Groundwork Richmond
Groundwork Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and designated Urban Forestry Administrator for the City of Richmond, delivering tree planting, youth workforce development (ages 13-25), and community air quality monitoring programs to Richmond, CA residents since 2010 as the twentieth Groundwork USA affiliate.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersRichmond, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Groundwork Richmond does
Groundwork Richmond is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2010 and headquartered in Richmond, California. It operates as the twentieth local affiliate of the Groundwork USA national network and serves as the designated Urban Forestry Administrator for the City of Richmond. Since founding, the organization has planted and maintained nearly 3,000 trees and has identified more than 13,000 potential new planting sites through community outreach and master planning.
The organization's core programs include Urban Greening (tree planting and green space development), the Green Team youth workforce program (ages 13-18), Air Rangers (community air quality monitoring using Purple Air sensors deployed at 20+ residents' homes plus Ramboll Shair and AethLabs black carbon monitors in industrial-adjacent neighborhoods), Adopt-a-Tree (residential tree distribution), and a Workforce Development employment program (ages 18-25, funded by CalFire). Collaborative infrastructure projects include the Richmond Wellness Trail (Phase 1 completed Earth Day 2022 with 60+ trees planted over 1.1 miles), the Richmond Greenway and Unity Park (backed by a $5 million state grant), and participation in the Richmond Rising Transformative Climate Communities initiative alongside GRID Alternatives, Urban Tilth, and the Center for Global Healthy Cities at UC Berkeley.
Groundwork Richmond is funded through individual donations via PayPal across three designated funds (Green Team, Tree, and General Support), foundation grants (e.g., East Bay Community Foundation for the Pullman Park mural), and government grants from CalFire, the California Air Resources Board, the California Strategic Growth Council, and the California Natural Resources Agency. Programs are delivered free of charge to Richmond residents and youth. The organization employs 1-10 staff including Executive Director Lorena Castillo, Program Manager Jose Zamora, Urban Forestry Supervisor Jorge Mendoza, Youth Program Manager Marianna Rodriguez, and Administrative & Marketing Coordinator Stacy Webb, supported by a Board of Directors including Treasurer Ben Kellman and Founding Member Nancy Baer.
Groundwork Richmond firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Groundwork Richmond
- Legal name
- Groundwork Richmond Inc.
- Website
- https://groundworkrichmond.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Groundwork Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and designated Urban Forestry Administrator for the City of Richmond, delivering tree planting, youth workforce development (ages 13-25), and community air quality monitoring programs to Richmond, CA residents since 2010 as the twentieth Groundwork USA affiliate.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Groundwork Richmond industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Environmental Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)
- SIC
- Forestry (800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Urban & Community Reforestation / Street Tree Planting (AFAMACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)
Keywords
Where Groundwork Richmond is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Groundwork Richmond business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: Individual donations through PayPal platform supporting three designated funds: Green Team Fund (youth education, career training, transportation, meals, wages, safety gear), Tree Fund (tree purchasing and supplies), and General Support Fund (staffing, training, tools, administrative costs).
- Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including East Bay Fund for Artists at East Bay Community Foundation for specific projects like the Pullman Park mural.
- Government Grants: Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) program funds from California Strategic Growth Council, CalFire grants for workforce development, state grants for Unity Park ($5 million), and Urban Greening funding from California Natural Resources Agency.
- Community Air Grants: Program funding from California Air Resources Board through the Community Air Grants Program supporting AB 617 implementation and air quality monitoring initiatives.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Groundwork Richmond product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Groundwork Richmond is a community-based nonprofit that delivers urban forestry, youth workforce development, and community air quality monitoring programs at no cost to participants in Richmond, California. The organization plants and maintains trees, operates youth employment programs through the Green Team, and deploys Purple Air sensors and black carbon monitors across neighborhoods impacted by industrial pollution. Services are funded through donations and grants and delivered via direct community engagement and partnerships with the City of Richmond.
