The Institute for Regional Conservation

What The Institute for Regional Conservation does

The Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1984 by George Gann and headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida. Its mission is to protect, restore, and manage biodiversity on a regional basis and prevent regional extinctions of rare plants, animals, and ecosystems. The organization's core deliverable is a portfolio of interconnected web-based floristic databases covering South Florida (2,500+ vascular plants, 375,000+ occurrence records across 400+ protected areas), the Florida Keys (1,000+ plants, 16,000+ records), a bilingual Puerto Rico database, and a Yucatan Peninsula portal, supplemented by the Natives for Your Neighborhood resource (65,000+ monthly page views) that guides private native plant landscaping. Programmatic work is anchored by the 2019-launched Restoring the Gold Coast coastal restoration initiative, the Pine Rockland Initiative, and the Society for Ecological Restoration-aligned international standards co-authored by IRC leadership.

IRC serves four primary segments: scientists and conservation researchers using the databases for research and planning; land managers and conservation professionals at agencies such as the National Park Service and Florida Park Service; municipalities (Boca Raton, Delray Beach) and partner organizations (Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden) that co-deliver restoration and education; and homeowners, students, and private coastal landowners reached through digital tools, volunteer events, and education programs. Revenue is generated primarily through foundation and agency grants (Impact 100 Palm Beach County, Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, New York Life, South Florida Water Management District, Broward County, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), supplemented by retail sales of Biodiversity Starter Plant Kits ($60–$90), on-site consultations for private coastal properties, and individual donations. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on volunteer restoration events, workshops, and educational programs to translate scientific data into on-the-ground conservation outcomes.

Name

The Institute for Regional Conservation

Legal name

The Institute for Regional Conservation

Website

https://regionalconservation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Institute for Regional Conservation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds and maintains floristic plant databases and delivers coastal restoration programs for scientists, land managers, municipalities, and homeowners across South Florida, the Caribbean, and the Yucatan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

akta.pro primary industry

Threatened & Endangered Species (TES) / Protected Species Surveys & Compliance (EUAHAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Regional conservation services
• Floristic inventory databases
• Native plant restoration
• Ecological restoration programs
• Biodiversity conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Delray Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Grants and Fundraising: IRC is a private nonprofit organization exempt from taxes under U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)3 (Tax ID# 74-2336458). Revenue is primarily generated through grants from foundations (e.g., Impact 100 Palm Beach County, Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, New York Life) and individual donations.
2. Biodiversity Starter Plant Kits: Sale of native plant kits for coastal gardens including Butterfly Attracting kits ($60), Tropical Hammock Forest kits ($90), Beach Dune kits ($75), and Coastal Strand kits ($85). These kits support the Restoring the Gold Coast program.
3. On-site Consultations: IRC's Chief Conservation Strategist offers on-site visits and evaluations of privately-owned properties on barrier islands, assessing dune or coastal landscapes and recommending short and long-term actions for coastal gardens.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC) operates a suite of publicly accessible web-based floristic inventory databases covering South Florida, the Florida Keys, Puerto Rico, and the Yucatan Peninsula, providing occurrence records, species rankings, and habitat guidance for thousands of vascular plant species. In parallel, IRC runs the Restoring the Gold Coast community restoration program, sells native plant starter kits, and provides on-site coastal landscape consultations to private property owners in South Florida.

