Palmer Land Conservancy
Palmer Land Conservancy is a Colorado Springs-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust, founded 1977, that negotiates conservation easements and acquires land to permanently protect farms, ranches, parks, and water rights across southern Colorado, now monitoring nearly 150,000 acres across 10 counties.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersColorado Springs, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Palmer Land Conservancy does
Palmer Land Conservancy is a Colorado Springs-headquartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust founded in 1977 that permanently protects land and water across southern Colorado through conservation easements, land acquisition, and long-term stewardship. The organization's core operating model centers on negotiating conservation easements with private landowners — primarily multi-generational farmers, ranchers, and property owners — to permanently restrict development, preserve water rights, and prevent agricultural-to-municipal "buy-and-dry" transfers. As of 2025 Palmer has safeguarded more than 138,000 acres cumulatively, monitors nearly 150,000 acres across 10 counties, and has placed permanent conservation easements on 20 public parks and open spaces (including Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Paint Mines Interpretive Park, and Bluestem Prairie held in partnership with the City of Colorado Springs). The underlying "technology" stack is conventional: legally structured conservation easement instruments, GIS-based land mapping, stewardship monitoring across the protected portfolio, and a small suite of narrative assets (including the award-winning MIRASOL documentary film by Ben Knight) used for advocacy and fundraising.
The revenue model is donation- and grant-based. Individual and business membership programs, charitable contributions, and philanthropic foundation grants constitute the full revenue base. Notable recent funding includes a $1 million investment from Lyda Hill Philanthropies in 2024 and a $1.75 million Great Outdoors Colorado grant in 2025 for the Generation Wild Coalition. Customer segments are non-transactional and are best understood as stakeholder cohorts: (1) primary — private landowners seeking permanent protection, and (2) the broader southern Colorado community benefiting from public parks, trails, and scenic views. Secondary stakeholders include corporate/business members, foundation funders, and the Pikes Peak defense community (Palmer is the sole Colorado convener of the SOAR initiative and the only Colorado member of the 21-nation Pikes Peak Sentinel Landscape coalition working with The Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, the Colorado Defense Alliance, and the Department of War/DOD). Geographic reach spans Colorado Springs (El Paso County), Pueblo County, Fremont County, Otero County, Crowley County, and now Weld County via a Northern Colorado satellite office in Greeley.
Palmer Land Conservancy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Palmer Land Conservancy
- Legal name
- Palmer Land Conservancy
- Website
- https://palmerland.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Palmer Land Conservancy is a Colorado Springs-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust, founded 1977, that negotiates conservation easements and acquires land to permanently protect farms, ranches, parks, and water rights across southern Colorado, now monitoring nearly 150,000 acres across 10 counties.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Palmer Land Conservancy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Land Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)
- SIC
- Forestry (800), Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests) (BPAIAMAF), Conservation & Protected Land Brokerage (Easements, Land Trust Sales) (BPAJADAH)
Keywords
Where Palmer Land Conservancy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Colorado Springs
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Palmer Land Conservancy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual and Business Membership / Donations: Palmer Land Conservancy generates revenue primarily through individual and business membership programs and charitable donations. Donors at various giving levels support land and water conservation projects. Business memberships are offered as a separate program for corporate partners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Individual Membership — donation-based |
| Other | Annual | Business Membership — donation-based |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Palmer Land Conservancy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Palmer Land Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust that permanently protects land and water across southern Colorado through conservation easements, land acquisition, and stewardship programs. The organization works directly with farmers, ranchers, and landowners to preserve working farms and ranches, water rights, 20+ public parks and open spaces, and wildlife habitat, monitoring nearly 150,000 acres across 10 counties and stewarding 138,000+ permanently protected acres since 1977.
Product overview
Palmer Land Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust offering land conservation services focused on protecting land and water in southern Colorado. Their core offerings include conservation easements and land protection transactions, along with specialized programs such as the Bessemer Farmland Conservation Project (an innovative farmland and water rights protection initiative), the SOAR Initiative (military-compatible land conservation), and the Pikes Peak Sentinel Landscape program. They produce the MIRASOL documentary film for conservation awareness and operate community programs including TENACITY: Women in Conservation, Generation Wild Coalition, and Bike the Bessemer farm tours. The organization protects 20 public parks and open spaces accessible to the community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Land Conservation Services Conservation easement negotiations, land protection transactions, and ongoing stewardship programs that permanently protect farmland, ranchland, water rights, parks, open spaces, and wildlife habitat across southern Colorado. Targeted at private landowners, farmers, ranchers, and property owners; over 138,000 acres have been permanently protected through this service since 1977.
