Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa

What Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa does

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa (CCMI) is a 1994-founded private nonprofit headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that operates as an AmeriCorps grantee and member of The Corps Network. The organization engages youth and young adults aged roughly 15-25 in environmental conservation service across Minnesota and Iowa through five program lines: Field Crews (outdoor habitat restoration, trail work, invasive species management, and disaster response), Individual Placements (single members embedded with government and nonprofit partners for natural resource management, urban forestry, and community outreach), Summer Youth Corps (residential paid conservation experience for high school youth), I Can Camp! & I Can Paddle! (outdoor recreation instruction delivered with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources), and Youth Education (high school leadership and career exploration in environmental fields).

CCMI delivers these services using conventional conservation field techniques rather than proprietary technology: habitat restoration, trail building and maintenance, invasive species removal, prescribed burning, tree planting, water quality monitoring, and chainsaw operations. Its customer/partner base is dominated by federal, state, metropolitan, county, and municipal government agencies (MN DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Three Rivers Park District, Dakota County Parks, City of South St. Paul, and various soil and water conservation districts) alongside nonprofit conservation partners such as the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.

The revenue model is a diversified nonprofit stack. Federal AmeriCorps funding is the primary mechanism and underwrites corpsmember living allowances and Segal Education Awards; this is supplemented by foundation and government grants (including Minnesota Clean Water Legacy funding for water-quality projects), individual donations via the organization's website, and event revenue from the annual Trailblazer Benefit and stewardship volunteer activities. Recruitment flows through community-led engagement across the website, schools, community organizations, and a five-platform social media presence, with an extensive member stories archive (537+ stories) used to build the recruitment and donor pipeline.

Name

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa

Legal name

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa

Website

https://conservationcorps.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa is a Saint Paul-based AmeriCorps-affiliated nonprofit that engages youth and young adults in conservation service across Minnesota and Iowa through field crews, individual placements with government and nonprofit partners, summer youth programs, and outdoor recreation education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH), Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG), Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

Keywords

• Environmental conservation services
• Youth development programs
• AmeriCorps service programs
• Habitat restoration services
• Natural resource management

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

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. AmeriCorps Funding: Federal AmeriCorps grants providing living allowances and education awards to program participants. AmeriCorps is the primary funding mechanism supporting corpsmember positions.
2. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting conservation work and youth development programs. Website provides donation portal at conservationcorps.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com.
3. Foundation and Government Grants: Funding from foundations and government agencies for specific conservation projects, clean water initiatives, and environmental education programs.
4. Event Revenue: Annual Trailblazer Benefit event and other fundraising events supporting corpsmember programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa operates a portfolio of AmeriCorps service programs that place youth and young adults with government agencies and nonprofits to perform hands-on conservation work. Programs include Field Crews (outdoor habitat restoration and disaster response), Individual Placements (single members embedded at host agencies for specialized natural resource management and urban forestry roles), Summer Youth Corps (residential summer conservation program), Youth Education (high school environmental career exploration), and I Can Camp! & I Can Paddle! (outdoor recreation instruction in partnership with the Minnesota DNR).

