What California Urban Forests Council does

California Urban Forests Council (CaUFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1968 and headquartered in San Rafael, California, with a mailing address in Laguna Beach. It operates as the statewide coordinator for urban and community forestry in California, advancing tree canopy expansion, urban heat mitigation, and tree equity through a network of seven Regional Urban Forests Councils covering the Bay Area, Central Coast, Inland, LA/Orange County, Sacramento Valley, San Diego, and San Joaquin Valley. The council serves municipalities and city governments, ISA-certified arborists and urban forest professionals, tree advocacy nonprofits, and disadvantaged California communities, and is funded primarily through grants from the CAL FIRE Urban and Community Forestry Program and the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program.

The council's "products" are a portfolio of programs, tools, and events rather than a unified software platform. Core programs include Mind the Divide (tree equity in disadvantaged communities), Trees are Essential (public awareness), EnerTrees (urban forestry linked to energy conservation), and Save Our Shade (donor-funded tree planting). Technical tools comprise the UFMP Toolkit for municipal urban forest management planning, the i-Tree Planting Calculator for greenhouse-gas quantification (a third-party tool CaUFC hosts), and the California Climate Trees Map. Education and convening channels include the annual Rooted in Resilience Seminar, regional Tree Drinks networking events, the LA/Orange County Street Tree Seminar, and webinars offering ISA CEUs. Strategic partners include CAL FIRE, USDA Forest Service, the Society of American Foresters (for the new Certified Urban and Community Forester credential), and Cal Poly's Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute (coordinating the California Canopy Strategy Plan targeting a 10% canopy increase by 2035).

The business model is a nonprofit grant-and-donation hybrid. Revenue is sourced from government grants (CAL FIRE, USDA Forest Service — the primary stream), individual donations (Givebutter, Network for Good), event registration fees (e.g., $45 for Rooted in Resilience Seminar, $125-$150 for the Street Tree Symposium, $15-$18 for Tree Drinks), and corporate sponsorships (Davey Resource Group as Gold, West Coast Arborists and Arborjet as Silver for the 2025 seminar). The organization operates with 1-10 staff under Executive Director Nate Faris and is governed by a board of directors; no parent company, holding entity, or private equity ownership is indicated.

Name

California Urban Forests Council

Legal name

California Urban Forest Council

Website

https://caufc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

California Urban Forests Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1968 that advances urban and community forestry across California through seven regional councils, educational programs, technical tools, and advocacy, serving municipalities, arborists, advocacy groups, and disadvantaged communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Nonprofit - Urban Forestry Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reforestation & Afforestation Services (Planting, Site Prep, Regeneration) (IMAMAAAE), Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ)

Keywords

• Urban forestry services
• Tree planting programs
• Environmental nonprofit
• Urban forest management
• Community forestry education

Headquarters

HQ city

Laguna Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary revenue stream from government grants, primarily from CAL FIRE Urban and Community Forestry Program and USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program. These grants fund council operations, regional councils, and program development.
2. Donations: The council accepts general donations through platforms like Givebutter and Network for Good. Active campaigns include general donations and specific initiatives like Save Our Shade for tree planting in disadvantaged communities.
3. Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from seminar and event registration fees. Events like the Rooted in Resilience Seminar charge registration fees (e.g., $45 for the 2025 seminar).
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships from organizations like Davey Resource Group (Gold Sponsor), West Coast Arborists (Silver Sponsor), and Arborjet (Silver Sponsor) for events and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CaUFC delivers urban and community forestry programs, planning resources, and educational services across California through a state-level nonprofit structure. Its portfolio spans tree equity and urban heat programs (Mind the Divide, Save Our Shade), public awareness campaigns (Trees are Essential), energy-conservation linked tree planting (EnerTrees), planning tools (UFMP Toolkit, i-Tree Planting Calculator, California Climate Trees Map), and a network of seven regional councils that coordinate local engagement.

