Redd on Salmon Street, Natural Capital Center, Community Investments, Endowment Funds, and New Markets Tax Credits.

Products and services

• Ecotrust Events Venues Event venue rental services including The Redd on Salmon Street (831 SE Salmon Street) and the Natural Capital Center (721 NW 9th Avenue, Suite 200) in Portland, managed through ecotrustevents.org for community events, fundraisers, cultural gatherings, markets, and workshops.
• Community Grants Event space grants available through Ecotrustevents.org for community organizations to host events at Ecotrust venues, providing subsidized venue access for mission-aligned community use.
• Portland Flea Monthly community marketplace event held the last Sunday of each month (April-October) at The Redd on Salmon Street, featuring vendors of accessories, clothing, vintage items, home goods, and food & drink. Free admission.
• Fuji to Hood: Japan/Oregon Collaboration Festival Biannual cross-cultural festival partnering 25 Oregon breweries and cidermakers with 25 from Japan to create original beverages using special ingredients from each country. Tickets priced around $30.
• Foundations of Agroforestry Webinar hosted by Ecotrust's Forests & Ecosystem Services team introducing the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and agroforestry practices, held on July 15 as an educational offering.
• Raíces Gala Annual fundraiser and award celebration honoring Latine families and supporting El Programa Hispano Católico's culturally specific services, with tickets priced at $150.
• Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering Annual gathering focused on Indigenous agroforestry as a land management practice, connecting forest, farm, and marine systems stewardship. Tickets priced at $150-$300.
• Electrify Portland! Home Electrification Fair Free community event helping homeowners and renters transition from gas to efficient renewable electric, featuring contractor experts and EV/electrification displays.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ partners engaged in collective action across the region
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PEP+Co (Post Event Pros)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025PEP+Co is a sustainable event cleanup service launched in Portland in 2025. The company partners with Ecotrust to divert event decor from landfills and coordinate donations of leftover items to local nonprofits. This partnership supports Ecotrust's sustainability mission by providing end-of-event waste diversion solutions.
• Urban GleanersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Urban Gleaners coordinates donations of perishable items such as food and flowers from events. Partnership with Ecotrust enables diversion of surplus food from landfills to community organizations in need.
• 500+ Partner NetworkcoreOthersEcotrust's impact approach relies on a network of 500+ partners including nonprofits, businesses, Tribes, agencies, philanthropic organizations, and individuals engaged in collective action from California to Alaska. This partnership ecosystem is central to Ecotrust's theory of change and operational model.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sustainable Northwest: Portland-based nonprofit focused on natural resource conservation and rural economic resilience across the Pacific Northwest. Directly comparable to Ecotrust in regional scope, mission focus, and hybrid advocacy/program model.
• Oregon Environmental Council: Statewide Oregon environmental advocacy and education nonprofit with similar mission-driven program model, donor base, and Portland operations. Directly comparable in scale and Oregon-focused environmental programming.
• Bonneville Environmental Foundation: Portland-based environmental nonprofit focused on renewable energy, watershed restoration, and carbon-market programs. Comparable through PNW geographic focus, market-based conservation tools, and hybrid foundation/business model.
• 1000 Friends of Oregon: Oregon-focused land-use and conservation advocacy nonprofit. Directly comparable in statewide Oregon footprint, mission-driven programs, and small professional staff model.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Largest global conservation nonprofit with significant Pacific Northwest operations. Comparable through shared conservation mission, regional programming, and major gift/foundation funding model, though at vastly greater scale.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that conserves land for public access and runs park-related community programs. Comparable through property stewardship focus, community gathering space mission, and conservation-plus-recreation philosophy similar to Ecotrust's Natural Capital Center approach.
• Earthjustice: National environmental law nonprofit with significant Pacific Northwest operations. Comparable through environmental mission, foundation funding model, and donor-base overlap with Ecotrust supporters.

Regional players

• Wild Salmon Center: Portland-based nonprofit focused on wild salmon and sustainable watershed management across the Pacific Rim. Direct regional peer in PNW conservation with overlapping Indigenous partnership and ecosystem-services orientation.
• Resources Legacy Fund: California-based foundation supporting ocean, land, and water conservation with growing Pacific Northwest programming. Comparable through regional conservation grantmaking and indigenous-led strategy similar to Ecotrust's approach.
• Meyer Memorial Trust: Oregon-focused private foundation supporting equity, environment, and community across the state. Comparable through Oregon regional focus and grantmaking to overlapping partner networks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ecotrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecotrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecotrust
• Xx.com/ecotrust

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Ecotrust