Product overview

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa (CCMI) operates as a portfolio of conservation service programs rather than a unified software product. The organization offers five distinct AmeriCorps programs: Field Crews (outdoor conservation and disaster response), Individual Placements (direct service with partner agencies for natural resource management), I Can Camp! & I Can Paddle! (outdoor recreation instruction with MN DNR), Summer Youth Corps (residential conservation work for youth), and Youth Education (high school engagement and career exploration in environmental fields). These programs collectively engage youth and young adults aged 15-25+ in environmental stewardship while providing hands-on conservation experience and educational opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Field Crews Teams of 6-8 corpsmembers serve with government agencies and nonprofits on conservation projects including habitat restoration, trail building and maintenance, invasive species management, prescribed burning, tree planting, and disaster response across Minnesota and Iowa.
• Individual Placements Single AmeriCorps members are placed directly with nonprofit or government agencies for specialized roles in natural resource management, urban and community forestry, water quality monitoring, and community outreach.
• Summer Youth Corps Residential summer program in which AmeriCorps members lead and supervise youth participants in paid hands-on conservation work while living outdoors across Minnesota and Iowa project sites.
• Youth Education AmeriCorps members empower high school youth to become leaders in their communities, explore future career opportunities in environmental fields, and learn hands-on conservation skills in the outdoors.
• I Can Camp! & I Can Paddle! Outdoor Recreation Instructors serve alongside the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources teaching families camping and paddling skills and educating the public about local ecology and natural resources at Minnesota state parks.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,420 miles of trails and waterways improved or maintained over 5 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AmeriCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal national service program providing funding for corpsmember positions including living allowances and education awards. AmeriCorps is the primary grant mechanism supporting CCMI operations.
• The Corps NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association representing Service and Conservation Corps programs. CCMI is a proud member, connecting to broader corps movement and resources.
• Minnesota Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner hosting Field Crews and Individual Placements for natural resource management, state parks, and conservation projects across Minnesota.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner hosting field crew members for wildlife habitat restoration and conservation work at national wildlife refuges.
• Iowa Natural Heritage FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIowa nonprofit partner for seed harvest events and prairie restoration projects, engaging alumni in conservation volunteer activities.
• Three Rivers Park DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetropolitan park district partner hosting field crews and individual placements for habitat restoration and park management projects.
• Clean Water Funding PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of partners supported by Clean Water Legacy funding for water quality monitoring and conservation projects across Minnesota.
• City of South St. PaulminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban forestry partnership hosting Individual Placement member for tree canopy restoration after Emerald Ash Borer losses.
• Dakota County ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty parks partner hosting Youth Outdoors crews and individual placements for prairie restoration and environmental education.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Student Conservation Association: National nonprofit placing youth and young adults in conservation service roles across the U.S. Closest analog to CCMI in mission, AmeriCorps model, and youth-development focus, operating at national scale where CCMI operates regionally.
• Montana Conservation Corps: AmeriCorps-affiliated nonprofit engaging young adults in conservation projects across Montana and the broader Northern Rockies. Highly comparable field-crew and individual-placement model with similar crew sizes and member tenure.
• EarthCorps: Pacific Northwest-based conservation corps providing hands-on environmental restoration through young adult crews. Directly comparable in mission and operational structure, with similar crew-based service delivery and AmeriCorps affiliations.
• American Conservation Experience: National nonprofit engaging young adults in conservation service through crews and individual placements. Closely comparable AmeriCorps-driven field-crew structure with broader geographic reach than CCMI.
• Conservation Legacy: National nonprofit operating multiple regional conservation corps programs across the Southwest, Southeast, and Appalachia. Comparable parent-organization model that CCMI could emulate if expanding into new geographies.

Broad incumbents

• City Year: Large AmeriCorps-affiliated nonprofit engaging young adults in full-time national service (education-focused). Comparable AmeriCorps service-year structure and youth-development mission but operates at much larger scale in a different thematic area.
• California Conservation Corps: State-operated conservation corps providing young adults paid service opportunities on natural resource and emergency response projects. Comparable to CCMI's Field Crews model but operates at much larger scale as a state agency.

Emerging players

• Great Lakes Conservation Corps: Regional conservation corps placing young adults on stewardship projects in the Great Lakes region. Smaller-scale analog to CCMI operating in adjacent geography with overlapping water-quality and habitat-restoration work.

Regional players

• Washington Conservation Corps: State-administered AmeriCorps program within Washington Department of Natural Resources placing young adults in habitat restoration roles. Comparable host-agency placement model but operates as a state agency in a different geography than CCMI.

Others

• The Corps Network: National association of Service and Conservation Corps of which CCMI is a member. Industry association providing advocacy, training, and federal liaison rather than direct service, but anchors the ecosystem in which CCMI competes and operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@conservcorps
• Facebookfacebook.com/conservationcorps
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/conservation-corps-minnesota-and-iowa
• Instagraminstagram.com/conservcorps
• TikToktiktok.com/@conservcorps
• Xx.com/conservcorps

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 Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa