Bodie Foundation

What Bodie Foundation does

The Bodie Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 2008 and headquartered in Bridgeport, California, serving as the official cooperating association for three California State Parks: Bodie State Historic Park (a National Historic Landmark and Guinness World Records-designated Largest Gold-Mining Ghost Town with 150+ unrestored buildings on 1,000+ acres), Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, and Grover Hot Springs State Park. Its mission is preservation, interpretation, and public enjoyment of these sites, delivered through a small staff and a large volunteer base, governed by a Board of Trustees. The Foundation's core products are signature guided experiences — Ghost Walks, private tours (Town, Living at the Lake, Twilight, Mines Mills Rails Ruins), photography workshops, Friends of Bodie Fest, and the Bodie 601 Run — supported by an annual Calendar Contest, a membership program, planned giving, a physical retail store (Bodie Mercantile in Bridgeport) and a Shopify online storefront, and a twice-yearly newsletter ('The Bodie Times').

Revenue is generated through a mix of small-ticket transactions (tour and workshop fees, event registrations, Ghost Walk admissions of $5–$8), annual memberships and donations (including the $1,000+ High Peak Patrons donor circle), planned giving, and retail merchandise. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: digital channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, email newsletters) drive top-of-funnel awareness, the Calendar Contest and Friends of Bodie Day drive mid-funnel engagement, and Ghost Walks, photo workshops, and private tours drive bottom-of-funnel conversion. Strategic execution relies on a network of partners, including California State Parks, HistoriCorps, Treeline Construction, Garavaglia Architecture, Linchpin Structural Engineering, Jablonski Building Conservation, the Institute for Canine Forensics, and a bench of approved independent photo workshop leaders.

Name

Bodie Foundation

Legal name

Bodie Foundation

Website

https://bodiefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Bodie Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving as the official cooperating association for Bodie State Historic Park, Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, and Grover Hot Springs State Park, funding preservation, interpretive tours, photo workshops, and retail through donations, memberships, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Site Preservation and Heritage Tourism Services

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG), Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG)

Keywords

• Historic site preservation
• Interpretive guided tours
• Photography workshops
• Nonprofit fundraising
• State park cooperating association

Headquarters

HQ city

Bridgeport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: Individual and corporate donations, annual memberships with benefits including newsletter subscriptions, 20% merchandise discounts, event invites, and pre-sale tickets. Planned giving through wills, bequests, trusts, and retirement fund beneficiary designations.
2. Ghost Walk Event Tickets: Ticketed evening tours of Bodie State Historic Park after hours. Presale tickets available to members, general public sales open later. Entrance fees of $8 adults, $5 under 18 apply.
3. Private Tours: Fee-based private tours including Town Tours ($250-$400 minimum plus $50-$60/person), Living at the Lake Tours ($250 minimum plus $50/person), Twilight Tours ($300 minimum plus $60/person), and Mines Mills Rails Ruins Tours ($100/person, $400 minimum).
4. Photo Workshops: Permitted photography workshops with fees including $500-$750 deposits plus per-participant fees. Morning workshops $500 deposit plus $100/additional person. Night workshops $750 deposit. Park hours workshops $200-$500 based on group size.
5. Retail Sales: Bodie Mercantile store in Bridgeport, CA and online Shopify store selling merchandise, calendars, and memorabilia. All proceeds benefit Bodie State Historic Park.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Bodie Foundation preserves, interprets, and provides public enjoyment of Bodie State Historic Park, Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, and Grover Hot Springs State Park. It sells ticketed interpretive experiences (Ghost Walks, private tours, photography workshops), runs community events (Friends of Bodie Fest, Bodie 601 Run, calendar contest), operates the Bodie Mercantile retail store (online and at 323 Main St, Bridgeport), and funds historic-structure stabilization through donations, memberships, and planned giving.

Product overview

The Bodie Foundation operates as a nonprofit cooperating association managing three California State Parks: Bodie State Historic Park, Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, and Grover Hot Springs State Park. Its service portfolio centers on interpretive experiences (Ghost Walks, Private Tours), recreational programs (Photography Workshops, Friends of Bodie Fest, Bodie 601 Run), retail operations (Bodie Mercantile), and membership/donation programs. The Foundation focuses on preservation, interpretation, and public enjoyment rather than a unified technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bodie Ghost Walks Evening guided walking tours through Bodie State Historic Park after regular park hours, offering interpretive storytelling about the ghost town's history for ticketed visitors ($8 adults, $5 under 18 entrance fee).
• Private Tours (Town Tour, Living at the Lake, Twilight, Mines Mills Rails Ruins, Bus Company) Private guided tours including Private Town Tour ($250 minimum + $50/person), Living at the Lake Tour at Mono Lake ($250 minimum + $50/person), Bodie Twilight Tour ($300 minimum + $60/person), Mines Mills Rails Ruins Tour ($100/person, $400 minimum), and bus company 1-hour tours ($25 per person), led by experienced guides for groups, families, and bus operators.
• Photography Workshops Permitted photography workshops offering access to Bodie's interiors and night skies, including Morning Photo Workshop ($500 deposit plus $100/additional person), Night Photo Workshop ($750 deposit), and Park Hours Photo Workshop ($200–$500 deposit based on group size).
• Friends of Bodie Fest (Friends of Bodie Day) Annual family-friendly festival featuring interpretive tours, vendors, food, live music, living history demonstrations, and horses. Free to the public with normal day-use admission.
• Bodie 601 Run and Fun Run 5 kilometer run plus a kids fun run through Bodie State Historic Park at elevation over 8,000 feet, with registration, aid stations, and swag for participants.
• Bodie Calendar Contest Annual photography competition inviting photographers to submit photos of Bodie State Historic Park for the yearly Bodie Foundation Calendar; winners are awarded $100 per image or $300 for cover plus five calendars.
• Bodie Mercantile Store Online Shopify store and physical Bridgeport retail store at 323 Main St selling Bodie Foundation merchandise, calendars, and memorabilia, with all proceeds benefiting Bodie State Historic Park.
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership program offering subscribers a semi-annual newsletter, 20% merchandise discount at Bodie Mercantile, event invitations, and presale Ghost Walk tickets.
• Preservation Fundraising Campaigns Donation and fundraising campaigns supporting stabilization of historic buildings including the Methodist Church, Fouke House, and the broader Long-Term Stabilization Plan, including the High Peak Patrons $1,000+ donor circle.

