Selkirk Conservation Alliance

What Selkirk Conservation Alliance does

Selkirk Conservation Alliance (SCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan environmental nonprofit organization founded in 1986 and headquartered in Priest River, Idaho. The organization operates across a 1.75 million-acre geographic footprint encompassing the Priest Lake Watershed and the lower Selkirk Mountains in northern Idaho, with adjacent engagement in northeastern Washington and southern British Columbia. SCA's mission is to engage the public in southern Selkirk resource and land management issues through cooperation, scientific inquiry, education, and economic diversity, with stated focus on protecting land, air, forests, wetlands, wildlife, and water quality.

SCA delivers its mission through three core programs: Advocacy (land use planning, water protection, policy engagement, and litigation against permitting and development actions), Education (the Living Classroom outdoor field trip program for K-12 students across Bonner, Boundary, and Pend Oreille Counties, plus community presentations), and Scientific Research (citizen science water quality monitoring under the Idaho DEQ Citizen Voluntary Monitoring Program at up to 15 sites annually, STREAM monitoring in the Priest Basin, and university collaborations including with Washington State University). The underlying technology stack consists of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for environmental mapping, ArcGIS StoryMap visualization, and standard water quality sampling equipment following IDEQ CVMP protocols.

The revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit structure combining annual membership dues, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events (Environmental Film Festival, auctions, business co-branded products), and foundation grants (Charlotte Martin Foundation, Agouron Institute, Equinox Foundation). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on grassroots membership engagement, volunteer networks, recurring community events (Coolin Spring Festival, Timber Days, Earth Day, highway cleanups), school outreach, and earned media via advocacy action alerts. The organization operates with a small staff structure and no disclosed external investment, parent company, or venture funding.

Name

Selkirk Conservation Alliance

Legal name

Selkirk Conservation Alliance

Website

https://scawild.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Selkirk Conservation Alliance is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit founded in 1986 that protects the 1.75 million-acre Priest Lake Watershed and lower Selkirk Mountains through advocacy, citizen-science water quality monitoring, and K-12 environmental education programs serving north Idaho communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Biodiversity Conservation & Habitat Banking (AFAMAMAC)

Keywords

• Environmental conservation
• Watershed protection
• Water quality monitoring
• Environmental education
• Wildlife habitat advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Priest River

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from individual supporters. Described as essential funding for grassroots nonprofit operations.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events including film festival, auction items, and business partnerships.
3. Grants: Funding from foundations and organizations including Charlotte Martin Foundation, Agouron Institute, Equinox Foundation for water quality monitoring, GIS systems, and conservation programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Selkirk Conservation Alliance is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit that protects roughly 1.75 million acres of the Priest Lake Watershed and Selkirk Mountains in northern Idaho. It delivers this mission through three program areas — Advocacy, Education, and Scientific Research — including citizen-science water quality monitoring, arboreal lichen collection for caribou recovery, and the Living Classroom environmental education program for local schools.

Product overview

Selkirk Conservation Alliance is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit organization founded in 1986, offering conservation programs organized around three core service areas: Advocacy (land use planning, water protection, policy engagement), Education (Living Classroom field trips, community education), and Scientific Research (water quality monitoring, citizen science). The organization's programs focus on protecting the 1.75 million-acre Priest Lake Watershed and Southern Selkirk Mountain ecosystem through direct action, public engagement, and scientific inquiry. Key offerings include the Priest Lake Water Quality Monitoring program, Arboreal Lichen Collection for caribou recovery, and the Priest River STREAM Monitoring StoryMap visualization tool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advocacy Program Grassroots and legal advocacy program that mobilizes members and engages in public hearings and regulatory proceedings (e.g., Tri-State Water Rights hearings) to defend water quality, shoreline habitat, and forests of the Selkirk ecosystem. Target users: members, donors, local residents, and policymakers in the northern Idaho region.
• Living Classroom Environmental Education Program K-12 environmental education program that brings hands-on, real-world science from the Priest Lake Watershed into local classrooms and field trips. Target users: teachers, students, and school districts in the Priest River / Priest Lake area.
• Scientific Research Program Field-based scientific research program that collects and publishes environmental data on the Selkirk ecosystem, including Priest Lake water quality monitoring and arboreal lichen collection for caribou recovery. Target users: scientists, agencies, funders, and the general public.
• Priest Lake Water Quality Monitoring Citizen-science monitoring service that samples and tracks water quality conditions in Priest Lake, producing data used to support advocacy, education, and agency decision-making. Target users: members, agencies, scientists, and local stakeholders.
• Arboreal Lichen Collection for Caribou Recovery Field research service collecting arboreal lichen data as an indicator of habitat conditions for the endangered Southern Selkirk mountain caribou herd. Target users: wildlife biologists, conservation agencies, and caribou recovery partners.
• Priest River STREAM Monitoring StoryMap Online GIS-based StoryMap that visualizes SCA's stream monitoring data along the Priest River, making research results accessible to members, educators, students, and the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• Water quality monitoring at up to 15 sites around Priest Lake from June-September annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

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

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Priest River Watershed Group (PRWG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025SCA is a participant on the Steering Committee of the newly formed Priest River Watershed Group. Purpose includes water resource management and watershed conservation.
• WildEarth GuardianscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2024Co-plaintiff with SCA in Notice of Intent to sue USFS regarding Kaniksu Over-Snow Vehicle Travel Plan.
• Friends of the ClearwatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2024Co-plaintiff with SCA in Notice of Intent to sue USFS regarding Kaniksu Over-Snow Vehicle Travel Plan.
• Inland Empire Task ForceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2024Co-plaintiff in conservation lawsuit regarding over-snow vehicle travel plan.
• Alliance for the Wild RockiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2024Co-plaintiff in Notice of Intent to sue USFS. Also successfully collaborated on Hanna Flats timber sale lawsuit.
• United States Climate Action Network (USCAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCA was welcomed as a new member to USCAN in 2023. USCAN's mission is to build trust and alignments among members to fight climate change in a just and equitable way. Membership provides opportunities to collaborate with other national environmental organizations and access to grant offerings.
• Center for Biological DiversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCA working with Center for Biological Diversity to determine next steps on Trestle Creek development opposition.
• Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCA leads Priest Lake's Citizen Voluntary Monitoring Program (CVMP) in conjunction with IDEQ. Collaborates on STREAM monitoring program in Priest Basin.
• Washington State UniversityStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Jan Boll, Professor of Environmental Engineering at WSU, conducted aquatic vegetation study in Kalispell Bay. WSU master-level students conducting groundwater chemistry research.
• Bonner County Lakes CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCA provides staff resources to participate in this regional water oversight group.
• Idaho Water Resources BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCA provides staff or board resources to participate in this regional water oversight group.
• Priest Lake Fisheries Action CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCA provides staff or board resources to participate in this committee.
• Kalispel TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on caribou recovery efforts and wetland protection. Kalispel Tribe holds fundraisers for caribou recovery.
• U.S. Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship on forest management, grizzly bear recovery areas, and land use decisions affecting the Selkirk ecosystem.
• Idaho Department of Fish and GamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on wildlife conservation, caribou recovery, and wetland classification efforts.
• Ace Hardware Priest RiverminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored SCA 'round up' program where customers could round up purchases to support Living Classroom field trips.
• Evans Brothers Coffee RoastersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDeveloped special September SELKIRK-SCA roast with percentage of profits donated to SCA.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SCAWILD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/selkirk-conservation-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Selkirk Conservation Alliance