Eagle Valley Land Trust

What Eagle Valley Land Trust does

Eagle Valley Land Trust (EVLT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land conservation organization operating in Eagle County, Colorado since 1984. It is the only organization accredited by the Land Trust Alliance and certified by the State of Colorado to hold conservation easements in Eagle County. EVLT serves private landowners, public agencies, and community members by placing legally binding conservation easements on private property, stewarding those properties in perpetuity, and providing public recreation access on more than half of its conserved holdings. As of the source data, the trust has protected approximately $79 million in total conservation value, with a stated target of conserving 1,000 acres annually.

EVLT's core operations are organized around two service lines. Its Conservation Easement Services facilitate voluntary legal agreements that permanently restrict development while allowing continued private ownership and traditional uses such as grazing, agriculture, hunting, and recreation. Its Land Stewardship Program conducts annual monitoring, baseline documentation, and remediation activities across all conserved properties, supported by GIS-based interactive mapping accessible through the EVLT website. Adjacent offerings include community engagement programs (EVLT Book Club, Neighbors in Nature, Farm to Fork events), planned giving and legacy gift programs, and operational management of recreation sites such as Sweetwater Lake. Technical infrastructure is minimal and limited to standard GIS mapping; no proprietary technology platform is disclosed.

EVLT operates a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining individual donations (monthly giving, one-time gifts, donor recognition tiers up to $10,000+ Council level), planned giving instruments (wills, charitable annuities, trusts), government and foundation grants (including a $3.1 million Great Outdoors Colorado grant for the 2017 Brush Creek Valley Ranch acquisition), and landowner-borne transaction costs of $75,000-$175,000 per easement covering appraisals, legal fees, baseline documentation, and stewardship endowment contributions. It has no traditional product sales or subscription revenue; rather, it monetizes through direct landowner outreach, public-private partnerships with Eagle County, the Town of Avon, the City of Eagle, and Vail Resorts, and capital campaigns such as the Conservation Center Campaign. The Eagle Valley Wild photography initiative and the Land & Rivers Fund with Eagle River Coalition provide supplementary fundraising channels.

Name

Eagle Valley Land Trust

Legal name

Eagle Valley Land Trust

Website

https://evlt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Eagle Valley Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust operating in Eagle County, Colorado, providing accredited conservation easements, perpetual land stewardship, and public recreation access to preserve wildlife habitat, agricultural heritage, and open space for private landowners and the community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Conservation easements
• Land stewardship monitoring
• Wildlife habitat protection
• Open space preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Edwards

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monthly giving program allowing supporters to contribute regularly. One-time donations accepted online, by mail, or phone. Donors recognized at various levels including Guardian, Steward, Defender, and Council Sustainer tiers.
2. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Legacy partners designate EVLT as beneficiary through wills, life insurance, charitable annuities, and charitable trusts. This represents the highest level of donations ensuring organizational longevity.
3. Conservation Easement Transactions: While primarily voluntary donations, some conservation easement transactions involve partial purchases. Costs range from $75,000 to $175,000 per transaction for donors, covering appraisals, legal fees, baseline documentation, and ongoing stewardship obligations.
4. Government and Foundation Grants: Major conservation projects funded through grants from entities like Great Outdoors Colorado ($3.1M for Brush Creek Valley Ranch), Eagle County Open Space Fund, and community foundations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Eagle Valley Land Trust is a nonprofit land conservation organization that holds voluntary conservation easements on private land and partners with government agencies to acquire and permanently protect open space, wildlife habitat, and agricultural lands in Eagle County, Colorado. Its core service is the Conservation Easement program, supported by a perpetual Land Stewardship Program that monitors each protected property annually, and a portfolio of community engagement programs (book club, Neighbors in Nature, Farm to Fork).