Product overview
Groundwork Richmond operates as a community-based nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of environmental programs. The core offerings include the Urban Greening Program for tree planting and green space development, the Green Team youth workforce development initiative, the Air Rangers air quality monitoring program, the Adopt-a-Tree residential tree distribution, and the Workforce Development employment training program. These programs are complemented by collaborative infrastructure projects including the Richmond Wellness Trail, Richmond Greenway improvements, and participation in the Richmond Rising Transformative Climate Communities initiative. The organization serves as the designated Urban Forestry Administrator for the City of Richmond and operates as the twentieth affiliate of Groundwork USA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Urban Greening Program Environmental enhancement initiative that plants trees and creates green spaces to improve air quality, reduce urban heat island effect, and support community health in Richmond, CA. Includes identification of potential planting sites through community outreach and an Urban Greening master plan.
- Green Team Program Youth workforce development program for ages 13-18 offering environmental education, outdoor adventure, community service opportunities, career training, and wages. Recruited in partnership with the City of Richmond's YouthWorks program.
- Air Rangers Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Richmond children are twice as likely to develop asthma compared to neighboring cities (UCSF study)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Groundwork Richmond
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Groundwork Richmond technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Groundwork Richmond partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of RichmondcorePrimary municipal partner for urban greening initiatives. Groundwork Richmond works with City of Richmond's Parks & Landscaping Division to identify tree planting locations and serves as designated Urban Forestry Administrator. Partnership includes collaborative development of Richmond Greenway, Unity Park ($5 million state grant), and air quality monitoring programs.
- Groundwork USAcoreNational network affiliation. Groundwork Richmond is the twentieth local affiliate of Groundwork USA, sharing knowledge and expertise across the Groundwork network. Operates independently while embracing the national mission adapted for local Richmond community needs.
- Friends of the Richmond Greenway (FORG)coreCo-creating Unity Park, a $5 million community park project along the Richmond Greenway. Groundwork Richmond is an active member of the Friends of the Richmond Greenway Advisory Committee and has adopted multiple areas along the Greenway.
- Pogo ParkminorGreen Team partnership to engage community in spreading awareness and gathering feedback for the proposed 23rd Street Bridge—a crucial connection between East and West sides of the Richmond Greenway.
- The Trust for Public LandcorePartner in Unity Park development and Richmond Wellness Trail project, supporting urban greening and community space creation with planning and implementation expertise.
- The Watershed ProjectcorePartnership for Eastern Richmond Greenway Trail improvements, leading rainwater gardens and bioswales development to control stormwater surges. Also partner in Richmond Wellness Trail initiative.
- Rich City RidesminorPartner in Richmond Wellness Trail project, contributing to cycling and pedestrian infrastructure improvements connecting downtown Richmond to the shoreline.
- National Park ServicecoreUrban Agenda initiative partnership supporting Richmond Wellness Trail project. NPS Urban Fellow Kieron Slaughter spent two years developing the project vision to increase NPS visibility through a key urban project. Partnership connects Americans to parks in urban areas.
- Kaiser PermanenteminorPartner in Richmond Wellness Trail collaborative effort, supporting urban greening and health-related community initiatives.
- California Air Resources BoardcoreAir Rangers program partnership through Community Air Grants Program supporting AB 617 implementation. Bridges gap between communities, air districts, and California Air Resources Board for air quality improvements.
- Ramboll (Shair)coreTechnology partnership for air quality monitoring. Partnered to install remote air quality monitors and share real-time data via Ramboll's Shair Map platform. Also partnered to install 4 black carbon monitors for airborne metals sampling analysis.
- GRID AlternativesminorPartner in Richmond Rising (TCC) initiative, contributing to solar energy installation and energy efficiency strategies.
- Urban TilthminorPartner in Richmond Rising (TCC) initiative, supporting urban greening and environmental improvement projects.
- Center for Global Healthy Cities at UC BerkeleyminorPartner in Richmond Rising (TCC) initiative, providing research and expertise in urban health and environmental planning.
- Girls Inc.minorYouth partner for Pullman Park mural project. Girls Inc. youth will work on design and painting of the mural alongside Groundwork Richmond youth during summer.
