Conservation Minnesota
Conservation Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization that mobilizes Minnesota residents, local governments, and coalitions to pass environmental legislation on water, land, waste, and clean energy statewide. It is donor-funded and affiliated with the Conservation Minnesota Voter Center.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Conservation Minnesota does
Conservation Minnesota is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 2002 and headquartered at 1101 West River Parkway, Suite 250, Minneapolis. It is dedicated to protecting Minnesota from the harmful effects of pollution and climate change, with issue pillars spanning Water, Land, Waste & Toxics, and Climate & Energy. The organization operates statewide, building nonpartisan coalitions to pass environmental legislation, tracking legislator voting records via the MN Legislator Votes database, and engaging local governments through Environment Commissions Programs and the Blazing Star Award. It is affiliated with the Conservation Minnesota Voter Center (CMVC), a related 501(c)(4) for political activity.
The organization's core programmatic offerings include the Conservation Crew youth leadership program (54 schools and 900+ students in 2025-2026, 57% Title 1, supported by $3,000 teacher stipends), Local Government Programs, the MN Legislator Votes advocacy tool, and recurring email and digital campaigns. It reaches Minnesotans via email lists, social media (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Bluesky, X), in-person events, and direct legislative action tools. Reported campaign reach includes 1.2 million Minnesotans engaged during the 2023 clean energy debate, 100,000+ surveys mailed, and 3,000+ constituent calls/emails to legislators.
Conservation Minnesota is funded solely by individuals, businesses, and foundations — explicitly not by government sources — through monthly giving (Bobber Club starting at $5/month), annual giving circles (Itasca Circle at $1,000+/year), gifts of stock, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, foundation grants, and corporate partnerships such as the Keeping MN Chill program with Coors Light. Its tax ID is 41-2017329. The organization does not sell products or services; it is a donor- and member-supported advocacy entity rather than a technology or commercial enterprise.
Conservation Minnesota firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Conservation Minnesota
- Legal name
- Conservation Minnesota
- Website
- https://conservationminnesota.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Conservation Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization that mobilizes Minnesota residents, local governments, and coalitions to pass environmental legislation on water, land, waste, and clean energy statewide. It is donor-funded and affiliated with the Conservation Minnesota Voter Center.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Conservation Minnesota industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Advocacy
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK), Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)
Keywords
Where Conservation Minnesota is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Conservation Minnesota business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: The organization is funded solely by individuals, businesses, and foundations. It does not receive government funding. Donors can give through online portals, mail, or stock transfers.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners like Coors Light contribute donations tied to product sales campaigns. The Keeping MN Chill program generates donations based on Coors Light purchases in Minnesota.
- Foundation Grants: The Conservation Crew program is supported by grants from Manitou Fund, Xcel Energy, CenterPoint Energy Foundation, and the George Family Foundation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Bobber Club - Monthly giving program |
| Subscription | Annual | Itasca Circle - Annual giving at $1,000+ |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Conservation Minnesota product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Conservation Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization that runs community organizing, coalition building, and public education campaigns to protect Minnesota's water, land, air, and climate. Its primary offerings include the Conservation Crew youth leadership program for middle schoolers, local government programs (Environment Commissions Programs, Blazing Star Award), the MN Legislator Votes tracking tool, and corporate partnership initiatives such as Keeping MN Chill, all funded by individual donations, corporate partners, and foundation grants.
Product overview
Conservation Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of advocacy programs, youth education initiatives, and community engagement tools. The primary programs include Conservation Crew (a youth leadership program for middle schoolers), Local Government Programs (including the Blazing Star Award and Environment Commissions Programs), MN Legislator Votes (tracking legislative voting records), Email Newsletters, and Corporate Partnership Programs. These programs focus on environmental conservation issues including Water, Land, Waste & Toxics, and Climate & Energy. The organization does not offer a software product platform or commercial technology offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Conservation Crew: A student-led extracurricular school program for middle schoolers focused on service learning and conservation projects. In the 2025-2026 school year, the program has grown to 54 schools statewide with more than 900 participating students.
Products and services
- Conservation Crew A student-led extracurricular school program for middle schoolers that develops leadership skills through designing and implementing conservation projects to impact schools and communities; provides $3,000 teacher stipends and connection to Conservation Minnesota staff.
- Local Government Programs Local government programs that acknowledge and elevate environmental stewardship, connect communities across borders, and provide information and opportunities that empower action. Includes the Blazing Star Award, Environment Commissions Programs, Virtual Forum, Spring Tour, and Virtual Networking.
- Environment Commissions Programs Programs that connect volunteer advisory commissioners and local government staff from across Minnesota to share information, foster ideas, and problem solve on environmental issues. Includes Virtual Forum, Spring Tour, and Virtual Networking events.
- Blazing Star Award Annual award recognizing Minnesota local governments that exhibit innovation, create sense of belonging, leverage unique partnerships, and demonstrate positive environmental impacts through conservation projects.
- MN Legislator Votes Online tracking system that informs Minnesotans of their legislators' decisions on key conservation bills; includes Find Legislators and Legislation 101 resources.
