1% for Open Space

What 1% for Open Space does

1% for Open Space (legal name: 1 Percent for Open Space Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1997 and headquartered in Crested Butte, Colorado. It operates as a consortium of approximately 70 local Gunnison Valley businesses that voluntarily pledge 1% of sales or contributions to fund open space conservation and stewardship in the region. The organization functions as a financial intermediary: businesses collect donations from customers at the point of sale, the organization aggregates and grants those funds to vetted conservation partners, and conservation partners execute on-ground land protection, restoration, and policy work.

The core service offering consists of a Business Partnership Program (recruiting and managing participating local businesses, providing promotional benefits), a Grant Program (rolling quarterly board-reviewed application cycle), and a portfolio of funded conservation initiatives. Documented grant recipients include the Crested Butte Land Trust (conservation easements and land acquisitions such as Schutt Wetlands and Kikel Lot 3), High Country Conservation Advocates (stewardship and wetland restoration), and the Colorado Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (fence removal). Recent activity has expanded into forest policy advocacy, including funding a Forest Policy Analyst to object to the GMUG Forest Plan in October 2023.

The organization's revenue model is exclusively donation-based: voluntary 1% pledges from ~70 partner businesses and individual donations accepted via the website. Pricing is not applicable — partner businesses determine their own contribution amounts and timing, and individual donations are accepted at any amount. The technology stack is minimal: a WordPress-based website with a donation form, no app, no API, no disclosed integrations. Since inception, the organization reports cumulative funds raised of approximately $2.6 million and 10,200 acres protected. The 2018 Form 990 reported total revenue of approximately $92,815; no subsequent financials are disclosed. The organization is led by a part-time Executive Director and an all-volunteer Board of Directors that meets quarterly, with no paid marketing, no headcount growth, and all operations confined to the Gunnison Valley.

Name

1% for Open Space

Legal name

1 Percent for Open Space Inc.

Website

https://1percentforopenspace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

1% for Open Space is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consortium, founded in 1997 in Crested Butte, Colorado, that aggregates voluntary 1% revenue pledges from roughly 70 local Gunnison Valley businesses and regrants the funds to conservation organizations for open space protection and stewardship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Grantmaking Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Timberland Carbon & Natural Capital Project Development (Offsets/REDD+) (AFAMAKAH)

Keywords

• Conservation grantmaking
• Open space preservation
• Land trust funding
• Nonprofit consortium
• Business donation program

Headquarters

HQ city

Crested Butte

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

Revenue model

1. Business Donations: Local businesses commit to donating 1% of their revenue to fund conservation projects. The donations are collected by partnering businesses and passed through to the organization for distribution to conservation organizations.
2. Individual Donations: Individual donors can make direct monetary donations to support open space protection in the Gunnison Valley through the website donation form.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

1% for Open Space operates a nonprofit consortium model in which local Gunnison Valley businesses commit to donating 1% of their revenue to fund conservation and stewardship projects. The pooled funds are regranted through a quarterly board-reviewed grant cycle to vetted conservation organizations such as Crested Butte Land Trust and High Country Conservation Advocates. Funded activities include conservation easements, wetland restoration, fence removal, trail closures, and forest policy advocacy.

Product overview

1% for Open Space is a non-profit consortium that operates as a financial catalyst to preserve and protect open spaces in the Gunnison Valley. The organization connects local businesses that pledge 1% of sales with conservation organizations needing funding. The core offering consists of the Business Partnership Program (recruiting and managing participating businesses), a Grant Program (funding conservation and stewardship projects), and direct involvement in conservation easement acquisitions. The organization has funded multiple conservation projects including wetland preservation, fence removal for wildlife corridors, stewardship work, and forest policy advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Partnership Program A consortium program through which local Gunnison Valley businesses enroll to collect and donate 1% of their sales or contributions to fund open space conservation. Set-up is simple, donations are flexible in amount and timing, and participating businesses receive regular promotion as partners.
• Grant Program A grantmaking program that awards pooled business and individual donations to conservation and stewardship organizations in the Gunnison Valley. Applications are reviewed on a rolling cycle, with the Board of Directors meeting quarterly to evaluate and award grants.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.6 million raised and 10,200 acres protected since inception

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Colorado Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and AnglersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2023Grant of $3,894 for fence removal project as part of Colorado Public Lands Day celebration. Project removed over 5 miles of fence at five locations in the lower Gunnison Valley.
• Crested Butte Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Major conservation partner for land acquisition and easement projects. 1% for Open Space has granted funds for multiple projects including Schutt Wetlands ($125,000), Kikel Lot 3 ($115,000), and Long Lake ($100,000). The Land Trust handles the on-ground conservation work while 1% provides funding.
• High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Conservation advocacy organization that receives grants for stewardship projects. Multiple grants provided including $12,735 for 2022 stewardship work covering Taylor Park Travel Management, Taylor Park Wetland Restoration, and Upper Gunnison Basin Wet Meadow Restoration.
• CORE (fitness studio)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocally owned fitness studio in Crested Butte specializing in fitness classes and training. Located at 502 Belleview Ave Unit B, Crested Butte, CO. One of 70+ business partners in the consortium.
• Chopwood MercantileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor gear store at 120 Elk Ave, Crested Butte, CO. Carries brands like Filson, Patagonia, Hydroflask and Cotopaxi. One of the business partners collecting donations for open space conservation.
• Clear Rivers HolisticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSkin care and waxing studio in Crested Butte offering professional skin care treatments, DermaSound facials, microdermabrasion and chemical peels. One of the business partners in the consortium.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Trust for Public Land: A national nonprofit that protects land for public use, including conservation easements and park creation. Overlaps with 1% for Open Space's mission of land conservation but at a much larger scale and broader geography.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest environmental conservation organizations globally, active in land acquisition and stewardship. Comparable in protecting open spaces and conservation outcomes, but at vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• 1% for the Planet: A national '1%' pledge model for businesses donating a portion of sales to environmental nonprofits. Shares the same conceptual framing as 1% for Open Space but operates at much broader scale and geographically diversified scope.
• Conservation Fund: A national nonprofit that works with public and private partners to conserve land and water. Overlaps with 1% for Open Space in conservation finance and stewardship but operates across the U.S. with a much larger balance sheet.

Others

• Local First: A movement and nonprofit that supports local independent businesses. Comparable in the 'community-driven business consortium' model but focuses broadly on local economic support rather than environmental conservation.
• Land Trust Alliance: The national membership organization representing land trusts in the U.S. While not a direct operating peer, it provides the institutional framework and standards that 1% for Open Space's partner land trusts (e.g., Crested Butte Land Trust) operate under.

Regional players

• Conservation Colorado: A statewide environmental advocacy organization active in Colorado. Comparable in environmental advocacy and policy work (e.g., 1% for Open Space funded GMUG Forest Plan objection) but with a broader state-level policy focus.
• Colorado Open Lands: A statewide land trust that conserves working lands across Colorado. Comparable in mission (conservation easements and land stewardship) but operates at a broader Colorado-wide geographic scope.

Direct peers

• Crested Butte Land Trust: The primary on-the-ground conservation partner in the Gunnison Valley. 1% for Open Space has directed major grants (e.g., $125K Schutt Wetlands, $115K Kikel Lot 3, $100K Long Lake) to this land trust, making it the most directly comparable peer in mission and geography.
• High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA): A local conservation advocacy nonprofit that has received multiple grants from 1% for Open Space (over $38K total) for stewardship and advocacy projects in the Gunnison Valley, sharing the same regional focus and conservation mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 1% for Open Space