Product overview

The California Urban Forests Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (est. 1968) focused on advancing urban and community forestry across California. Rather than a unified software platform, the organization offers a portfolio of programs, tools, and initiatives. Core programs include Mind the Divide (addressing tree equity), Trees are Essential Campaign, and EnerTrees. The organization provides technical resources including the UFMP Toolkit for urban forest planning, the i-Tree Planting Calculator for GHG quantification, and the California Climate Trees Map. It coordinates a network of seven Regional Councils across California and hosts the annual Rooted in Resilience Seminar. Fundraising initiatives include the Save Our Shade campaign supporting disadvantaged communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UFMP Toolkit Resource toolkit that helps California cities and organizations develop and implement urban forest management plans, including policy guidance, template documents, and best practices for urban canopy planning.
• i-Tree Planting Calculator Tool that quantifies greenhouse gas (GHG) and other environmental benefits from tree planting projects, used by municipalities, advocates, and grant applicants to demonstrate impact.
• California Climate Trees Map Interactive map showing climate-relevant tree data across California communities to support planning, advocacy, and equity-focused urban forestry decisions.
• Mind the Divide Program CaUFC program that addresses tree equity gaps and urban heat disparities in disadvantaged communities across California through advocacy, resources, and community partnerships.
• Trees are Essential Campaign Public awareness campaign that promotes the role of trees in community health, resilience, and climate adaptation, with associated post-storm recovery messaging.
• EnerTrees Program Program linking tree planting with energy conservation, supporting communities in using urban forestry to reduce energy costs and improve efficiency.
• Save Our Shade Campaign Fundraising campaign that directs donations to tree planting initiatives in disadvantaged communities to address urban heat and tree equity challenges.
• Rooted in Resilience Seminar Annual educational seminar bringing together urban forestry professionals for presentations and networking on fire recovery, urban forestry trends, and resilience.
• Regional Councils Network Network of seven Regional Urban Forests Councils (Bay Area, Central Coast, Inland, LA/Orange County, Sacramento Valley, San Diego, San Joaquin Valley) providing local coordination, events, and support for urban forestry efforts statewide.

Quantifiable outcome

• 266 trees planted in Salton Sea communities through partnered climate and shade equity project
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• CAL FIREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAL FIRE is the primary government funding partner, providing grants through the Urban and Community Forestry Program. The council serves as a key grantee and partner in implementing California's urban forestry initiatives, including the California Canopy Strategy Plan (CASP).
• U.S. Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program provides major grant funding and programmatic support. Platinum sponsor of the 2025 Rooted in Resilience Seminar.
• Davey Resource GroupsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor of the 2025 Rooted in Resilience Seminar. Provides urban forestry consulting and tree care services.
• West Coast ArboristssecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of the 2025 Rooted in Resilience Seminar and host of the San Diego Regional Urban Forests Council 2025 Awards Dinner.
• ArborjetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of the 2025 Rooted in Resilience Seminar. Provider of tree injection systems and plant care products.
• Society of American ForesterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership to develop and launch the Certified Urban and Community Forester credential. The council worked with SAF to create a certification promoting the holistic nature of urban and community forestry.
• Cal Poly's Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute (UFEI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCal Poly UFEI serves as the coordinating organization for developing CAL FIRE's California Canopy Strategy Plan (CASP), aiming to increase California's urban tree canopy cover by 10% by 2035.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• California ReLeaf: California-focused nonprofit supporting urban forestry, tree planting, and community greening across the state. Closely comparable mission, geography, and grant-funded nonprofit model.
• American Forests: National nonprofit focused on urban and rural forest conservation and reforestation. Similar advocacy, policy, and program-delivery nonprofit structure targeting canopy expansion.
• Indiana Urban Forest Council: State-level urban forestry council previously chaired by CaUFC's Executive Director. Near-identical organizational model as a state urban forest council with regional chapters and government funding ties.
• Trees for the Future: Nonprofit focused on tree planting and agroforestry with grant- and donation-funded programs. Comparable 501(c)(3) advocacy and reforestation delivery model, though globally focused.

Broad incumbents

• Arbor Day Foundation: National nonprofit driving tree planting and urban forestry education, with a far larger budget and geographic scope. Operates an overlapping mission of community tree-planting advocacy and programming that includes California.

Others

• City of Sacramento Urban Forest Plan: Municipal customer of CaUFC's urban forest planning and policy resources. They are a client/buyer rather than a competitor but are a relevant peer for municipal-side urban forest management capability.
• Davey Resource Group: Corporate sponsor and consulting partner of CaUFC that provides urban forestry consulting and tree care services. A commercial peer serving overlapping municipal customers with paid services.
• International Society of Arboriculture (ISA): Professional association for arborists that granted CaUFC's Executive Director the 2018 True Professionals in Arboriculture Award. Operates the certification ecosystem that underpins CaUFC's professional-development events.
• Cal Poly Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute (UFEI): University-based coordinating organization for the California Canopy Strategy Plan. Strategic partner that conducts research backing CaUFC's policy and program direction.
• Society of American Foresters (SAF): Professional forestry association that co-developed the Certified Urban and Community Forester credential with CaUFC. Comparable professional-education and credentialing role in the broader forestry ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/caufc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CaliforniaUrbanForestsCouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/CaUFC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-urban-forests-council-caufc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/californiaurbanforests

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 California Urban Forests Council