Roaring Fork Conservancy
Roaring Fork Conservancy is a nonprofit watershed organization founded in 1996 in Basalt, Colorado, that protects the 1,451-square-mile Roaring Fork Watershed through education, citizen science water temperature monitoring, and water resource policy work, serving residents, K-12 schools, anglers, and municipalities in the Roaring Fork Valley.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersBasalt, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Roaring Fork Conservancy does
Roaring Fork Conservancy (RFC) is a nonprofit watershed conservation organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Basalt, Colorado. It protects the 1,451-square-mile Roaring Fork Watershed, which encompasses 1,962 miles of streams and contributes approximately 856,000 acre-feet of water annually to the Colorado River system. RFC's work spans three pillars: watershed education (school and community programs, K-12 curriculum, fly fishing clinics, virtual learning), watershed science (stream temperature monitoring via the Hot Spots for Trout citizen science program, water quality baseline data, snowpack and stream flow tracking), and policy/restoration (Regional Water Efficiency Plan, stream management plans, conservation easements, habitat restoration). The organization monitors river conditions through USGS and Colorado Division of Water Resources gauges combined with NRCS SNOTEL snowpack stations, publishing the only comprehensive weekly Snowpack and River Report for the watershed since 2009.
RFC's product portfolio includes the Cast a Fly, Catch a Student curriculum (adopted from the National Fishing in Schools Program), Youth Fly Fishing Summer Clinics, a Women's Only Fly Fishing Clinic, the REEL In Water Use conservation campaign (co-developed with CORE and RWAPA), downloadable At Home Activities, podcasts, and an Annual Photo Contest. The organization is staffed by 1-10 employees and supported by a broader network of board directors, River Stewards, Business Members, and citizen science volunteers.
RFC's revenue model is diversified across individual donations, recurring memberships, corporate matching gifts, Business Member subscriptions, event and clinic fees, and grants from sources including the Colorado Water Conservation Board (~$125,000), Aspen Elks Lodge, Holy Cross Energy Round-Up Foundation, and Snowmass Village Rotary Club. Distribution occurs through a z2systems membership/donation platform, direct school engagement, community events, and a weekly email newsletter reaching 555+ subscribers, with select content also published in The Aspen Times.
Roaring Fork Conservancy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Roaring Fork Conservancy
- Legal name
- Roaring Fork Conservancy
- Website
- https://roaringfork.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Roaring Fork Conservancy is a nonprofit watershed organization founded in 1996 in Basalt, Colorado, that protects the 1,451-square-mile Roaring Fork Watershed through education, citizen science water temperature monitoring, and water resource policy work, serving residents, K-12 schools, anglers, and municipalities in the Roaring Fork Valley.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Roaring Fork Conservancy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Watershed Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)
Keywords
Where Roaring Fork Conservancy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Basalt
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Roaring Fork Conservancy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Membership: Primary revenue from individual donations and membership program subscriptions supporting watershed conservation work.
- Curriculum Kit Rental: Schools can rent Cast a Fly, Catch a Student curriculum kits for $50, which includes fly rods, reels, and CasTarget teaching aids valued at $3,400.
- Event Fees: Revenue from educational events, workshops, and summer clinics such as Youth Fly Fishing Summer Clinics and Women's Only Fly Fishing Clinic.
- Business Memberships: Premier Business Member program where local businesses support river research, education, and conservation in exchange for recognition.
- Corporate Matching Gifts: Company matching gift programs where employers match employee charitable contributions to amplify donation impact.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Cast a Fly, Catch a Student Curriculum Kit Rental |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Roaring Fork Conservancy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Roaring Fork Conservancy protects and restores the Roaring Fork Watershed through three integrated lines of work: science-based water quality and streamflow monitoring, K–12 and adult watershed and fly fishing education (including the Cast a Fly, Catch a Student curriculum), and stream management, restoration, and water policy projects. It also operates community conservation campaigns such as REEL In Water Use and the Hot Spots for Trout citizen science program, publishing a weekly Snowpack and River Report for residents and partners.
Product overview
Roaring Fork Conservancy operates as a non-profit watershed conservation organization offering a portfolio of educational programs and conservation services rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include Watershed Education Programs (school and community-based instruction), the Hot Spots for Trout citizen science initiative, Weekly Snowpack and River Reports (monitoring), and the REEL In Water Use conservation campaign. Educational products span from K-12 classroom programs (Cast a Fly, Catch a Student curriculum, Youth Fly Fishing Clinics) to Virtual Learning platforms and downloadable At Home Activities. The organization also produces publications (Watershed Maps, 2007 Watershed Inventory) and community engagement programs (Annual Photo Contest, Podcasts, Summer Watershed Games). All offerings support the mission of protecting the Roaring Fork Watershed through education, monitoring, and conservation action.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Watershed Education Programs
- Cast a Fly, Catch a Student Curriculum Kit Rental
- Youth Fly Fishing Summer Clinics
- Women's Only Fly Fishing Clinic
- Hot Spots for Trout Citizen Science Program
- Weekly Snowpack and River Report
- REEL In Water Use Campaign
- Stream Management and Restoration Projects Science and policy services including regional watershed planning, water resource policy initiatives, stream management planning, habitat restoration, and conservation easements for riparian land protection.