- Richmond artist Rebeca Garcia-GonzalezminorLead artist for Pullman Park mural project, directing the mural creation process with community and youth input.
- YouthWorks (City of Richmond)coreCity of Richmond program connecting local youth with job opportunities. Green Team program connects with YouthWorks to recruit and support youth participants ages 13-18.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Groundwork Richmond competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Friends of Trees: Portland-based nonprofit that plants trees in neighborhoods, parks, and natural areas with strong volunteer engagement. Comparable community-driven urban forestry model with a regional scope.
- Trees Atlanta: Atlanta-based urban forestry nonprofit focused on reforestation, tree planting, and green infrastructure. Direct peer in mission, scale, and operating model.
- Casey Trees: Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit dedicated to planting, maintaining, and protecting trees in the urban canopy. Closely comparable as a dedicated urban forestry nonprofit with tree-adoption, workforce, and community education programs analogous to Groundwork Richmond's.
- Groundwork Elizabeth: Groundwork USA affiliate in Elizabeth, NJ running urban greening, youth environmental programs, and brownfield restoration. Direct peer as another local Groundwork USA chapter applying the same affiliate model in an industrial-port city similar to Richmond.
- Groundwork Hudson Valley: Groundwork USA affiliate focused on urban forestry, youth environmental employment, and brownfield remediation in Yonkers. Direct peer by mission and Groundwork USA programmatic framework, though in a different geography.
- Groundwork San Diego: Another Groundwork USA local affiliate running parallel urban greening, youth workforce, and environmental justice programs in San Diego. Highly comparable as a sister affiliate using the same national operating model in a different California city.
Broad incumbents
- American Forests: National nonprofit focused on urban and rural forest conservation, policy advocacy, and tree planting at scale. Comparable in urban forestry mission but operates at a national advocacy level rather than community implementation.
- The Trust for Public Land: National land conservation organization that partners with municipalities on parks, greenways, and urban greening. Comparable mission overlap on urban green space and currently a direct partner of Groundwork Richmond on Unity Park and the Wellness Trail.
Emerging players
- Urban Tilth: Richmond, CA-based environmental justice nonprofit focused on urban agriculture and food sovereignty. Hyper-local peer sharing the same Richmond geography and overlapping partnerships (already a Groundwork Richmond partner under TCC/Richmond Rising).
- The Watershed Project: Bay Area nonprofit focused on watershed health, green stormwater infrastructure, and community-based environmental work. Comparable as a regional environmental nonprofit with overlapping urban greening, bioswale, and trail work in Richmond.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Groundwork Richmond social profiles
Digital presenceGroundwork Richmond financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Groundwork Richmond leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Groundwork Richmond funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Groundwork Richmond 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 Groundwork Richmond
What does Groundwork Richmond do?
Groundwork Richmond is a community-based nonprofit that delivers urban forestry, youth workforce development, and community air quality monitoring programs at no cost to participants in Richmond, California. The organization plants and maintains trees, operates youth employment programs through the Green Team, and deploys Purple Air sensors and black carbon monitors across neighborhoods impacted by industrial pollution. Services are funded through donations and grants and delivered via direct community engagement and partnerships with the City of Richmond.
Is Groundwork Richmond a public or private company?
Groundwork Richmond is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Groundwork Richmond founded?
Groundwork Richmond was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Groundwork Richmond based?
Groundwork Richmond is headquartered in Richmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does Groundwork Richmond make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants, government Grants and community Air Grants.
Who are Groundwork Richmond's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Friends of Trees, Trees Atlanta, Casey Trees, Groundwork Elizabeth, Groundwork Hudson Valley and Groundwork San Diego. Broad incumbents are American Forests and The Trust for Public Land. Emerging players are Urban Tilth and The Watershed Project.
Does Groundwork Richmond have an API?
No public API is recorded for Groundwork Richmond.
What industry is Groundwork Richmond in?
Groundwork Richmond's product category is Community Environmental Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAMACAL, Urban & Community Reforestation / Street Tree Planting, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAD, Forestry & Reforestation. Its NAICS code is 1153 and its SIC code is 800.