Cawaco RC&D

What Cawaco RC&D does

Cawaco RC&D is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1979 and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. It serves five counties in Central Alabama — Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, and Walker — functioning as a regional intermediary that connects communities to conservation, education, and community-development resources. Its core programs include the Strategic Habitats conservation initiative (in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and Auburn University), the Cool Green Trees urban forestry program (launched 2026 with UAB, City of Birmingham, and Jefferson County Department of Health), community gardens, and internship pipelines.

Its business model is hybrid: it administers a Legislature-backed grant program ($843,000 distributed across 73 projects in 2025, with individual awards of $5,000–$20,000), provides fiscal-agent and administrative services to partner entities such as the Holle Family Foundation (since 2014) and the Alabama Rivers & Streams Network, and convenes multi-stakeholder partnerships across public, academic, and philanthropic sectors. The organization operates with 1–10 employees and relies on programmatic grants, state appropriations, and fee-for-service administrative contracts rather than commercial product revenue.

Technically, Cawaco runs a low-overhead administrative stack centered on partnership coordination, grant processing, and community-facing programming; the only disclosed technology tooling is Cognito Forms for invoicing. Its competitive position rests on 47 years of regional incumbency, institutional relationships, and statutory recognition under the RC&D framework rather than on proprietary technology or data assets.

Name

Cawaco RC&D

Legal name

Cawaco Resource Conservation and Development Council

Website

https://cawaco.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cawaco RC&D is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1979 that serves five Central Alabama counties by administering state and foundation grants, running conservation and urban forestry programs, and providing fiscal-agent services to partner foundations and networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development and Conservation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK), Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Community development services
• Grant administration
• Conservation programs
• Habitat restoration
• Urban forestry

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Cawaco receives funds from the Alabama Association of Resource Conservation & Development Councils and other sources to provide competitive grants to small towns and nonprofits. The organization also receives funds from partners including U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and state agencies for conservation and habitat restoration projects.
2. Grant Administration Services: Cawaco provides administrative and program support services for organizations like the Holle Family Foundation and Alabama Rivers & Streams Network, including grant management, program administration, and project coordination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cawaco RC&D is a nonprofit council that connects Central Alabama communities (Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, and Walker counties) to grant funding, partners, and program support for community, educational, conservation, and first responder projects. It administers competitive grants of $5,000-$20,000 and delivers programs in habitat restoration, urban tree planting, community gardens, conservation internships, and asset-based community planning workshops.

Product overview

Cawaco RC&D offers a portfolio of interconnected community development programs centered on conservation and economic development in Central Alabama. The core offerings include the RC&D Grant Program (providing $5,000-$20,000 competitive grants), the Strategic Habitats program (supporting the Alabama Rivers & Streams Network for aquatic conservation), and the Cool Green Trees urban forestry initiative. Supporting programs include RC&D Grows Gardens (providing seeds and mini-grants for community gardens), Your Town Alabama (asset-based community planning workshops), the Natural Resource Interns Program (conservation leadership training), and the Holle Family Foundation (grant-making for local nonprofits). Additional offerings include a Tool Trailer rental for trail building and a Free Seeds Program for community gardens. The organization serves Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, and Walker counties in Alabama.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cool Green Trees: Urban tree canopy restoration program mitigating urban heat islands, stormwater runoff, and air pollution in Jefferson County, Alabama. Supported by the Jefferson County Department of Health.