Product overview

Eagle Valley Land Trust operates as a nonprofit land conservation organization offering a portfolio of conservation services rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include Conservation Easement Services (voluntary legal agreements protecting land in perpetuity) and a Land Stewardship Program (annual monitoring and property management). Community engagement programs include the EVLT Book Club, Community Programs, and various educational initiatives. The organization also runs the Conservation Center Campaign for capital fundraising and manages partnership projects like Sweetwater Lake Recreation Management. EVLT serves landowners in Eagle County, Colorado who wish to permanently protect their land's conservation values while retaining ownership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation Easement Services Voluntary legal agreements between private landowners and EVLT that permanently restrict development, subdivision, and incompatible uses on a property while the landowner retains ownership. Easements protect specific conservation values (wildlife habitat, agricultural land, scenic open space, water resources) and allow continued traditional uses such as grazing, agriculture, hunting, fishing, and low-impact recreation. Targeted at landowners in Eagle County who wish to permanently protect land while accessing federal charitable tax deductions and Colorado transferable conservation tax credits.
• Land Stewardship Program Annual monitoring and management program for every property under EVLT conservation easement, including baseline documentation, on-site visits, issue identification, and remediation with landowners. Targets landowners whose properties are protected by EVLT easements and partner agencies managing conserved public lands.
• Community Programs (Neighbors in Nature, Farm to Fork, Public Lands Week) Community engagement initiatives that connect Eagle Valley residents and visitors with conservation through events, outdoor education, and nature-based programming. Programs include Neighbors in Nature, Farm to Fork celebrations, and Public Lands Week activities. Free to community participants.
• EVLT Book Club Member-organized book club formed in 2020 that selects fiction and nonfiction titles with environmental and conservation themes for group discussion. Open to community members; hosts can contact [email protected].
• Landowner Resources and Advisory Services Advisory services and resource library for landowners considering conservation easements, including process overviews, sample easement documents, application materials, tax benefit guides (federal deductions, Colorado transferable tax credits, estate tax reductions, property tax agricultural classifications), and economic information. Targets current and prospective easement donors in Eagle County.
• Sweetwater Lake Recreation Management Partnership-based recreation management at Sweetwater Lake focused on public access improvements, facility modernization, and sustainable recreation services that protect natural and social characteristics. Targets visitors and outdoor recreation users in Eagle Valley; delivered with channel partner Brink Outfitters for horseback riding and horsepacking trips.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50%+ of conserved properties offer public access
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Conservation FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Conservation Fund acquired the Brush Creek Valley Ranch property from a Denver developer in 2017 and then transferred it to Eagle County. EVLT holds the conservation easement on the property, ensuring perpetual protection of agricultural, recreational, natural resource, and scenic values.
• Eagle Valley WildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEagle Valley Wild is a nonprofit that provides professional photography services to conservation organizations in Eagle County at low cost or free. Founded in 2019, their photography has helped preserve hundreds of acres and leveraged over $700,000 in conservation funding. EVLT is a primary beneficiary of this partnership.
• Eagle Valley Outdoor Stewardship Coalition (EVOSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition bringing together conservation organizations, land managers, and community stakeholders to coordinate outdoor stewardship efforts across Eagle Valley. EVLT participates as a member organization working on collaborative conservation initiatives.
• Eagle River CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partner with EVLT in the Land & Rivers Fund, focused exclusively on river protection in Eagle County. The Eagle River Coalition is one of only two nonprofits in the county dedicated to river conservation. Eagle River Outfitter joined the program in 2026.
• Community Wildlife RoundtableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity forum bringing together stakeholders to address wildlife conservation issues in Eagle Valley. EVLT participates as a land conservation partner providing expertise on habitat protection and land management.
• ExploremosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on community engagement and exploration of Eagle Valley's natural spaces, likely involving educational or youth-oriented programming.
• Eagle CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEagle County is a key government partner, owning conserved properties including Brush Creek Valley Ranch & Open Space (1,671 acres) and Miller Ranch Open Space. EVLT holds conservation easements on county lands and collaborates on open space protection using the county's Open Space Fund.
• Town of AvoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTown of Avon owns the 478-acre West Avon Preserve, with EVLT holding the conservation easement. The property provides public recreation and prevents suburban sprawl between Singletree and Wildridge neighborhoods.
• City of EaglecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Eagle contributed financially to the Brush Creek Valley Ranch acquisition and conservation. The city participates in protecting important open spaces and special places in the community through this partnership.
• Eagle County Ranch Wildlife CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided funding support for the Brush Creek Valley Ranch acquisition and additional riparian habitat protection, contributing to wildlife conservation in the region.
• US White River National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the Eagle Valley Land Exchange, over 800 acres of new land were added to the White River National Forest. EVLT was a partner in this historic land exchange that conserved important open spaces.
• Brink OutfittersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal guide service providing horseback riding and horsepacking trips at Sweetwater Lake. Contact for booking recreational activities at the property: 970-524-7344.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Colorado Open Lands: One of the largest statewide land trusts in Colorado, working with private landowners to establish conservation easements and protect natural and agricultural lands. Shares EVLT's business model, regulatory positioning under state tax credit programs, and target landowner demographic.
• Aspen Valley Land Trust: A Colorado-based accredited land trust operating in the Roaring Fork Valley with a similar mission of conserving open space, wildlife habitat, and agricultural lands via conservation easements. Directly comparable to EVLT in scope, structure, and reliance on the state's generous tax credit framework.

Broad incumbents

• The Trust for Public Land: A national nonprofit that conserves land for public access and recreation, including active work in Colorado. Operates at greater scale and broader geographic scope than EVLT, but competes for the same landowner easement transactions and government grant funding in overlapping markets.
• National Wildlife Federation: One of America's largest private conservation organizations with state affiliate programs. Indirectly comparable to EVLT through shared conservation mission and overlapping donor/supporter base for environmentally engaged Americans.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest environmental nonprofits globally, with significant Colorado operations focused on land and water conservation. Overlaps with EVLT in conservation easement transactions and government/foundation grant funding, though TNC operates across multiple states and ecosystems.

Emerging players

• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: A wildlife habitat conservation nonprofit active across the Rocky Mountain West, including Colorado. Overlaps with EVLT in habitat protection missions and competes for similar donor and landowner relationships in the region.

Regional players

• Yellowstone Forever: The official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park focused on wildlife conservation, education, and park preservation. While geographically distant, the nonprofit's land and wildlife conservation mission parallels EVLT's work with a comparable operational model.
• San Juan Citizens Alliance: A southwest Colorado-based conservation and community advocacy organization working on land, water, and wildlife issues. Operates in a different region of Colorado but shares EVLT's community-led, coalition-based approach to conservation.

Others

• Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO): Colorado's lottery-funded conservation grant program that provided EVLT's $3.1M Brush Creek Valley Ranch grant. Functions as both a major funder and ecosystem participant that shapes the conservation market EVLT operates in.
• Land Trust Alliance: The national umbrella organization that accredits land trusts like EVLT and sets industry standards. Not a direct competitor but a critical ecosystem participant—EVLT's accreditation and ongoing compliance depend on Land Trust Alliance standards and programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXrYFgAiPTKSMxBpIf7_mnw/about
• Facebookfacebook.com/EVLandTrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eagle-valley-land-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/eaglevalleylandtrust
• Xx.com/EVLandTrust

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Eagle Valley Land Trust