Quantifiable outcome

• 28 stone grave markers conserved in 2010 cemetery project
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

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

• Treeline ConstructionmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Treeline Construction, based in Nevada City, CA, was hired for stabilization work on the Bodie Methodist Church. They bring extensive experience working on historic structures in Yosemite and other National Parks. Using grip hoists and tensioning, they straightened the building and installed a permanent in-wall shear system.
• HistoriCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018HistoriCorps is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving historic sites by providing volunteer workforces. They have completed multiple stabilization projects at Bodie including the Railroad Office foundation, flooring, brickwork, and Standard Mining Company hoisting works building roof repairs.
• California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009The Bodie Foundation serves as the official cooperating association for Bodie State Historic Park, Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, and Grover Hot Springs State Park. The foundation signed a Donor Agreement in 2009, expanded to a Cooperating Agreement in 2010 for interpretation and education, and signed a Concession Contract in 2012 to keep Mono Lake open to the public.
• Garavaglia ArchitecturemajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm engaged to develop the Long-Term Stabilization Plan (LTSP) for Bodie. Completed detailed survey of 29 buildings representing various construction types, materials, and conditions.
• Linchpin Structural EngineeringmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStructural engineering firm involved in the Methodist Church stabilization project, establishing plans for the construction phase.
• California State ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation works closely with California State Parks staff, including maintenance workers, rangers, and cultural resources departments, to coordinate preservation and visitor services.
• Friends of Mono LakeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Bodie Foundation operates under this program to help visitors understand and appreciate Mono Lake through interpretation and education, with all donated funds used specifically at Mono Lake.
• Friends of Grover Hot SpringsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOperates under the Bodie Foundation umbrella to promote relaxation, recreation, and education at Grover Hot Springs State Park.
• Jablonski Building ConservationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProfessional stone conservation company that worked on Bodie cemetery grave marker conservation in 2010-2011, straightening, resetting, and restoring 28 stone grave markers.
• Institute for Canine Forensics (ICF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization providing canine teams trained to detect historical human remains. ICF teams surveyed Bodie cemeteries in 2011, identifying unmarked burial locations and confirming grave marker placements.
• Photo Workshop LeadersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent photography workshop leaders including Aperture Academy, Mark Comon, Gino Creglia, Paul Dileanis, Jennifer King, David McKay, Michael Perry, Dave Rhodes, Betty Sederquist, John Sexton, Jeff Sullivan, and Kathy Triolo who lead permitted photo workshops at Bodie.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gettysburg Foundation: Nonprofit that preserves and interprets the Gettysburg Battlefield through museum operations, tours, events, and education programs. Comparable in mission, museum/tour product mix, and reliance on donor/member revenue.
• Yosemite Conservancy: Official nonprofit partner of Yosemite National Park providing preservation, education, and visitor experience support through donations, retail, and programs. Closely mirrors the Bodie Foundation's cooperating-association model.
• Save the Redwoods League: Nonprofit land conservation organization protecting redwood forests through acquisition, restoration, and education. Comparable as a California-focused preservation nonprofit combining land stewardship with donor-funded programs.
• Friends of the Smokies: Official fundraising partner for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Comparable model of donation, membership, retail, and event-based funding supporting interpretation and preservation of a major heritage landscape.
• California State Parks Foundation: Statewide nonprofit that supports California's 280 state parks through fundraising, advocacy, and volunteer programs. Most directly comparable to the Bodie Foundation as a California-focused state park cooperating/fundraising nonprofit.
• Colonial Williamsburg Foundation: Nonprofit that operates and interprets a historic site through ticketed experiences, educational programming, and preservation. Closely mirrors Bodie Foundation's combination of preservation, interpretation, and visitor experience revenue streams.

Broad incumbents

• National Park Trust: National nonprofit dedicated to preserving national parks through land acquisition, youth programs, and donor-funded projects. Operates at broader scope than Bodie Foundation but serves the same historic preservation and education mandate.

Regional players

• Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy: Nonprofit supporting Golden Gate National Recreation Area and other Bay Area parks. Operates with similar cooperating-association structure but in a different California region and at substantially larger scale.
• Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association: Cooperating association supporting Inyo National Forest and Eastern Sierra interpretive sites. Directly comparable as a regional cooperating association for federal lands in the same Eastern Sierra corridor.

Emerging players

• Mount Rushmore Society: Nonprofit supporting Mount Rushmore National Memorial through membership, retail, and educational programs. Comparable as a small historic site cooperating association with similar visitor-services and donor program structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvqgOfcoe4mcLTcX5-v1ZYQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/B0dieFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/bodiefoundation
• Xx.com/bodiefoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Bodie Foundation