What Upstate Forever does

Upstate Forever is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust founded in 1998 and headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, with a second office in Spartanburg. The organization protects the lands, waters, and rural character of the ten-county Upstate South Carolina region through five core programs: Land Conservation, Clean Water, Land Planning and Policy, Energy, and State Policy. Its primary constituents are private landowners who place conservation easements, alongside regional residents, partner municipalities, and county conservation banks. Since inception, Upstate Forever has conserved approximately 40,000 acres and has earned four consecutive National Land Trust Accreditations, which serve as a baseline eligibility requirement for holding easements and competing for restricted institutional funding.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit funding stack combining individual donations, membership, planned giving, foundation grants, and federal/state/county government grants (including EPA Section 319, USDA NRCS, USFWS, and the South Carolina Conservation Bank). In 2021 the organization established the Upstate Land Conservation Fund (ULCF), a pooled-capital vehicle with multiple foundation partners that channels leveraged dollars to conservation projects; the ULCF has deployed more than $1 million to date. The 2025 Generations capital campaign closed at $8.7 million, exceeding its $7 million goal, and the organization secured approximately $750,000 in new grant funding in the same year. Revenue mechanics are therefore best understood as a portfolio of restricted project grants, unrestricted donations, and pooled-fund co-investment rather than a transactional pricing model.

Operationally, the organization runs 11–50 employees across program, policy, and administrative functions, and uses GIS-based watershed and land analysis in its Clean Water program. It pursues policy outcomes (e.g., the South Carolina Energy Security Act, riparian buffer ordinances) and increasingly large land deals, including the 2025 acquisition of the Saluda Grade Trail rail corridor extending into a multi-state trail and right-of-way asset class.

Name

Upstate Forever

Legal name

Upstate Forever

Website

https://upstateforever.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Upstate Forever is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust founded in 1998 that protects lands, waters, and character across ten Upstate South Carolina counties through conservation easements, watershed protection, and policy advocacy for private landowners and regional communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation & Land Trust Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Timberland Conservation & Easement Management (AFAMAKAI)

Keywords

• Land conservation easements
• Clean water protection
• Land use policy advocacy
• Watershed planning services
• Conservation education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Greenville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations & Membership: Individual donors contribute through the website donate portal, membership programs, and event participation. Donations are the primary funding mechanism for a 501c3 nonprofit.
2. Foundation & Government Grants: Upstate Forever receives grant funding from government agencies and foundations including EPA Section 319 Grants through SCDES, SC Conservation Bank, USDA NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Oconee County Conservation Bank. These grants fund specific conservation easement projects and watershed work.
3. Upstate Land Conservation Fund: The ULCF, established in 2021 and administered by Upstate Forever, pools funding from multiple conservation organizations and donors to accelerate land protection. Each dollar is leveraged with other gifts to maximize conservation impact.
4. Planned Giving / Legacy Gifts: Upstate Forever encourages supporters to include the organization in estate plans through its planned giving program, generating future revenue from legacy bequests.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Upstate Forever is a nonprofit conservation organization that partners with private landowners to permanently protect land through voluntary conservation easements, works to safeguard water quality in regional watersheds, and advocates for balanced land use, energy, and state policy in Upstate South Carolina. The organization delivers five interconnected programs (Land Conservation, Clean Water, Land Planning & Policy, Energy, State Policy) and operates the Upstate Land Conservation Fund to pool and leverage conservation capital.

Product overview

Upstate Forever is a nonprofit conservation organization offering five interconnected core programs: Land Conservation, Clean Water, Land Planning & Policy, Energy, and State Policy. The organization also operates the Upstate Land Conservation Fund, a collaborative fund established in 2021, and provides four e-newsletters (Upstate Update, Legislative Updates, The Water Log, and The Steward) for different stakeholder audiences. Educational offerings include the Citizens Planning Academy for community training. The organization holds national land trust accreditation and operates primarily in the Upstate South Carolina region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Land Conservation Program

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Upstate Land Conservation Fund (ULCF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021The ULCF was established in 2021 through Upstate Forever's efforts and is the first land conservation fund of its kind in South Carolina. Upstate Forever provides administrative support. The ULCF is governed by a committee of volunteers dedicated to conservation who live in the Upstate. It has contributed more than $1 million to protect iconic properties, and each dollar is leveraged with other gifts for amplified impact.
• Naturaland TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation nonprofit that made a full donation of the Mountain Bridge Passage Amendment property (24 acres) to Upstate Forever, an addition to a previously conserved 179-acre property in the South Saluda River valley.
• Rocky River ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorked with Anderson University to place a conservation easement on 131 acres of Rocky River Nature Park, protecting sensitive lands and wildlife habitat in Anderson County.
• South Carolina Conservation Bank (SCCB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState conservation bank that provides funding for land conservation easements. Major funder across multiple Upstate Forever projects including Echols Farm, Big Garvin Creek Farm, Stevenson Century Farm, Moore Farm, RML Timber, and others.
• US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Section 319 GrantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal grant program providing funding for water quality improvement projects. EPA Section 319 Grants through SCDES have funded conservation easements and septic repairs in the Tyger River and Lake Hartwell watersheds.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) — Regional Conservation Partnership ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agricultural conservation program that partners with producers and private landowners. RCPP funding supported projects including Big Garvin Creek Farm conservation easement.
• Greenville County Historic & Natural Resources TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level conservation trust providing funding for land conservation. Funder for Moore Farm at Horsepen Creek and collaborator on public-private conservation efforts.
• Oconee County Conservation BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level conservation funding source supporting conservation easements in Oconee County, including Stevenson Century Farm and Fall Creek Headwaters.
• US Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing funding and support for wildlife habitat conservation. Funder for Duck Haven easement and Fall Creek Headwaters/Oconee Station Connector projects.
• Conestee Nature PreservecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner379-acre wildlife sanctuary with a conservation easement held by Upstate Forever. Conestee Nature Preserve's Environmental Educators impact nearly 6,000 students annually through free experiential field trips.
• SC Conservation Coalition (Co-chair)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUpstate Forever serves as Co-chair of the SC Conservation Coalition, organizing the annual Senate Briefing and Conservation Lobby Day at the SC State House.
• Sustain SCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState sustainability organization providing funding support for conservation easements including RML Timber and Duck Haven projects.
• Conservation Voters of South CarolinaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with CVSC and SC Sierra Club to strengthen community outreach following Duke Energy's proposed natural gas plant announcement, conducting listening sessions, community meetings, and webinars.
• PAL: Play. Advocate. Live Well. (Spartanburg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpartanburg nonprofit managing the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail and Glendale Shoals Preserve. Collaborates on urban greenway and trail development in Spartanburg County.
• Bike Walk GreenvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive transportation advocacy organization. Upstate Forever partners with Bike Walk Greenville for Citizens Planning Academy sessions on walkability and mobility choices.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/upstateforever
• YouTubeyoutube.com/upstateforever
• Facebookfacebook.com/UpstateForever
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upstate-forever
• Instagraminstagram.com/upstateforever

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Upstate Forever