Arizona Conservation Corps

What Arizona Conservation Corps does

Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC) is a nonprofit conservation service organization operating as a regional program of Conservation Legacy, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1998 (Conservation Legacy) and 2003 (AZCC's predecessor, Youth Corps of Southern Arizona). AZCC engages youth, young adults, and post-9/11 military veterans in hands-on conservation labor across Arizona and southern New Mexico, executing projects for federal, state, local, and tribal land management agencies including the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Game and Fish, and Coconino County. Service offerings consist of six core programs: Field Crews (residential 8-day hitches for ages 18-30), Local Youth Crews (ages 17-20, summer crews), Individual Placements (internships with land agencies), Veterans Fire Corps (wildland fire training), Arizona Urban Forestry (Phoenix metro arboriculture), and Indigenous Programming (tribal-community-rooted crews).

The business model is a hybrid of federal grant funding, project-based contracts with government partners, and individual donations. AZCC is funded primarily through AmeriCorps grants, the National Park Foundation, and other federal sources routed through Conservation Legacy, with project partners covering the cost of conservation work performed on their lands. Participants receive AmeriCorps living allowances and education awards rather than salaries, and AZCC captures value as the labor intermediary providing certified, managed crews at lower cost than traditional contractors. The organization is accredited by The Corps Network and participates in the Partnership for the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC), a national public-private partnership. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations are supported by commodity SaaS (Silk Road for applications, Donorbox for donations, PayPal for payment processing). No revenue is publicly disclosed, and the broader Conservation Legacy organization reports 2,200 participants annually, 28,000 acres restored, and 940 miles of trails maintained across all 50 US states.

Name

Arizona Conservation Corps

Legal name

Arizona Conservation Corps

Website

https://azcorps.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Arizona Conservation Corps is a nonprofit conservation service program of Conservation Legacy that engages youth, young adults, and veterans in hands-on conservation projects on public lands across Arizona and southern New Mexico, funded through AmeriCorps grants and federal land management contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB), Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Conservation service corps
• AmeriCorps national service
• Wildland fire management
• Trail construction services
• Habitat restoration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Flagstaff

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding & AmeriCorps Support: AZCC operates as a program of Conservation Legacy and receives funding through AmeriCorps grants, National Park Foundation support, and other federal funding sources to operate conservation service programs.
2. Project Partner Contracts: AZCC partners with federal, state, and local land management agencies (National Park Service, US Forest Service, BLM, etc.) to complete conservation projects. These partnerships involve project-based work agreements.
3. Donations: AZCC accepts donations through Conservation Legacy's donorbox platform to support conservation projects and program operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC) is a 501(c)(3) conservation service corps that engages youth, young adults ages 18-30, and post-9/11 military veterans in hands-on conservation service projects on public lands across Arizona and southern New Mexico. Crews perform trail construction and maintenance, habitat restoration, fuels reduction, wildland firefighting, invasive species removal, historic preservation, and disaster response under project-based agreements with federal, state, local, and tribal land management agencies. Participants receive a weekly living stipend, professional certifications (S-212 Chainsaw, Fire Camp, Wilderness First Aid, Certified Arborist), and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award.

