What Prairie Pothole Joint Venture does

The Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV) is a non-profit conservation partnership founded in 1987 as one of the original six regional Joint Ventures under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Headquartered at 922 Bootlegger Trail in Great Falls, Montana, the organization coordinates science-based wetland and grassland habitat conservation across roughly 100,000 square miles covering one-third of North America's Prairie Pothole Region — encompassing portions of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa — and coordinates internationally with the Canadian Prairie Habitat Joint Venture.

PPJV's core technology assets are science-based spatial planning tools developed in collaboration with USFWS Habitat and Population Evaluation Team (HAPET) and USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC), including the Thunderstorm Map decision support tool, four-square-mile breeding waterfowl survey (FSMS) monitoring across 704 plots annually, spatial species-habitat models for priority grassland birds, grassland assessment analysis, and Google Earth Engine-based wetland remote sensing tools. Conservation delivery programs include the North Dakota Conservation Forage Program and the Montana Grassland Initiative launched in July 2023 with a $25 million Regional Conservation Partnership Program award.

PPJV operates as a coordination body rather than a commercial entity. It does not sell products or services; conservation activities are funded through federal sources — Migratory Bird Conservation Fund (Federal Duck Stamp), Land and Water Conservation Fund, NAWCA grants, and USDA Farm Bill programs — and executed through a partner network of USFWS, USDA NRCS, FSA, BLM, state wildlife agencies, NGOs (The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Audubon Great Plains, Delta Waterfowl), and approximately 90% privately owned working lands. A 3-4 person staff (Coordinator, Science Coordinator, Communications Coordinator, plus a vacant Science Integration Specialist role) oversees this partner network, where USFWS has cumulatively directed $1.3 billion to protect nearly 6 million acres of wetlands and grasslands in the U.S. PPR.

Name

Prairie Pothole Joint Venture

Legal name

Prairie Pothole Joint Venture

Website

https://ppjv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Prairie Pothole Joint Venture is a non-profit conservation partnership coordinating science-based wetland and grassland habitat protection across one-third of North America's Prairie Pothole Region (MT, ND, SD, MN, IA), serving federal/state agencies, conservation NGOs, and private landowners through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Great Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal Duck Stamp Revenue: The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp) raises approximately $37 million annually from sale of about 1.5 million stamps. Proceeds are used to buy or lease wetlands and associated upland habitats for the National Wildlife Refuge System. About 70% of this funding goes to secure wetland and grassland habitat in the Prairie Pothole Region through the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund.
2. Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): Created by Congress in 1965, LWCF receives $900 million annually from offshore oil and gas royalties. The Great American Outdoors Act (2020) permanently and fully funded LWCF. Funds support national parks, national wildlife refuges, conservation easements, and matching grants for state and local projects.
3. North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Grants: Competitive matching grant program engaging landowners, non-profit organizations, industry, and state governments in wetland conservation projects. Over 30 years, NAWCA has provided $1.7 billion in federal grants for 3,000 projects impacting over 30 million acres. Requires non-federal match for every federal dollar.
4. USDA Farm Bill Programs: Conservation programs through NRCS and FSA that target dollars to important areas for wildlife across the prairies, including Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and other conservation provisions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PPJV is a non-profit conservation partnership that coordinates wetland and grassland habitat conservation across one-third of North America's Prairie Pothole Region (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa). It delivers science-based planning tools (Thunderstorm Map, Grassland Bird Models), long-term monitoring (Four-Square-Mile Survey), and conservation programs (Conservation Forage Program, Montana Grassland Initiative) through a coalition of federal/state agencies, conservation NGOs, and private landowners. Its work targets the protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds, and grassland songbirds.