Product overview

The Institute for Regional Conservation operates as a conservation nonprofit offering a suite of interconnected web-based botanical databases and floristic inventories rather than a unified software platform. The core portfolio centers on four geographic databases: the Floristic Inventory of South Florida (FISF, 2,500+ plants), the Floristic Inventory of the Florida Keys (FIFK, 1,000+ plants), Natives for Your Neighborhood (NFYN, native plant cultivation guide), and regional databases for Puerto Rico and the Yucatan Peninsula. These databases share common architecture and serve scientists, land managers, and homeowners. The Restoring the Gold Coast Program adds community engagement through physical Biodiversity Starter Plant Kits (butterfly, hammock, beach dune, and coastal strand kits priced $60-$90) and volunteer restoration events. The Pine Rockland Initiative addresses specific habitat conservation. IRC also publishes books and technical reports including the foundational 2002 'Rare Plants of South Florida' and ongoing journal articles and restoration guidelines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Floristic Inventory of South Florida Database Online (FISF) Web-based floristic inventory database providing data on more than 2,500 vascular plant species in the 10 southernmost counties of Florida, underpinned by more than 375,000 occurrence records. Functions as a scientific repository and user-friendly tool for conservation and restoration of native flora, used by scientists, land managers, and homeowners.
• Floristic Inventory of the Florida Keys Database Online (FIFK) Web-based floristic inventory database providing data on more than 1,000 vascular plant species in the Florida Keys sections of Monroe and Miami-Dade counties, with over 16,000 occurrence records. Used by scientists and conservation professionals for Keys-focused research and management.
• Natives for Your Neighborhood (NFYN) Web-based resource providing specific and up-to-date information on cultivated native plants in South Florida to promote native plant gardening and habitat restoration on private lands. Generates over 65,000 page views per month.
• Plants of Puerto Rico Database Bilingual (Spanish/English) web-based database documenting plants of Puerto Rico, providing botanical information, plant selection guides, and agricultural practice resources across the Puerto Rican Bank.
• Plantas del Mayab (Yucatan) Botanical Portal Botanical portal covering plants of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, providing plant information and conservation resources for the region.
• Biodiversity Starter Plant Kits Physical native plant kits sold to homeowners and gardeners in South Florida for coastal landscaping and habitat restoration, including Butterfly Attracting Starter Plant Kits ($60), Tropical Hammock Forest and Coastal Garden Starter Plant Kits ($90), Beach Dune and Coastal Grasslands Starter Plant Kits ($75), and Coastal Strand and Shrubland Starter Plant Kits ($85).
• On-site Coastal Property Consultations Paid on-site property visits and evaluations of privately-owned coastal properties on barrier islands in south Palm Beach County, including assessment of dune and coastal landscapes with short- and long-term restoration recommendations. Delivered by IRC's Chief Conservation Strategist.
• Restoring the Gold Coast Program Collaborative community conservation initiative comprising volunteer restoration events, biodiversity assessments, coastal education programs, Adopt-a-Dune participation, and the sale of Biodiversity Starter Plant Kits across southeastern Florida coastal ecosystems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,200 people engaged in restoration activities through Phase I of Restoring the Gold Coast
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Boca Raton Office of SustainabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration on ecological restoration volunteer days at Red Reef Park. The City provides funding and staff support for beach dune restoration projects as part of the Restoring the Gold Coast program.
• City of Delray BeachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding and collaboration partner for restoration events at Atlantic Dunes Park and Adopt-a-Dune program. City supported invasive removal and native plant installation projects.
• Loggerhead Marinelife CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for Coastal Conservation Education programs. IRC staff led educational tours of beach dunes and maritime hammock for summer camp programs reaching 60 students per session.
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic GardencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Beach Jacquemontia restoration efforts and annual summits. IRC collaborates on federally endangered species recovery projects including Jacquemontia reclinata.
• Ocean Ridge Garden ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on coastal gardening guide 'A gardening guide for living on the barrier island' published by the Ocean Ridge Garden Club.
• The Florida Native Plant SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast major sponsor and collaborative partner, with multiple chapters (Naples, Palm Beach, Dade, Coccoloba) supporting IRC projects.
• Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program - U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast major sponsor and collaborative partner on habitat restoration and rare species conservation projects throughout South Florida.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI): Global umbrella organization linking botanical gardens in plant conservation. A broader incumbent in the same plant conservation and biodiversity space; operates at a global scale where IRC operates regionally.
• The Nature Conservancy (Florida): Global conservation organization with major Florida operations including habitat restoration, rare species protection, and public-private partnerships. A larger, more established incumbent in the same regional conservation space; cited by IRC as a peer partner.

Direct peers

• Archbold Biological Station: Florida-based ecological research station conducting long-term biodiversity monitoring, rare species conservation, and habitat restoration on protected lands. Comparable to IRC in scientific rigor and regional conservation focus, with overlapping target audiences (scientists, land managers).
• National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG): Federally chartered tropical plant conservation organization operating botanical gardens and research programs across the tropics. Comparable to IRC in its tropical floristics focus, databases of tropical species, and endangered plant recovery work.
• Florida Native Plant Society: Statewide nonprofit with multiple chapters (Naples, Palm Beach, Dade) that has collaborated with IRC and uses its databases. Directly comparable as a regional native plant conservation and education organization with grassroots volunteer engagement.
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: South Florida-based botanical garden and conservation organization that partners directly with IRC on rare plant restoration (e.g., Jacquemontia reclinata). Operates similar public-facing native plant programs, scientific databases, and educational outreach, making it the closest organizational peer.
• Center for Plant Conservation: U.S.-focused nonprofit dedicated to preventing the extinction of rare native plants through collaborative conservation programs. Directly comparable mission, similar data-driven approach, and overlapping audiences in land management and conservation science.

Emerging players

• Society for Ecological Restoration (SER): International scientific society where IRC's founder co-authored the SER International Standards. Comparable in that it sits at the intersection of science, restoration practice, and policy standards that IRC's work informs; functions as both peer and standards-setting body.

Regional players

• Everglades Foundation: Regional nonprofit focused on Everglades restoration, science, and policy advocacy. Comparable to IRC in its South Florida conservation focus, federal partnership base, and emphasis on habitat restoration, though it concentrates on a single ecosystem rather than broader floristic conservation.
• Tropical Audubon Society: Miami-based chapter of Audubon focused on South Florida ecosystems, native plant advocacy, and conservation education. Operates in the same geography and engages similar audiences (homeowners, students, conservation professionals) as IRC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/regionalconservation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-institute-for-regional-conservation
• Instagraminstagram.com/regional.conservation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Institute for Regional Conservation