- Individual Membership Program Donation-based annual membership program for individual community members who support Palmer's land and water conservation mission. Donors give at self-selected giving levels, and no fixed price tiers are publicly disclosed.
- Business Membership Program Donation-based annual membership program for Colorado businesses and corporate partners who support Palmer's conservation work, sustainability goals, and employee engagement opportunities.
- Bessemer Farmland Conservation Project Major initiative protecting approximately 2,000 acres of prime farmland along the Bessemer Irrigation Ditch in Pueblo County through a first-of-its-kind legal mechanism that reunites farmland with permanent senior water rights, preventing agricultural-to-municipal water transfers and supporting the $30 million annual agricultural industry on the St. Charles Mesa.
- SOAR Initiative (Security, Open Space & Agricultural Resiliency) Multi-partner initiative protecting 100,000+ acres of land with ecological and military significance around Colorado Springs-area installations including Fort Carson, the U.S. Air Force Academy, Peterson SFB, Schriever SFB, and Cheyenne Mountain SOC. Includes the Bohart Ranch effort (7,160 acres protected in Phase 2).
- Generation Wild Coalition $1.75M Great Outdoors Colorado-funded coalition initiative that creates pathways for Pueblo youth to become conservation champions. Palmer partners with the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center and Boys & Girls Clubs of Pueblo County; across Colorado, 15 Generation Wild coalitions have delivered 9,550 programs reaching 360,222 participants.
- TENACITY: Women in Conservation Annual signature event that brings women leaders in conservation together for panel discussions exploring how conservation intersects with philanthropy, policy, agriculture, recreation, and civic planning across Colorado. The 2025 event drew more than 160 attendees.
- MIRASOL, Looking at the Sun (Documentary Film) Documentary film directed by Ben Knight and produced and presented by Palmer Land Conservancy. The film portrays Pueblo, Colorado's multi-generational farming community and their fight to protect water and agricultural land, and has screened at 12+ film festivals and 30+ in-person events reaching more than 7,000 viewers. Used for conservation advocacy and fundraising.
Quantifiable outcome
- 138,000+ acres permanently protected across southern Colorado since 1977
- +10 more outcomes
Companies that use Palmer Land Conservancy
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Palmer Land Conservancy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Palmer Land Conservancy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Nature ConservancycorePalmer and The Nature Conservancy are key partners in the SOAR (Security, Open Space & Agricultural Resiliency) initiative, working to conserve 100,000+ acres of land with ecological and military significance. The Nature Conservancy and Palmer co-led the coalition that achieved the Pikes Peak Sentinel Landscape federal designation. Both organizations are jointly working to permanently conserve the full 48,000-acre Bohart Ranch.
- Trust for Public LandcorePartner in the SOAR initiative alongside The Nature Conservancy and the Colorado Defense Alliance. Trust for Public Land contributes to the multi-year effort to conserve land with ecological and military significance, including the Bohart Ranch project.
- Colorado Defense AlliancecoreKey partner in the SOAR initiative, representing defense and military community interests in land conservation around Colorado Springs military installations. Helped lead the coalition that secured the Pikes Peak Sentinel Landscape designation.
- Department of War (U.S. Army / U.S. Air Force)coreFederal partner in the SOAR initiative and the Pikes Peak Sentinel Landscape designation. The Department of War (USDA, DOI, and DOD) is a joint partner providing federal funding and technical assistance for compatible development reduction near military installations.
- El Pomar FoundationminorJoined the expanded coalition that applied for the Pikes Peak Sentinel Landscape designation, contributing as a regional philanthropic partner to the multi-stakeholder application process.
- Nature & Wildlife Discovery CodeminorPartner in the Generation Wild Coalition alongside Palmer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Pueblo County, and eight other organizations. Awarded $1.75M from GOCO to create pathways for youth to become conservation champions in Pueblo.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Pueblo CountyminorPartner in the Generation Wild Coalition awarded $1.75M from GOCO. The coalition creates programming that brings youth from the Boys & Girls Clubs into nature and conservation activities.
- Colorado CollegeminorPalmer became a High Impact Partner with Colorado College in 2025, deepening involvement with staff and students. Students contributed 300+ hours of volunteer work on Palmer properties. A 68-page carbon sequestration study was produced through a joint research partnership.
- Arkansas Valley Audubon SocietyminorPartner in the Working Birds Initiative alongside the Audubon Society. Collaborated on installation of nest boxes and raptor perching poles across 30+ Palmer properties to harness ecosystem services for natural pest control.
- Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI)minorPartner organization with trail stewardship opportunities for volunteers. RMFI leads trail building, maintenance, and wildfire mitigation volunteer projects on and near Palmer-protected lands.