Product overview

Arizona Conservation Corps operates a continuum of conservation service programs as part of Conservation Legacy. The organization offers multiple distinct programs: Field Crews (residential camping crews for young adults ages 18-30 on 8-day hitches), Local Youth Crews (summer youth programs for ages 17-20 living at home), Individual Placements (internships with land management agencies), Veterans Fire Corps (wildland fire training for post-9/11 veterans), Arizona Urban Forestry (urban tree canopy work in Phoenix metro), and Indigenous Programming (tribal community-rooted conservation crews). Programs vary in length, location, focus and population served, providing participants with conservation work experience, certifications, and AmeriCorps education awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Field Crews Field Crew program engages motivated young adults ages 18-30 to complete challenging and impactful conservation service projects throughout Arizona. Crews operate on eight-day 'hitches' with six days off, camping at or near project sites, and performing trail construction, habitat restoration, fuels reduction, and related field work for land management partners.
• Local Youth Crews The Summer Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) introduces Corpsmembers aged 17-20 to community service and resource conservation through hands-on project work. Crew members live at home and work Monday through Friday on projects in their local community, providing a non-residential entry point into conservation service.
• Individual Placements Individual Placements engage individuals in positions with federal, state, and local land management agencies and environmentally focused non-profits. Interns are paired with local supervisors and offer technical, hands-on experience in these organizations, functioning as an AmeriCorps internship track.
• Veterans Fire Corps Provides post-9/11 era Veterans with training and on-the-job experience in wildland firefighting and natural resource management. Veterans work and live alongside other vets while receiving certifications including S-212 Chainsaw Certification, Fire Camp Training, and Wilderness First Aid, supporting the military-to-civilian career transition.
• Arizona Urban Forestry The Urban Forestry Program provides training in urban forestry and arboriculture in the Phoenix Metro Area from AZCC's South Phoenix office at the Brooks Center. The Monday-Friday non-camping program focuses on tree planting, maintenance, and care, with opportunities to earn certifications including S212 Sawyer Certification and Certified Arborist.
• Indigenous Programming Indigenous programs are rooted in the culture and heritage of local tribal communities. Programs consist of conservation crews and individual placements, engaging Indigenous young adults in preserving ancestral lands, with active partnership with the White Mountain Apache Tribe.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,200 participants engaged annually across Conservation Legacy programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Conservation LegacycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAZCC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a national organization operating eight regional and national conservation programs. Conservation Legacy provides strategic leadership, branding, operational support, and fundraising infrastructure for AZCC and its sister programs.
• AmeriCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAZCC partners with AmeriCorps to provide national service opportunities for young adults. AmeriCorps provides funding support and the framework for the education award benefit offered to participants.
• AmeriCorps VISTAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAZCC partners with AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) to engage members in anti-poverty initiatives through conservation service.
• The Partnership for the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation Legacy provides strategic leadership to the 21CSC, a national effort to engage young Americans and veterans in protecting, restoring, and enhancing America's outdoors. AZCC participates in this public-private partnership.
• The Corps NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAZCC is a proud member of The Corps Network, which provides critical leadership to the corps movement and nation's service and conservation corps.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor project partner for AZCC crews. NPS provides project opportunities for trail maintenance, historic preservation, habitat restoration, and other conservation work at national park sites across Arizona.
• US Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor project partner providing conservation work opportunities including trail construction, fuels reduction, and forest restoration projects on national forest lands.
• Bureau of Land ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner providing opportunities for conservation work on BLM-managed public lands throughout Arizona.
• Arizona Game and Fish DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState partner for wildlife monitoring, habitat restoration, and conservation projects.
• Arizona Department of Environmental QualitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState partner for water quality protection, watershed restoration, and environmental projects.
• Coconino CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner for flood mitigation, emergency response, and community conservation projects in northern Arizona.
• City of TucsonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner for conservation and community projects in the Tucson area.
• Pima CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner for conservation projects in Pima County.
• Maricopa CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner for projects in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
• National Forest FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner supporting forest restoration and trail projects in partnership with US Forest Service.
• National Fish and Wildlife FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation nonprofit providing funding and support for wildlife habitat restoration projects.
• Arizona State ParksmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState partner for conservation and maintenance projects at Arizona state parks.
• Bureau of ReclamationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner for water conservation and resource management projects.
• White Mountain Apache TribemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner for conservation projects on tribal lands.
• Gila Watershed PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional watershed partnership for conservation projects in the Gila River watershed.
• Escalante River Watershed PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional watershed partnership for riparian restoration in the Escalante River watershed.
• Verde Watershed Restoration CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional watershed coalition for restoration projects in the Verde River watershed.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• California Conservation Corps: The California Conservation Corps is a state government-run conservation corps offering year-round service for young adults 18-25. While state-managed rather than nonprofit, it provides structurally comparable services (fire, trails, disaster response) and is a key reference point for labor cost benchmarks and program scale.
• Student Conservation Association: The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is the largest and oldest conservation corps in the US, with a national footprint spanning internships, crew programs, and conservation service. SCA operates a broader portfolio than AZCC and is a more established brand among federal agencies and conservation employers.
• AmeriCorps NCCC: AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) is a federal full-time residential national service program that deploys teams of young adults for 10-month projects including disaster response, conservation, and community service. AZCC alumni and staff have moved through NCCC, making it a direct labor pool competitor and partner.

Others

• The Corps Network: The Corps Network is the national membership organization of 130+ service and conservation corps that accredits corps like AZCC and advocates for federal service legislation. While not a direct competitor, it is the trade body that shapes AZCC's funding environment and peer network.

Direct peers

• Montana Conservation Corps: Montana Conservation Corps is an AmeriCorps-affiliated conservation corps operating in the Northern Rockies with a near-identical program model (field crews, individual placements, veterans crews). It is a useful comparator for crew capacity, federal contract wins, and program economics in the western US.
• Southwest Conservation Corps: Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) was one of the organizations that merged into AZCC in 2023, and historically operated the same conservation corps model in southern Arizona/Colorado. Its remaining Colorado/New Mexico operations serve overlapping participant populations and federal land management partners.
• American Conservation Experience: American Conservation Experience (ACE) is a national conservation corps operating across the western US, offering similar field crew, individual placement, and AmeriCorps programs. ACE competes directly with AZCC for federal project contracts on public lands and for the same participant pool.
• Conservation Corps New Mexico: Conservation Corps New Mexico (CCNMA) operates the same AmeriCorps-based conservation corps model in New Mexico, sharing both the Conservation Legacy umbrella and direct participant pipeline with AZCC. Its Sierra Vista and Los Alamos crews offer completely overlapping services (trails, fuels reduction, habitat restoration) and compete for the same federal/state partners.

Regional players

• Washington Conservation Corps: Washington Conservation Corps is a state-run AmeriCorps program offering conservation service for young adults 18-25 across Washington State. Operates a regional model with similar program structure (crews, stipends, education awards) but is geographically distant from AZCC.

Emerging players

• Groundwork USA: Groundwork USA is a national network of local trusts engaging youth in environmental improvement projects in urban areas. Its focus on urban environmental justice and youth-led projects overlaps with AZCC's Arizona Urban Forestry and Local Youth Crews programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AZCC101
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaXoaCRjOSLDB9xQ7Rc9QiQ/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/arizonaconservationcorps
• Instagraminstagram.com/arizonaconservationcorps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Arizona Conservation Corps