Products and services

• RC&D Grant Program
• Strategic Habitats Program
• Cool Green Trees Urban greening program mitigating urban heat islands, stormwater runoff, and air pollution in Jefferson County, Alabama through tree planting, urban forest management, and community engagement.
• RC&D Grows Gardens Program providing vegetable and pollinator seeds, mini-grants, and administrative support for school, community, and veteran gardens across Central Alabama.
• Your Town Alabama Annual workshop and administrative support program introducing asset-based design in community planning to town officials and community leaders across Alabama. Cawaco is a founding member and continuing administrative partner.
• Natural Resource Interns Program Internship funding program providing up to $1,000 stipends per intern (up to 2 interns per organization) to help natural resource organizations mentor and train conservation leaders in fields including conservation, environmental management, wildlife habitat, water resources, and sustainable food systems.
• Holle Family Foundation Administrative Support Administrative and program support services for the Holle Family Foundation, a grant-making institution supporting nonprofit organizations in central Alabama that address societal needs, promote individual achievement, develop young leaders, and celebrate culture.
• Tool Trailer Rental Cargo trailer equipped with hand tools available for rent to groups developing and maintaining recreational trails, garden improvements, and invasive species removal.
• Free Seeds Program Free vegetable and pollinator seed distribution program for eligible community garden organizations in Central Alabama.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every $1 granted generates $4.69 in total community impact
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Holle Family FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Cawaco provides administrative support for the Holle Family Foundation, a grant-making institution established in 2014 to honor the legacy of Brigadier General Everett Holle. The foundation supports nonprofit organizations addressing societal needs, promoting individual achievement, developing young leaders, and celebrating culture throughout central Alabama.
• Alabama Rivers & Streams Network (ARSN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCawaco serves as the nonprofit partner for ARSN, providing administrative and program support. ARSN is a collaborative network of scientists and practitioners working to restore and recover imperiled aquatic species through science-based methods. Cawaco manages grants on behalf of ARSN including funding from National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Partners for Fish & WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSFWS provides funding to Cawaco for administering monetary assistance to landowners who perform remediation practices that improve habitats for threatened, endangered, and at-risk species on private land. Cawaco also collaborates with USFWS on habitat restoration projects including the Big Canoe Creek restoration.
• Cool Green Trees Partners (City of Birmingham, UAB, Jefferson County Department of Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCool Green Trees is a collaborative effort between Cawaco RC&D Council Environmental Programs, the City of Birmingham, University of Alabama at Birmingham, numerous local nonprofits, and the Jefferson County Department of Health. The program addresses urban heat islands, air quality, and flooding through tree planting and urban forest management.
• Your Town AlabamacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCawaco was one of the founding members of Your Town Alabama and continues to provide administrative support. Your Town Alabama conducts annual workshops introducing asset-based design in community planning to town officials and community leaders across Alabama.
• Alabama Association of RC&D CouncilscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCawaco receives funds from the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils to provide competitive grants. Also a member of National Association of RC&D Councils and Southeast Association of RC&D Councils.
• Auburn UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuburn University interns complete stream crossing assessments as part of the Trispot darter habitat protection project. Students obtain hands-on experience in natural resource fields while providing data for habitat assessments.
• Geological Survey of AlabamaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSA staff train Auburn University interns to complete Stream Crossing Assessments for the Ballplay Creek watershed project.
• Turkey Creek Nature PreserveminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCharles Yeager at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve manages the Tool Trailer schedule and provides regular reports on its use for trail building, garden improvement, and invasive species removal.
• Coosa River Basin InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacilitated funding through the Coosa River Basin Initiative from Georgia Department of Natural Resources to support mussel propagation and reintroduction efforts.
• Alabama Aquatics Biodiversity Center (AABC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived funds from Coosa River Basin Initiative on behalf of AABC for propagating and reintroducing the Coosa Moccasinshell mussel to its natural habitat.
• Alabama LegislaturecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe RC&D grant program is offered in partnership with the Alabama Legislature. Legislators help identify community needs and connect organizations with vital resources and funding opportunities across the five-county region.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Coosa River Basin Initiative: Regional watershed conservation nonprofit in Alabama. Comparable mission of protecting water resources and habitat in the Coosa basin; Cawaco has facilitated funding between CRBI and partner agencies.
• Holle Family Foundation: Grant-making institution for which Cawaco provides administrative support. Operates a similar nonprofit grantmaking model in Central Alabama with overlapping nonprofit grantees.
• Alabama Association of RC&D Councils: The statewide umbrella for Alabama's RC&D councils, including Cawaco. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and funding model — distributing grants, coordinating conservation, and connecting communities across Alabama.
• National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils: National RC&D network of which Cawaco is a member. Operates the same model — community-led conservation, development, and grant administration — at a multi-state scale, serving 25,000+ volunteers across the U.S.
• Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District: Cawaco grantee and Project of the Year 2025 recipient. Comparably pursues conservation, education, and community engagement in the same Jefferson County geography.
• Walker Area Community Foundation: Local community foundation in Cawaco's service area. Operates a parallel grantmaking model for Central Alabama nonprofits, with overlapping grantee pool and board overlap (e.g., Paul Kennedy).

Emerging players

• Alabama Rivers & Streams Network (ARSN): Collaborative network that Cawaco administers. Focused specifically on aquatic species habitat restoration; complementary rather than competitive, and a key program partner.
• Turkey Creek Nature Preserve: Local conservation partner in Cawaco's service area. Comparable focus on habitat protection and community-based stewardship; Cawaco provides Tool Trailer support for trail building and invasive species removal.
• Your Town Alabama: Workshop program Cawaco co-founded and administers. Comparable community development focus via asset-based design training; closely aligned mission.

Broad incumbents

• United Way of Central Alabama: Large, established regional nonprofit serving the same five-county area. Comparable in grantmaking, volunteer mobilization, and community development focus, but at significantly greater scale and with a broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=56RnlrBSqwQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cawaco.RCD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cawaco-resource-conservation-development-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/cawacorcd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Cawaco RC&D