What United Prairie Foundation does

United Prairie Foundation is a Sheldon, North Dakota-based nonprofit organization (founded 2004, with core restoration operations beginning in 2010) that restores native prairie ecosystems in the Prairie Pothole Region spanning eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. The foundation operates six program lines: Grazed Wildlife Habitat (a trademarked patch-burn-graze program that uses prescribed fire combined with rotational cattle grazing), Educational Prairie Trail (trademarked installations at schools and public parks with interpretive signage), Ecological Habitat Areas (trademarked pollinator habitat plantings), Invasive Tree and Shrub Removal, Native Seed Harvest, and a Native Prairie Nursery. The foundation serves ranchers and landowners, K-12 schools, public parks, urban land managers, conservation organizations, and government agencies, with named institutional partners including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fergus Falls Wetland Management District, Wildlife Forever, North Dakota's Meadowlark Initiative, NDSU, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, Fargo Parks, and the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center.

The foundation's underlying capability centers on local ecotype seed genetics and prescribed-fire grassland management. UPF harvests 130+ native species from remnant prairies in the Red River Valley and prairie pothole region using combine harvesting supplemented by hand-picking, then grows plants in a dedicated greenhouse in Enderlin, ND, that opened in Spring 2019. Local ecotype seed is adapted to regional soil, climate, hydrology, and pollinator cycles, providing genetic and ecological authenticity that commercial seed cannot replicate. The patch-burn-graze methodology is a domain-specific technique that creates habitat heterogeneity — rather than burning an entire pasture, patch burning allows wildlife to take refuge while creating structural variation; cattle preferentially graze recently burned patches, reducing disturbance to grassland birds and waterfowl nests while delivering improved weight gains. The organization holds four registered trademarks (three program brands plus the Make Prairie Common Again mission tagline) and operates with 1-10 employees under founder/president John DeVries.

The foundation's business model combines donations (primary, processed via PayPal), grant funding from state and federal partners, direct nursery sales ($5 per 2.5-inch pot, $140 per 32-tray flat, by appointment at the Enderlin facility), and branded merchandise sold as donation tiers ($50 t-shirt or hat, $100 t-shirt-mug-hat bundle; canvas prints $40-$60). Go-to-market is community- and event-led, relying on public events such as Paint the Prairie, Monarch Butterfly Tagging, and Range Management Tours; school and government partnerships; and direct field engagement with ranchers. The geographic footprint is regional, focused on the Fargo-Moorhead area, western Minnesota, and eastern North Dakota. No revenue figure is disclosed; the foundation has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and operates as an independent private nonprofit.

Name

United Prairie Foundation

Legal name

United Prairie Foundation

Website

https://unitedprairie.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

United Prairie Foundation is a Sheldon, North Dakota-based nonprofit that restores native prairie ecosystems in the Prairie Pothole Region through six conservation programs — including a patch-burn-graze rancher program, educational prairie trails, and a native plant nursery — serving ranchers, schools, parks, and government agencies via donations, grants, and nursery sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210), Nursery and Tree Production (111421)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Regeneration & Reforestation Operations (Site Prep, Planting, Seeding) (AFAMAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Native Species & Restoration Plant Nurseries (AFAMADAF), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Site Preparation (Clearing, Scarification, Mounding, Ripping) (AFAMACAD)

Keywords

• Prairie restoration services
• Native plant nursery
• Habitat restoration programs
• Grassland conservation services
• Ecological seed harvesting

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheldon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The foundation relies on donations as a primary revenue source. The website prominently features a PayPal donation mechanism. Merchandise sales are framed as donations with perks (e.g., $50+ donation for a t-shirt or hat, $100+ for a t-shirt, mug and hat bundle).
2. Native Plant Nursery Sales: Sale of native prairie plants through a dedicated nursery in Enderlin, ND. Products include 2.5-inch individual pots ($5 each) and 32-tray flats ($140 per tray). Open by appointment only. Serves the Fargo-Moorhead area, western Minnesota, and eastern North Dakota.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, hats, mugs, and canvas prints. Merchandise is offered as donation tiers: Package 1 ($50+ donation for any t-shirt with stickers/magnet/tattoos), Package 2 ($50+ for any hat), Package 3 ($100+ for t-shirt, mug and hat). Canvas prints priced at $40-$60 depending on size.
4. Grants and Government Partnerships: Funding from government and institutional partners such as the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (funding for Educational Prairie Trails at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton School), and North Dakota's Meadowlark Initiative for the Grazed Wildlife Habitat program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

United Prairie Foundation restores native prairie ecosystems in the Prairie Pothole Region through trademarked conservation programs (Grazed Wildlife Habitat, Educational Prairie Trail, Ecological Habitat Areas, Invasive Tree and Shrub Removal) and operates the only dedicated native prairie nursery in the Fargo-Moorhead / western Minnesota / eastern North Dakota area, selling locally sourced native plants and seed. The foundation supplements program work with donations, grants, and branded merchandise sales.

