Society for Conservation GIS

What Society for Conservation GIS does

Society for Conservation GIS (SCGIS) is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the use of Geographic Information Systems for conservation. Founded circa 2000 and now marking 25 years of operation, SCGIS operates on an all-volunteer basis with no physical office, governed by a Board of Directors and committees covering Communications, Conference, Finance, International, Membership, US and Canada Regional Chapters, and Website functions. Its core mission is to build and sustain a global community of conservation GIS practitioners through chapters, scholarships, training, and convening.

SCGIS's core product surface is community- and event-driven. The flagship annual offering is the five-day SCGIS International Conference (scheduled for July 7-11, 2026 at YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado), augmented by the Global Scholarship Program that has supported 400+ conservationists from more than 80 countries through 500+ training events in partnership with Esri, Juniper GIS, and UC Davis Global Affairs. Other products include a private email-based Listserv with 1,800+ subscribers, online workshops (e.g., ArcGIS Field Apps, R spatial analysis, topoBuilder), a recurring webinar series featuring partners such as NASA and National Audubon Society, and a network of 25+ regional chapters across the U.S., Canada, and 18+ international countries. Supporting membership benefits include an ArcGIS Online organizational account, a member directory, a job board, and a conference proceedings archive (2019-present). The underlying technology stack is largely third-party: Esri's ArcGIS platform is the primary GIS substrate, MemberClicks provides the membership and registration backbone, and merchandise distribution runs through Bonfire and Spring storefronts. SCGIS itself does not develop proprietary software.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across membership dues (tiered Basic $50, Sponsor $100, Student $25, Discount $10, Lifetime $1,000), conference and workshop registration ($200-$500 per attendee), corporate conference sponsorships ($250-$5,000+), an annual silent and live auction funding the Global Scholarship Program, and merchandise sales. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: members are acquired through conference attendance, scholarship alumni conversion, and chapter referrals, with self-serve sign-up via the MemberClicks portal and digital outreach through LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the scgis.org website. Segments served include individual conservation GIS professionals, international conservation practitioners from developing regions, student GIS practitioners, and land trusts and conservation organizations such as Mohonk Preserve, Montana Land Reliance, Genesee Land Trust, and the National Audubon Society.

Name

Society for Conservation GIS

Legal name

The Society for Conservation GIS

Website

https://scgis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SCGIS is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit that builds and supports a global volunteer community of conservation GIS practitioners through an annual international conference, a scholarship program spanning 80+ countries, regional chapters, online training, and tiered membership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation GIS Community & Training Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAIAGAB

Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

Keywords

• Conservation GIS
• Geospatial training
• Nonprofit membership
• GIS community building
• Conservation technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Kalispell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees at multiple tiers (Basic $50, Sponsor $100, Lifetime $1,000, Student $25, Discount $10). Provides core operational funding.
2. Conference Registration: In-person annual conferences with registration fees. 2026 conference: Early bird Member $300/Non-Member $400/Student $200; Regular Member $400/Non-Member $500/Student $250; 1-day Member $200/Non-Member $250.
3. Workshops and Training: Online workshops and conference workshops with registration fees. Fees vary by workshop (e.g., $40 member/$50 non-member for some workshops).
4. Auction and Fundraising: Annual Silent and Live Auction at conference to raise funds for Global Scholarship Program. Also accepts monetary donations.
5. Conference Sponsorships: Sponsorship tiers at multiple levels: Supporter $250, Bronze $750, Silver $1,250, Gold $2,500, Platinum $5,000+. Includes logo placement and complimentary registrations.
6. Merchandise Sales: SCGIS branded merchandise including shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and glassware sold through Bonfire and Spring online stores.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SCGIS is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds and supports a global community of conservation GIS practitioners. It sells tiered annual memberships, hosts an annual international conference with paid registration, delivers paid online workshops and webinars, and runs a Global Scholarship Program that brings international conservationists to three-week specialized GIS training courses.

Product overview

The Society for Conservation GIS (SCGIS) operates as a nonprofit membership organization, not a software company. Its core offerings center on community-building and professional development for conservation GIS practitioners worldwide. The primary products include the Annual International Conference (5-day in-person event), the Global Scholarship Program providing advanced GIS training and conference access, and membership benefits including ArcGIS Online organizational accounts, webinars, job board, and member directory. Training is delivered through online workshops and webinar series. SCGIS also maintains a network of 20+ regional chapters across U.S., Canada, and internationally. The organization operates a private listserv with 1,800+ subscribers for technical discussions and peer support. All offerings are accessible through tiered membership (Basic, Sponsor, Student, Discount, Lifetime) and are coordinated via committees of volunteer members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Global Scholarship Program: A scholarship program designed to allow conservation GIS practitioners to attend the Esri User Conference and SCGIS Annual Conference, with specialized three-week GIS courses organized for recipients.
• Train The Trainers (TTT)

Products and services

• Annual International Conference

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 conservationists from 80+ countries advanced their skills through the Global Scholarship Program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and supporting.