- Watershed Maps Educational topographic and thematic maps of the Roaring Fork Watershed, including subbasin maps and relief maps, produced in collaboration with Lotic Hydrological, LLC.
- Annual Membership Program Recurring annual membership program (individual and Premier Business tiers) that funds river research, education, and conservation in exchange for member benefits and recognition.
Quantifiable outcome
- 14 historic temperature maximums exceeded during April-May 2026 monitoring period
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Roaring Fork Conservancy
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Roaring Fork Conservancy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Roaring Fork Conservancy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National Fishing in Schools Program (NFSP)coreRFC partnered with NFSP to adopt the Cast a Fly, Catch a Student interdisciplinary fly fishing curriculum into education offerings. RFC educators serve as certified teacher-trainers for NFSP, offering trainings throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.
- Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE)coreCORE partnership for the REEL in Water Use campaign promoting water efficiency throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. Partners include RFC, RWAPA, and University of Michigan.
- Ruedi Water and Power Authority (RWAPA)corePartnership on regional water efficiency planning and the REEL in Water Use campaign. RWAPA provides matching funds for water conservation initiatives.
- Local MunicipalitiescoreCities of Glenwood Springs and Aspen, Towns of Carbondale, Basalt, and Snowmass Village partnered on Regional Water Efficiency Plan, providing matching funds and adopting individual municipal water efficiency plans.
- Lotic Hydrological, LLCminorJoint effort to produce the Roaring Fork Watershed map, combining RFC's watershed expertise with Lotic's hydrological mapping capabilities.
- City MarketminorCommunity Rewards program partnership allowing shoppers to designate RFC as their charity of choice when using loyalty cards.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Roaring Fork Conservancy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- River Network: National nonprofit whose mission is to empower and unite local watershed groups — directly comparable peer for RFC's hybrid community-education/monitoring/restoration operating model in a single watershed.
- Trout Unlimited: Coldwater-fisheries conservation nonprofit with a strong citizen-science and volunteer monitoring tradition; overlap with RFC on stream temperature monitoring, trout habitat advocacy, education programs, and grassroots chapter mobilization.
- American Rivers: National nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring American rivers, combining policy advocacy, on-the-ground restoration, and public engagement — directly comparable mission structure to Roaring Fork Conservancy but at a far larger national scale.
Regional players
- Colorado Water Trust: Colorado-focused nonprofit that works to keep water in rivers through leases, purchases, and policy — strong overlap with RFC on instream flow advocacy and partnership with municipalities such as Aspen and Glenwood Springs on regional water planning.
- Western Resource Advocates: Western U.S. nonprofit focused on water, climate, and energy policy; comparable to RFC in its combination of science-based analysis, community engagement, and policy advocacy across the Colorado River Basin.
Broad incumbents
- The Nature Conservancy: Global environmental nonprofit with an active Colorado chapter and significant river/land conservation work; serves a much broader mission portfolio than RFC but overlaps on riparian conservation, water resource policy, and land/conservation easement programs.
- National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation nonprofit with active regional offices in the Rockies; comparable educational programming, watershed advocacy, and habitat-restoration orientation, though broader than RFC's single-watershed focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Roaring Fork Conservancy social profiles
Digital presenceRoaring Fork Conservancy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Roaring Fork Conservancy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Roaring Fork Conservancy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Roaring Fork Conservancy 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 Roaring Fork Conservancy
What does Roaring Fork Conservancy do?
Roaring Fork Conservancy protects and restores the Roaring Fork Watershed through three integrated lines of work: science-based water quality and streamflow monitoring, K–12 and adult watershed and fly fishing education (including the Cast a Fly, Catch a Student curriculum), and stream management, restoration, and water policy projects. It also operates community conservation campaigns such as REEL In Water Use and the Hot Spots for Trout citizen science program, publishing a weekly Snowpack and River Report for residents and partners.
Is Roaring Fork Conservancy a public or private company?
Roaring Fork Conservancy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Roaring Fork Conservancy founded?
Roaring Fork Conservancy was founded in 1996. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Roaring Fork Conservancy based?
Roaring Fork Conservancy is headquartered in Basalt, United States, in the North America region.
How does Roaring Fork Conservancy make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Membership is the primary driver. The others are curriculum Kit Rental, event Fees, business Memberships and corporate Matching Gifts.
Who are Roaring Fork Conservancy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are River Network, Trout Unlimited and American Rivers. Regional players are Colorado Water Trust and Western Resource Advocates. Broad incumbents are The Nature Conservancy and National Wildlife Federation.
Does Roaring Fork Conservancy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Roaring Fork Conservancy.
What industry is Roaring Fork Conservancy in?
Roaring Fork Conservancy's product category is Watershed Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAK, Water Resources & Watershed Protection, with a secondary code of AFAMAMAB, Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services. Its NAICS code is 9241.