Gathering Waters

What Gathering Waters does

Gathering Waters, legally Gathering Waters, Inc., is a Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 and headquartered in Madison. It functions as Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts, supporting more than 40 independent nonprofit land trusts across the state through training, technical assistance, peer networking, public policy advocacy, and convening. The organization delivers services directly to land trust staff and board members, and indirectly to landowners, conservation donors, and Wisconsin communities.

Its core products and technology center on a statewide GIS infrastructure: the Wisconsin Land Trust Geodatabase (the only comprehensive geographic information system database of Wisconsin land trust properties, potential conservation areas, and Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program projects), an ArcGIS-based Interactive Web Map, the Decision Support Tool (DST) v4.0 launched in March 2026 with ecosystem service valuation, and the Legislative Districts & Land Trust Properties application. In 2022, Gathering Waters established the Land Conservation Law Program, a first-of-its-kind legal services offering providing direct legal counsel, continuing legal education, and the Wisconsin Model Conservation Easement. Event-based products include the annual Wisconsin Land Trust Conference, Wisconsin Land Trust Days (42 events in 2026), and the Land Conservation Leadership Awards. Content products include the Crosscurrents newsletter, blog, and the Wisconsin Nature Guide publication.

The business model is donation-based rather than fee-based: all services to land trusts and landowners are free. Revenue is generated through individual donations (one-time, monthly Wisconsin Conservation Circle, legacy/Wisconsin Land Legacy Society), corporate event sponsorships, conference registration fees ($275 member / $325 non-member), QCD, DAF, stock donations, and grants. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored on annual convenings and advocacy campaigns such as Team Knowles Nelson, which defends the state-level Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (a $1.4 billion program since 1989 that is set to expire in 2026).

Name

Gathering Waters

Legal name

Gathering Waters, Inc.

Website

https://gatheringwaters.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gathering Waters is a Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit alliance founded in 1994 that supports 40+ state land trusts through training, GIS tools, legal services, advocacy, and events. It is funded by donations, sponsorships, and grants, and operates from Madison, WI.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Advocacy and Land Trust Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAGAC

Land Trusts & Protected Areas

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYAFAMAMAH

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services

Agriculture & Food Production/Forestry & Logging/Forest Ecosystem Services

SECONDARYBPAGAGAD

Forestry & Reforestation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYBPAJADAH

Conservation & Protected Land Brokerage (Easements, Land Trust Sales)

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/Land & Rural Real Estate Brokerage

Keywords

• Land trust alliance
• Conservation advocacy services
• GIS conservation planning
• Land conservation law
• Nonprofit land protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting land and water conservation in Wisconsin. Multiple giving options including one-time gifts, monthly recurring donations through Wisconsin Conservation Circle, and major gifts.
2. Monthly Giving (Wisconsin Conservation Circle): Recurring monthly donations through automatic credit card or ACH transactions, providing steady funding for ongoing conservation work.
3. Legacy Giving / Planned Gifts: Bequests in wills, charitable gift annuities, life insurance donations, retirement plan/IRA beneficiary designations, and charitable remainder trusts for long-term support.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Event sponsorship opportunities for Wisconsin Land Trust Conference and Wisconsin Land Trust Days, supporting land conservation while providing corporate visibility.
5. Stock Donations: Accepts appreciated stock donations through LPL Financial; stock is sold upon receipt per gift acceptance policies.
6. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD): IRA charitable distributions for individuals 70.5+ years old, allowing tax-free transfers from traditional IRAs directly to Gathering Waters up to $100,000 annually.
7. Donor-Advised Fund Gifts: Accepts donations through donor-advised funds, with distributions potentially going toward pledges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Gathering Waters is Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts, providing a centralized suite of free services to 40+ member land trusts across the state. Core offerings include technical assistance and training, a first-of-its-kind Land Conservation Law Program, GIS-based conservation planning tools (Decision Support Tool v4.0, Wisconsin Land Trust Geodatabase, Interactive Web Map), public policy advocacy for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, and community-building events such as the annual Wisconsin Land Trust Conference and Wisconsin Land Trust Days. The organization is funded entirely through donations, sponsorships, and event revenue, with no fees charged to land trusts or landowners.

Product overview

Gathering Waters is Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts, operating as a nonprofit alliance rather than a single software product. The organization provides an integrated suite of services to support 40+ land trusts across Wisconsin, including Land Trust Training & Services (professional development and peer networks), the Land Conservation Law Program (legal services and education), Geographic Information Services (GIS database and decision support tools), the annual Wisconsin Land Trust Conference, Public Policy Advocacy (focused on Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program), Climate Change Action support, and promotional programs including Wisconsin Land Conservation Leadership Awards and Wisconsin Land Trust Days. Additional offerings include the Wisconsin Nature Guide (free educational publication) and Crosscurrents newsletter. The organization also maintains a public events calendar and blog for ongoing communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wisconsin Land Trust Days: An annual statewide celebration featuring public land trust events across Wisconsin from July through September, showcasing conservation work and engaging communities with protected places.
• Wisconsin Land Trust Conference
• Wisconsin Conservation Circle
• Wisconsin Land Legacy Society