- Fremont Adventure Recreation (FAR)minorCommunity organization offering trail stewardship opportunities near Cañon City and Fremont County. Partners with Palmer on volunteer trail maintenance events.
- SCHEELSminorCorporate volunteer partner; SCHEELS employees participated in two volunteer days on privately conserved land, pulling noxious weeds and picking up trash.
- Credit Union of ColoradominorVolunteer partner that removed invasive weeds and trash from Mesa Valley Wildlife Preserve, and donated a complete set of tools to support future group stewardship projects.
- Fountain Creek Watershed DistrictminorPartner during annual Creek Week; Palmer volunteers removed hundreds of pounds of trash and debris from critical wetlands and shorelines at Runyon Lake in Pueblo.
- City of Colorado SpringscorePalmer works in partnership with the City of Colorado Springs on parks, open spaces, and trails. Palmer holds permanent conservation easements on several City properties (Bluestem Prairie, Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Manitou Section 16, Ute Valley Park Gateway, University Park at Austin Bluffs). Palmer is engaged in the City's E-bike policy evaluation process.
Scale indicators25 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Palmer Land Conservancy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Colorado Open Lands: Colorado-focused land trust protecting working lands and natural areas across the state. Directly comparable as a state-level land trust using conservation easements to protect farms, ranches, and open spaces — Palmer's most direct geographic peer.
- Trust for Public Land: National land conservation organization focused on protecting land for public access and community benefit. A direct SOAR partner with Palmer and highly comparable in mission, easement-driven model, and urban-proximate park protection.
- American Farmland Trust: National organization dedicated to protecting farmland and ranchland. An active Palmer partner (Adaptive Multi-Paddock grazing study funding) with directly comparable agricultural land protection mission and methods.
Others
- Land Trust Alliance: National membership organization representing 1,000+ land trusts across the U.S. Industry body that sets accreditation standards, provides training, and advocates for land trust policy — relevant as Palmer's sector infrastructure.
- Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO): Statewide lottery-funded conservation grantmaker that has awarded Palmer $1.75M for Generation Wild and $50K for Borrego Ranch transaction costs. A key funding partner rather than a direct competitor.
Broad incumbents
- The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit focused on conservation and sustainable development through land acquisition and easements. Comparable in land transaction expertise and conservation finance, operating at a larger national scale.
- The Nature Conservancy: The largest global conservation organization, with active programs in Colorado and direct SOAR Initiative partnership with Palmer. Comparable as a land trust operator protecting large acreages through easements and acquisitions, though operating at a vastly larger national and global scale.
- National Parks Conservation Association: Independent nonprofit advocating for national parks and protected lands. Comparable as a conservation advocacy and stewardship organization, though focused on federal parklands rather than private-land easements.
Emerging players
- Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: Wildlife-habitat focused land trust active across the Rocky Mountain West. Comparable as a habitat and easement-driven organization with overlapping Colorado geography, though focused specifically on elk and wildlife habitat.
Regional players
- Southern Plains Land Trust: Regional land trust protecting grasslands and prairie habitat across the southern Great Plains. Comparable in mission and easement-based model, though focused on a different geography (southeastern Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas) than Palmer's primary southern Colorado footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Palmer Land Conservancy social profiles
Digital presencePalmer Land Conservancy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Palmer Land Conservancy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Palmer Land Conservancy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Palmer Land 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 Palmer Land Conservancy
What does Palmer Land Conservancy do?
Palmer Land Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust that permanently protects land and water across southern Colorado through conservation easements, land acquisition, and stewardship programs. The organization works directly with farmers, ranchers, and landowners to preserve working farms and ranches, water rights, 20+ public parks and open spaces, and wildlife habitat, monitoring nearly 150,000 acres across 10 counties and stewarding 138,000+ permanently protected acres since 1977.
Is Palmer Land Conservancy a public or private company?
Palmer Land Conservancy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Palmer Land Conservancy founded?
Palmer Land Conservancy was founded in 1977. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Palmer Land Conservancy based?
Palmer Land Conservancy is headquartered in Colorado Springs, United States, in the North America region.
How does Palmer Land Conservancy make money?
One revenue line is on record: individual and Business Membership / Donations.
Who are Palmer Land Conservancy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Colorado Open Lands, Trust for Public Land and American Farmland Trust. Others are Land Trust Alliance and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO). Broad incumbents are The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy and National Parks Conservation Association. Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is listed as an emerging player. Southern Plains Land Trust is listed as a regional player.
Does Palmer Land Conservancy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Palmer Land Conservancy.
What industry is Palmer Land Conservancy in?
Palmer Land Conservancy's product category is Land Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAC, Land Trusts & Protected Areas, with a secondary code of AFAMAMAH, Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 800.