• EsricoreTechnology or IntegrationEsri provides ArcGIS software, conference sponsorships, and platform support. SCGIS members receive access to discounted ArcGIS software and training through the Esri Conservation Program. Esri UC attendance is a key component of the Global Scholarship Program. Esri representatives participate in SCGIS conferences and webinars.
• Juniper GIScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJuniper GIS provides specialized three-week GIS courses jointly organized for SCGIS Global Scholarship recipients. They assist with instruction and work to expand GIS capacity in scholars' local regions through the Train the Trainers program.
• UC Davis Global AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC Davis Global Affairs co-organizes the three-week GIS training courses for SCGIS Global Scholarship Program recipients alongside Juniper GIS and Esri.
• YMCA of the RockieskeyOthersYMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, CO serves as the venue for SCGIS Annual International Conferences. The venue provides conference facilities, lodging, and dining services for attendees. Located adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park.
• NASAkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA collaborates with SCGIS on webinar series featuring ECOSTRESS and EMIT mission data applications for conservation. NASA scientists present on thermal and hyperspectral remote sensing applications for conservation and wildfire assessment.
• National Audubon SocietykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Audubon Society partners with Esri on the Dangermond Fellowship, providing GIS training for next generation conservation leaders. Fellows provide GIS support for Audubon network projects including trail management and flood risk assessment.
• Conference Sponsors (Various)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsors at various tiers (Supporter $250 to Platinum $5,000+) receive logo placement, complimentary registrations, and recognition. Sponsors support Welcome Reception, Coffee Breaks, and Map Gallery Reception.
• Colorado Pika Project / Rocky Mountain Wild / Denver Zoo Conservation AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Pika Hike activity at 2026 conference, providing education on pika ecology and training on Pika Patrol app for climate change monitoring.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Esri: Esri is the dominant GIS software vendor and SCGIS's most important Core partner. It is comparable as the platform and ecosystem around which the entire conservation GIS community is organized; SCGIS essentially sits on top of Esri's user base.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): WWF is a large international conservation NGO with extensive GIS use for species, habitat, and landscape work. It is comparable as a major employer and convener of conservation GIS professionals, and as an organization that runs conservation technology capacity-building programs.
• Conservation International: Conservation International is a large international conservation NGO with significant geospatial and remote-sensing capacity. It serves a similar global conservation audience and provides GIS-adjacent training and partnerships that overlap with SCGIS's constituency.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC): TNC is one of the largest conservation NGOs globally, with a substantial in-house GIS team and conservation technology programs. It is comparable because many SCGIS members work at or with TNC, and TNC operates adjacent training and capacity-building initiatives.

Direct peers

• URISA (Urban and Regional Information Systems Association): URISA is a long-standing international membership association for GIS professionals, with chapters, conferences, workshops, and training. It is the closest structural analog to SCGIS but oriented to urban/regional (rather than conservation) practitioners.
• American Association of Geographers (AAG): AAG is a scholarly and professional society for geographers and GIS-using researchers, offering conferences, publications, and specialty groups. It is comparable as a discipline-aligned professional association that overlaps with SCGIS's academic and applied conservation GIS members.
• NatureServe: NatureServe is a conservation nonprofit that uses GIS and scientific data to support biodiversity decisions across the Americas. It directly competes for the same audience of conservation GIS practitioners and partners with many of the same land trusts and agencies as SCGIS.
• Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC): OGC is a global standards body for geospatial interoperability with member organizations and working groups. It is comparable as a membership-driven community that convenes GIS practitioners and sets direction for the conservation-GIS tooling ecosystem.
• World Resources Institute (WRI) / Global Forest Watch: WRI operates Global Forest Watch and other conservation GIS platforms that are directly used by many SCGIS members. It is comparable because it both serves conservation GIS practitioners and develops platforms that compete for the same mission-driven analytical work.

Emerging players

• QGIS (QGIS.org / OSGeo): QGIS is the leading open-source GIS platform, increasingly used by conservation organizations to avoid Esri licensing costs. It is comparable because it competes for the same end-user workflows and could, in time, displace parts of SCGIS's Esri-centric value proposition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SCGIS
• Facebookfacebook.com/scgisintl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/society-for-conservation-gis
• Instagraminstagram.com/scgisintl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Society for Conservation GIS