Product overview

The Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV) is a conservation partnership organization, not a commercial product company. Its offerings consist of science-based planning tools, conservation programs, and educational resources aimed at protecting wetland and grassland habitats in the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region. The core offerings include the Thunderstorm Map decision support tool, grassland bird models, the Four-Square-Mile Breeding Waterfowl Survey monitoring program, and species-habitat relationship models. Supporting resources include Implementation Plans, Annual Reports, Factsheets, and Maps/Shapefiles for conservation practitioners. Conservation delivery programs include the North Dakota Conservation Forage Program and Montana Grassland Initiative. These tools and programs work together to enable partners to target efficient and effective habitat conservation across Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Thunderstorm Map Spatially explicit decision support tool that targets wetland and grassland habitat conservation for breeding waterfowl in the Prairie Pothole Region. Developed by USFWS Habitat and Population Evaluation Team (HAPET) and USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC). Used by conservation planners and partner agencies.
• Four-Square-Mile Breeding Waterfowl Survey (FSMS) Long-term annual monitoring initiative in which USFWS staff visit 704 four-square-mile survey plots in May and early June to collect field data on duck pairs by species, wetland characteristics, and surface water coverage. Used to assess duck populations and wetland conditions across the U.S. PPR.
• Grassland Bird Models Spatial models integrating Breeding Bird Survey data and landcover data to inform conservation for priority grassland bird species in the Prairie Pothole Region. Used by conservation planners and partners to target habitat work.
• Grassland Assessment Analysis Time-series landcover data analysis used to spatially identify potentially undisturbed lands (PUDL), estimate grassland loss rates, compare grassland protection efforts, and project future trends across the PPJV region.
• Wetland Remote Sensing Tools Google Earth Engine-based web-tool for mapping surface water area, specifically tuned to the needs of conservation managers in the Prairie Pothole Region.
• North Dakota Conservation Forage Program (CFP) Collaborative conservation program helping producers plant and manage high-quality perennial grasslands that support both livestock operations and wildlife habitat. Has expanded to South Dakota through the Working Grasslands Partnership.
• Montana Grassland Initiative (MGI) Five-year initiative launched in July 2023 to strategically address threats to Montana's grasslands, targeting 1.5 million acres of grassland impact by June 2028.
• PPJV Implementation Plans Comprehensive strategic plans outlining habitat conservation goals and objectives for waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds, and landbirds in the PPR, including State Tactical Plans for each PPJV state.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 6 million acres of habitat protected, restored, or enhanced (2002)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSFWS is a co-chair of the PPJV Management Board and provides critical funding through the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund and Duck Stamp program. The Habitat and Population Evaluation Team (HAPET) provides essential science capacity including the Four-Square-Mile Survey and Thunderstorm Map decision support tools.
• U.S. Geological SurveycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC) provides critical science capacity through monitoring, evaluation, and applied science research. NPWRC scientists developed the Four-Square-Mile Survey protocol in 1987.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTNC is represented on the Management Board and has protected 1 million acres across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. TNC works on grassland strategy, climate adaptation, and voluntary land protection agreements.
• Ducks UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDucks Unlimited is represented on the Management Board and leads numerous conservation projects including wetland restoration, Conservation Forage Program expansion, and Working Grasslands Partnership with $25M RCPP award.
• Pheasants ForevercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPheasants Forever is represented on the Management Board and launched the Montana Grassland Initiative (MGI) in July 2023 with goals to impact 1.5 million acres of grassland by 2028, including $25M RCPP award.
• Audubon Great PlainscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAudubon Great Plains leads the Conservation Forage Program (CFP) in North Dakota which has restored 10,000 acres and has 45,000 acres under restoration goal, expanding to South Dakota through Working Grasslands Partnership.
• Delta Waterfowl FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelta Waterfowl is represented on the Management Board and conducts research including University Hunting Program across 30+ universities, and studies on duck nest survival and brood abundance.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRCS is represented on the Management Board and provides funding through Farm Bill programs including EQIP, CRP, and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). NRCS Great Plains Grassland Initiative launched in 2021.
• USDA Farm Service AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSA is represented on the Management Board and administers the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a cornerstone of grassland bird and waterfowl conservation in the PPR.
• Bureau of Land ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBLM is represented on the Management Board and manages public lands across the PPJV region that provide grassland and wetland habitat.
• South Dakota Grassland CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDGC is represented on the Management Board and launched the South Dakota Grasslands Initiative (SDGI) as a communication hub that reached 1,000+ people in first year through education totes.
• North Dakota Grazing Lands CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDGLC is represented on the Management Board and promotes sustainable grazing practices through programs like Grazing Logic that benefit both livestock and wildlife.
• Ranchers Stewardship AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRSA works with PPJV on grassland conservation and has helped direct $13.5 million in NRCS funds to on-the-ground projects. RSA honored PPJV Science Integration Specialist with 2024 Gold Star Award.
• National Wildlife FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWF participates in grassland conference highlights and contributes to conservation delivery across the PPJV region.
• Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Canadian counterpart JV covers the remaining 200,000 square miles of the PPR in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. PPJV coordinates with PHJV since waterfowl utilize habitats on both sides of the border.
• State Wildlife Agencies (MT, ND, SD, MN, IA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agencies are represented on the Management Board and lead State Tactical Plans, wetland restoration projects, and conservation delivery in their respective states.
• ConocoPhillipsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConocoPhillips participated in the Great Plains Grassland Assessment as a funding partner, contributing to conservation planning across 500 million acres.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is a core PPJV Management Board member and has protected 1M acres across MN, ND, and SD with PPJV-aligned strategies. TNC operates in overlapping geographies with shared focus on voluntary land protection, climate adaptation, and grassland conservation in the Prairie Pothole Region.
• Intermountain West Joint Venture: Intermountain West Joint Venture is a sister habitat Joint Venture operating under the same NAWMP umbrella as PPJV, with overlapping mission and delivery model. PPJV's Science Coordinator previously led this JV for 10 years, evidencing close operational and methodological alignment in bird habitat conservation.
• Ducks Unlimited: Ducks Unlimited is the largest waterfowl habitat conservation nonprofit in North America and a core PPJV Management Board member. It implements on-the-ground wetland restoration, the Conservation Forage Program, and the Working Grasslands Partnership, sharing the same target habitats, landowner network, and government funding streams as PPJV.
• Pheasants Forever: Pheasants Forever is a PPJV Management Board member that launched the Montana Grassland Initiative targeting 1.5M acres by 2028 with a $25M RCPP award. It targets the same private-land grassland base, uses the same federal funding mechanisms (Farm Bill, NAWCA), and serves overlapping upland bird and landowner constituencies.
• National Audubon Society: Audubon Great Plains is a core PPJV Management Board member leading the Conservation Forage Program in North Dakota with 10,000 acres restored and a 45,000-acre goal. Audubon operates bird-friendly beef certification and shared grassland conservation programs with overlapping geographies and federal funding partners.
• Delta Waterfowl Foundation: Delta Waterfowl is a PPJV Management Board member conducting waterfowl research, including the University Hunting Program across 30+ universities and duck nest survival studies. It shares PPJV's waterfowl breeding-habitat focus and operates within the same U.S. PPR geography.