Product overview

United Prairie Foundation offers a suite of conservation programs centered on prairie restoration in the Prairie Pothole Region. The core offerings include Grazed Wildlife Habitat (patch-burn-graze management), Educational Prairie Trail (public education installations), Ecological Habitat Areas (pollinator habitat plantings), Invasive Tree and Shrub Removal, Native Seed Harvest (130+ species), and the Native Prairie Nursery (plant sales). The organization also sells branded merchandise to support operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grazed Wildlife Habitat™: A patch-burn-graze program utilizing diverse, local ecotype seed and prescribed fire for grassland management.
• Educational Prairie Trail™
• Ecological Habitat Areas™
• Make Prairie Common Again®

Products and services

• Grazed Wildlife Habitat A patch-burn-graze program utilizing diverse, local ecotype seed and prescribed fire for ranchers and landowners in the Prairie Pothole Region. Combines prairie restoration with grazing management to benefit both cattle operations and wildlife.
• Educational Prairie Trail

Quantifiable outcome

• 130+ native species harvested and deployed annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• North Dakota's Meadowlark InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPF's Grazed Wildlife Habitat program operates in partnership with North Dakota's Meadowlark Initiative, a state conservation program. The collaboration combines local prairie restoration, prescribed fire, and grazing management for the benefit of ranchers and wildlife.
• Wildlife ForevercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWildlife Forever is a key partner in UPF's Educational Prairie Trail program, collaborating on prairie trail development at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton School in Glyndon, MN (funded by Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources). Wildlife Forever is also a partner in the Ecological Habitat Areas program.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fergus Falls Wetland Management DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPF's first Ecological Habitat Areas (EHAs) were implemented in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fergus Falls Wetland Management District, a federal agency managing wetland and grassland habitats in western Minnesota.
• North Dakota State University (NDSU)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDSU collaborates with UPF on Range Management Tours, leading field tours of properties enrolled in the Patch-Burn-Graze-Management program alongside United Prairie staff. NDSU extension support helps promote peer-to-peer adoption among the ranching community.
• Fargo ParkssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFargo Parks hosts the Urban Plains Park location of the Educational Prairie Trail and serves as the venue for multiple public events (Paint the Prairie, Monarch Butterfly Tagging).
• Prairie Wetlands Learning Center (Fergus Falls, MN)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEHA sites planted at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center in Fergus Falls, MN were used as the sole seed source for their greenhouse program in 2023, demonstrating the self-sustaining seed source model.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ducks Unlimited: Ducks Unlimited is a large conservation nonprofit focused on wetlands and prairie habitat in the Prairie Pothole Region, mirroring UPF's core geography and mission of restoring grassland habitat for waterfowl and grassland-dependent species. Both organizations partner with ranchers and federal agencies on habitat delivery.
• Everwilde Farms: Everwilde Farms is a native seed and native plant producer selling to restoration and pollinator customers across the US. It is comparable to UPF in product (native seed and plants) and end markets (restoration, gardeners, conservationists), though at national scale.
• Quail Forever: Quail Forever is a sister organization to Pheasants Forever focused on grassland and early-succession habitat across the Plains. It uses similar conservation delivery models with ranchers, federal partners, and native seed — directly comparable to UPF's grassland and rancher engagement.
• Pheasants Forever: Pheasants Forever is a habitat conservation nonprofit operating across the northern Plains with Farm Bill programs, native seed delivery, and landowner partnerships. It is directly comparable to UPF in mission, geography, and rancher-focused delivery model.
• Prairie Restorations Inc. Prairie Restorations is a Minnesota-based native plant nursery and prairie seeding contractor operating in the same upper Midwest geography as UPF. It sells local ecotype seed and plants and provides installation services, making it a direct commercial peer to UPF's nursery and restoration work.

Regional players

• Native Sun Gardens: Native Sun Gardens is a regional native plant nursery based in the upper Midwest focused on pollinator and prairie plants. It is comparable to UPF's Native Prairie Nursery in product category and geography, though operating as a for-profit retail business.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is a national land and water conservation organization that runs prairie, grassland, and pollinator programs across the central US. It overlaps with UPF on prairie restoration and partnership models with public agencies but operates at a vastly larger scale.
• Audubon Society: Audubon is a large national conservation organization with active grassland bird and prairie programs in the northern Plains. It overlaps with UPF on habitat restoration for grassland birds but operates at a much broader portfolio scale.
• Minnesota DNR (Native Seed Program): Minnesota DNR runs native seed collection, prairie restoration, and pollinator programs in western Minnesota. It is a comparable regional actor in the same geographies where UPF operates EHAs and Educational Prairie Trails.

Peers

• Everwilde Farms:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unitedprairiefd
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-prairie-foundation-incorporated

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 United Prairie Foundation