Products and services

• Land Conservation Law Program Wisconsin's first-of-its-kind legal services program providing direct legal assistance to land trusts and delivering continuing legal education training for practicing attorneys on conservation law matters.
• Geographic Information Services (GIS) Maintains Wisconsin's only comprehensive GIS database of land trust properties, potential conservation areas, and Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program projects, including an Interactive Web Map, Decision Support Tool v4.0, GIS Layer of WI Land Trust Holdings, and Legislative Districts & Land Trust Properties App.
• Wisconsin Land Trust Conference Annual networking and training conference for land trust staff, board members, and partners, gaining knowledge, reinforcing best practices, celebrating successes, and committing to continued progress in land conservation.
• Wisconsin Land Trust Days Annual statewide celebration of land trusts featuring public events across Wisconsin from July through September, hosted by member land trusts to showcase conservation work and engage communities with protected places.
• Wisconsin Land Conservation Leadership Awards Annual awards program recognizing individuals and organizations for contributions to Wisconsin land conservation, including Lifetime Achievement, Land Legacy, and Professional of the Year categories, presented at community events throughout summer and fall.
• Land Trust Training & Services Provides tools, resources, educational opportunities, and a peer network for land trust staff and board members, supporting leadership development, peer learning, and professional growth in core competencies.
• Public Policy Advocacy Defends and strengthens the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and advocates for land protection funding and policies at state and federal levels, including leadership of the Team Knowles Nelson coalition.
• Wisconsin Nature Guide Free weatherproof laminated pocket guide helping users identify common plants, animals, and wildlife found at Wisconsin's natural places, distributed during Land Trust Days.

Quantifiable outcome

• 544,000+ acres protected by member land trusts
• +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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Knowles-Nelson Stewardship ProgramcoreOthers · 1 January 1989The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is Wisconsin's flagship conservation funding program administered by the Wisconsin DNR. Since 1989, it has invested $1.4 billion in Wisconsin's land and water. Gathering Waters leads Team Knowles Nelson coalition advocating for the program's continued funding. A portion of Knowles-Nelson funding is allocated specifically to land trusts. The program expires in 2026 without legislative renewal.
• Land Trust AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization representing land trusts across the US. Gathering Waters works with Land Trust Alliance at the national level to champion federal policies advancing land conservation. The Alliance provides resources including Land Trust Standards and Practices, accreditation programs, and training that Gathering Waters uses to support Wisconsin land trusts.
• Team Knowles NelsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroad coalition of partners led by Gathering Waters working together to ensure Wisconsin's Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is well funded and functions smoothly. Includes thousands of individuals and dozens of organizations committed to ensuring Wisconsin continues to invest in land and water conservation.
• 40+ Wisconsin Land TrustscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent nonprofit land conservation organizations across Wisconsin including Mississippi Valley Conservancy, Door County Land Trust, Driftless Area Land Conservancy, Northwoods Land Trust, Glacial Lakes Conservancy, Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation, and others. Gathering Waters provides technical assistance, training, legal services, GIS tools, and advocacy support to these member organizations.
• Community Shares of WisconsinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrusted nonprofit that distributes funds to over 70 different organizations in the greater Dane County region. Requires annual compliance with standards, policies and procedures from member organizations.
• Wegner CPAsminorOthersAccounting firm that conducts annual audits for Gathering Waters, shared publicly for financial transparency.
• Restoring LandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWisconsin land trust hosting field trips and events. Host sponsor of 2026 Wisconsin Land Trust Conference, providing venue and dinner venue for conference attendees visiting Milwaukee River Basin properties.
• Land Trust Days SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsors supporting Wisconsin Land Trust Days annual celebration, with logos displayed on event materials.
• Conference Sponsors (2026)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors of 2026 Wisconsin Land Trust Conference including Restoring Lands (Host Sponsor), Wickcraft Boardwalks (Scholarships Sponsor), Johnson's Nursery, Godfrey & Kahn, Parallel Solutions, Bold Bison, Land Trust Alliance (LAND sponsors), and Landscape Conservation Software (WATER sponsor).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Land Trust Alliance: National umbrella organization for U.S. land trusts, providing accreditation, federal advocacy, and training materials that Gathering Waters uses to support Wisconsin members. Operates at a national scale as a broader, larger entity in the same conservation space.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that protects land for public use through conservation easements, land acquisition, and parks. Overlaps with Gathering Waters' conservation mission but operates at a broader national scale with direct land acquisition activities.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest global conservation organizations, directly acquiring and managing conservation land. Operates at far greater scale than Gathering Waters but shares the mission of permanent land and water conservation.
• National Wildlife Federation: National wildlife and habitat conservation organization with state affiliates, including in Wisconsin. Overlaps with Gathering Waters' mission of habitat protection and conservation advocacy but operates at a broader national scale.

Direct peers

• California Land Conservation Assistance Network: California's statewide network of land trusts providing advocacy, training, and collaboration opportunities. Directly comparable to Gathering Waters in serving as a state-level alliance supporting 40+ member land trusts.
• Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts: State-level coalition of Oregon land trusts with a near-identical mission: providing advocacy, training, technical assistance, and peer networking to member land trusts. Highly comparable structure and operating model to Gathering Waters.
• Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts: State-level alliance supporting Colorado land trusts through advocacy, training, and capacity-building. Closely parallels Gathering Waters' role as a statewide convener and supporter of independent land trusts.
• Pennsylvania Land Trust Association: Pennsylvania's statewide land trust association providing training, policy advocacy, and capacity building for member land trusts. Mirrors Gathering Waters' structure of providing technical assistance, legal resources, and advocacy to a state member network.

Regional players

• Grand Canyon Trust: Regional conservation organization focused on protecting the Colorado Plateau. Operates in a different region than Gathering Waters but shares the conservation alliance model and combined advocacy/land-protection approach.

Emerging players

• American Farmland Trust: National organization focused on farmland conservation and protection, with adjacent overlap to Gathering Waters' land trust support work but focused specifically on agricultural land rather than broader natural areas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GatheringWatersWI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gathering-waters-conservancy
• Instagraminstagram.com/gatheringwaters

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Gathering Waters