Regional players

• Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (Canada): Prairie Habitat Joint Venture is the Canadian counterpart covering the remaining 200,000 square miles of the Prairie Pothole Region in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. It shares PPJV's waterfowl breeding-habitat mandate, NAWMP Joint Venture structure, and decision-support science framework, but operates in Canadian policy and funding regimes.

Broad incumbents

• National Wildlife Federation: NWF is a PPJV partner contributing to conservation delivery across the PPJV region. It is a larger national advocacy and on-the-ground conservation organization that operates in overlapping wildlife and habitat themes, with greater political advocacy scope than PPJV's regionally-focused delivery role.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: NRCS is a PPJV Management Board member that administers the Farm Bill conservation programs (EQIP, CRP, RCPP) which channel most of the dollars PPJV-partners access. It operates nationally with broader agricultural and conservation remit but shares PPJV's grassland-bird and working-lands mission within the PPR.
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: USFWS is the lead federal agency for migratory bird conservation, co-chair of PPJV's Management Board, and the source of the Duck Stamp and Migratory Bird Conservation Fund dollars. It is the broader public-sector incumbent under whose authority Joint Ventures operate, with overlapping mandate but a national rather than regional footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PrairiePotholeJV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prairie-pothole-joint-venture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Prairie Pothole Joint Venture