Southwestern Resource Conservation Council

What Southwestern Resource Conservation Council does

Southwestern Resource Conservation Council, formally the Southwestern North Carolina Resource Conservation & Development Council, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating under the federally authorized Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Program established by Congress in the 1960s under the USDA. It is one of 375 such councils nationally and one of 10 in North Carolina, serving the seven most western counties of the state (including areas devastated by Hurricane Helene in September 2024) and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. The organization is led by Executive Director Matt Settlemyer and Administrator Susie Bradley, supported by a 12-member Board of Directors chaired by James M Ferguson, with additional Program Support Specialists that help USDA deliver Farm Bill Programs to local communities and landowners.

The organization's core offerings are programs rather than technology products, structured around five primary initiatives: a Flood Mitigation Initiative backed by recurring NC General Assembly appropriations and matched by United Way funding; the WNC Energy Conservation Assistance Program (EnergyCAP), which provides renewable energy and efficiency assessments, grants, and audits to farms and small businesses; a Sustainable Communities Initiative focused on food access, land ownership, and resource distribution for underserved populations; a Forestry Management Initiative built around Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP); and the Caney Creek Streambank Restoration project. There is no proprietary technology platform; delivery is conducted through direct field engagement, partnership networks with County and State agencies, and USDA Farm Bill Program staffing.

The business model is grant- and appropriation-funded rather than transactional. Primary revenue streams are state government appropriations (NC General Assembly provided $100,000 in each of 2021, 2022, and 2023 for flood mitigation), service agreements with USDA and other government entities for agricultural, forestry, and natural resource projects, and individual donations solicited through the website. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and there is no commercial customer billing model. The organization maintains a community-led go-to-market motion, leveraging volunteer, locally elected, and civic leaders to plan and execute local projects, and is a member of the NC, Southeastern, and National Associations of RC&D Councils (holding a Director seat at the national level).

Name

Southwestern Resource Conservation Council

Legal name

Southwestern North Carolina Resource Conservation & Development Council

Website

https://southwesternconservation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Southwestern Resource Conservation Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit RC&D council serving the seven westernmost counties of North Carolina and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, delivering flood mitigation, energy conservation, sustainable communities, wildfire protection, and streambank restoration programs through USDA partnerships and state appropriations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Waynesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Appropriations: Primary funding from NC General Assembly appropriations for flood mitigation and other programs. Received $100,000 in 2021-2022 and $100,000 in 2023 specifically for flood mitigation.
2. Service Agreements: Through grants and service agreements with USDA and other government entities, the organization carries out agricultural, forestry, and natural resource projects.
3. Donations: Accepts donations from individuals to support advocacy goals and organizational growth.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Southwestern Resource Conservation Council is a 501c(3) nonprofit Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council authorized by Congress under the USDA that delivers environmental and rural development programs in western North Carolina. Its core offerings include the WNC Energy Conservation Assistance Program (EnergyCAP) for renewable energy and efficiency, Flood Mitigation assistance for farmers and families, Sustainable Communities development, Forestry Management including Community Wildfire Protection Plans, and the Caney Creek Streambank Restoration project. Services are delivered through partnerships with USDA Farm Bill Programs, County and State agencies, and other nonprofit organizations.

Product overview

Southwestern Resource Conservation & Development is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization that operates as a Resource Conservation and Development Council authorized by Congress under the USDA. The organization offers a suite of environmental programs and initiatives rather than a technology product. Its core offerings include the WNC Energy Conservation Assistance Program (EnergyCAP) for renewable energy and efficiency, Flood Mitigation assistance, Sustainable Communities development, Forestry Management including Community Wildfire Protection Plans, and Caney Creek Streambank Restoration. These programs are delivered through partnerships with USDA Farm Bill Programs, County and State agencies, and other nonprofit organizations, with a staff of an Executive Director and Administrator overseeing program delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flood Mitigation Initiative

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped farmers and families affected by flooding through $100,000 in appropriated funds matched by $100,000 from United Way
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished partnership through the RC&D Program authorized by Congress. The organization oversees Program Support Specialists who help USDA deliver Farm Bill Programs to rural communities and landowners.
• North Carolina Association of RC&D CouncilsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member organization providing network and resources across the 10 RC&D councils in North Carolina.
• Southeastern Association of RC&D CouncilsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member organization providing regional network connections across southeastern states.
• National Association of RC&D CouncilsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member with Director position held by the organization, providing national network and advocacy for RC&D programs.
• County and State AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCapacity is expanded through partnering with County and State agencies on agricultural, forestry, and natural resource projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit focused on conservation finance, land acquisition, and working lands. Comparable as a conservation delivery organization but operates across all U.S. regions and at materially larger scale.
• Appalachian Regional Commission: Federal-state economic development partnership serving Appalachian communities including Western NC. Comparable as a federal-partner-channel for rural resources but with a substantially broader mandate (economic development, infrastructure) beyond conservation.
• American Rivers: National river and watershed conservation organization. Comparable in addressing flood mitigation and streambank restoration (e.g., Caney Creek), but at a national advocacy and project scale.
• Resource Environmental Solutions: National provider of ecological restoration and mitigation services including streambank restoration. Comparable in delivering streambank/floodplain work like the Caney Creek project, though as a commercial firm rather than a nonprofit.
• The Nature Conservancy (North Carolina): A much larger national conservation nonprofit with active NC operations including land protection and forestry. Comparable in mission (land, water, community conservation) but operates at significantly greater scale and scope.

Regional players

• MountainTrue: Western North Carolina-based conservation nonprofit working on forests, rivers, and community sustainability across the same region. Directly comparable in mission focus and regional footprint.
• Mainspring Conservation Trust: Regional land and water conservation nonprofit serving the six westernmost counties of North Carolina — overlapping substantially with Southwestern's seven-county service area and addressing land, water, and community conservation priorities.

Direct peers

• Land of Sky Regional Council: A regional council serving a multi-county area in western North Carolina under a similar local-government-convening model. Directly comparable as a regional planning/conservation peer operating in the same geography and federal network.
• National Association of RC&D Councils: National umbrella for all 375 RC&D councils in the U.S. Southwestern holds a Director seat on this body. It is the closest structural peer at the national level for an RC&D council.
• North Carolina Association of RC&D Councils: Umbrella association for the 10 RC&D councils in North Carolina, of which Southwestern is a member. Closely aligned mission and operating model as a coordinating body for the same RC&D program network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/swrcd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southwestern Resource Conservation Council