- Keeping MN Chill (Coors Light Partnership) A donation program where Coors Light generates proceeds for Conservation Minnesota's clean water efforts based on product sales in Minnesota, with a goal of $50,000 in donations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Minnesota passed 100% carbon-free energy by 2040 law in 2023
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Conservation Minnesota
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Conservation Minnesota technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Conservation Minnesota partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Coors LightcoreSince 2015, Coors Light has partnered with Conservation Minnesota to protect Minnesota's lakes, rivers, and natural water sources. Proceeds from Coors Light sales in Minnesota generate donations to Conservation Minnesota's clean water efforts through the 'Keeping MN Chill' program, with a goal of $50,000 in donations.
- GreenStep Cities and Tribal NationscoreConservation Minnesota partners with GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations to host Environment Commissions events including Virtual Forums, Spring Tours, and Virtual Networking sessions. GreenStep is a statewide program of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
- Trust for Public LandcoreConservation Minnesota collaborated with the Trust for Public Land on the first statewide Parks & Recreation Commissions Conference and supported Brooklyn Park and Rochester park referendums. The Trust for Public Land is the national leader in state and local funding referendums.
- Coalition of Greater Minnesota CitiescoreFormed a diverse coalition with the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities and LIUNA to advocate for lead service line replacement legislation, which secured $240 million for lead pipe removal.
- LIUNA (Laborers' International Union of North America)corePartnership with LIUNA brought together labor and environmental groups to advocate for lead service line replacement, combining constituencies that the state legislature could not ignore.
- Conservation Minnesota Voter Center (CMVC)coreCMVC is the organization's partner organization that educates legislators and candidates about climate change solutions while running robust public campaigns. CMVC reached 1.2 million Minnesotans during the 2023 clean energy campaign.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Conservation Minnesota competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Environment Minnesota: State-focused environmental advocacy nonprofit operating under the same federation model (Environment America). Mirrors Conservation Minnesota's structure, policy advocacy approach, and statewide Minnesota (now Minnesota-extending) scope, making it the closest functional peer.
- Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy: Minnesota-based nonprofit environmental policy and legal aid organization. Directly comparable given its shared statewide Minnesota focus, policy advocacy remit, and coalition-style engagement with state legislators.
- Clean Water Action Minnesota: State-level branch of a national environmental advocacy nonprofit focused on clean water protection. Highly comparable given shared Minnesota focus, donor-funded advocacy model, and emphasis on water contamination and toxics issues.
- League of Conservation Voters Minnesota: State-level environmental voter engagement and political action organization. Directly comparable to Conservation Minnesota's affiliated CMVC (501(c)(4)) arm, with overlapping mission of voter education, legislator scorecards, and clean energy advocacy.
- Sierra Club North Star Chapter: Minnesota chapter of the Sierra Club — a major national environmental organization. Comparable in statewide Minnesota scope, member-driven advocacy model, and engagement on land, water, and climate issues.
Broad incumbents
- Environment America: National federation of state-level environmental advocacy organizations including Environment Minnesota. Operates as the umbrella parent of analogous state groups, providing shared research, lobbying infrastructure, and cross-state campaign coordination.
- Earthjustice: National nonprofit environmental law organization that litigates cases on behalf of conservation causes. Comparable in mission orientation and donor-supported advocacy model, though operating through legal channels rather than direct legislative advocacy.
Regional players
- Northern Plains Resource Council: Montana-based grassroots conservation and sustainable agriculture advocacy organization. Comparable as a state-level nonprofit advocacy and coalition-building entity focused on natural resources, though operating in a different geography.
- Friends of the Mississippi River: Minnesota-based nonprofit focused on protecting the Mississippi River corridor. Highly comparable given shared Minnesota focus, donor-funded advocacy model, and emphasis on water protection that aligns with Conservation Minnesota's water portfolio.
Others
- Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit focused on protecting land for public use, including parks and recreation. Explicitly cited as a Conservation Minnesota partner on the parks referendums work, making it a directly relevant ecosystem peer rather than direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Conservation Minnesota social profiles
Digital presenceConservation Minnesota financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Conservation Minnesota leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Conservation Minnesota funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Conservation Minnesota M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Conservation Minnesota
What does Conservation Minnesota do?
Conservation Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization that runs community organizing, coalition building, and public education campaigns to protect Minnesota's water, land, air, and climate. Its primary offerings include the Conservation Crew youth leadership program for middle schoolers, local government programs (Environment Commissions Programs, Blazing Star Award), the MN Legislator Votes tracking tool, and corporate partnership initiatives such as Keeping MN Chill, all funded by individual donations, corporate partners, and foundation grants.
Is Conservation Minnesota a public or private company?
Conservation Minnesota is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Conservation Minnesota founded?
Conservation Minnesota was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Conservation Minnesota based?
Conservation Minnesota is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Conservation Minnesota make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and foundation Grants.
Who are Conservation Minnesota's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Environment Minnesota, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Clean Water Action Minnesota, League of Conservation Voters Minnesota and Sierra Club North Star Chapter. Broad incumbents are Environment America and Earthjustice. Regional players are Northern Plains Resource Council and Friends of the Mississippi River. Trust for Public Land is listed as an others.
Does Conservation Minnesota have an API?
No public API is recorded for Conservation Minnesota.
What industry is Conservation Minnesota in?
Conservation Minnesota's product category is Environmental Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAH, Environmental Education & Outreach, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAK, Water Resources & Watershed Protection. Its NAICS code is 813312.