California Native Grass Assn

What California Native Grass Assn does

CNGA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Davis, California, dedicated to the conservation, restoration, and stewardship of California's native grasses, grassland, and oak woodland ecosystems. Its functional focus is on education, advocacy, applied research support, and community-building among land managers, restoration practitioners, scientists, seed producers, and conservation-oriented landowners. The organization serves a specialist audience concentrated in California and adjacent Western states, with no broadly commercial customer base.

The organization operates a tiered individual membership structure (dues spanning roughly $35 to $1,000 across multiple levels) supplemented by corporate sponsorships up to $2,500, donations, merchandise sales (notably the New Front Yard booklets and related native-landscaping educational materials), workshop and event fees, and revenue from the annual CNGA Symposium. Core programs include the Grasslands Journal publication, the GRASS Scholarships supporting student and early-career research, the residential-facing New Front Yard initiative, the recurring CNGA Symposium, and joint membership with the Society for Ecological Restoration (SERCAL). There is no proprietary software or technology platform referenced; the product surface is editorial, educational, and programmatic.

CNGA's go-to-market is primarily digital (online memberships, publication distribution) layered with in-person symposia, workshops, and partner-led field events. Distribution is extended through standing partnerships with adjacent conservation organizations — including the California Native Plant Society and the California Rangeland Conservation Coalition — and with native seed and plant vendors, which provide reach into a fragmented restoration and landowner market without CNGA bearing direct sales costs. No third-party logistics, manufacturing, or large-scale fundraising infrastructure is mentioned, consistent with a small, association-led nonprofit model.

Name

California Native Grass Assn

Legal name

California Native Grass Association dba California Native Grasslands Association

Website

https://cnga.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CNGA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Davis, California, dedicated to conserving native grasses and grassland ecosystems through education, publications, scholarships, symposia, and partnerships with conservation organizations and native seed vendors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests) (BPAIAMAF)

Keywords

• Grassland conservation
• Native grass restoration
• Ecological education
• Habitat preservation
• Conservation research

Headquarters

HQ city

Davis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $35-$1,000 per year for individuals, with corporate membership levels up to $2,500 per year. Membership provides access to the Grasslands Journal, workshop discounts, and other member benefits.
2. CNGA Store Products: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, caps, and educational publications/booklets for creating native landscapes.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to support CNGA's conservation mission and programs. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with tax ID 68-0239825.
4. Events and Workshops: Revenue from workshops and the annual CNGA Symposium. Members receive discounts on these events.
5. Joint Membership with SERCAL: Joint CNGA + SERCAL membership at $90/year provides discount on regular membership cost for each organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

California Native Grasslands Association (CNGA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that promotes, preserves, and restores California's native grass and grassland ecosystems. It does so through paid membership tiers, the quarterly Grasslands Journal, the annual CNGA Symposium, workshops, branded merchandise via the CNGA Store, educational booklets such as the New Front Yard landscaping guides, and student research scholarships. The organization's mission is executed via education, advocacy, research, and stewardship programming for both individual supporters and corporate/organizational sponsors.

Product overview

California Native Grasslands Association (CNGA) operates as a membership-based nonprofit organization offering conservation programs, educational resources, and community engagement opportunities. The organization's core offerings include the CNGA Store (merchandise), membership programs with various tiers, the quarterly Grasslands Journal (research publication), New Front Yard Program booklets (landscaping guides), GRASS Scholarships (student research grants), annual CNGA Symposium (conference), and California Grassland Videos (educational content). CNGA also provides resources on grassland identification, restoration techniques, seed collection, and species management through its website programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CNGA Membership Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Supports over 40% of California's native plant species through grassland conservation efforts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• California Rangeland Conservation CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNGA is a signatory on the California Rangeland Conservation Coalition's Rangeland Resolution, recognizing the critical importance of California's rangelands which support important ecosystems and other natural resources and are the foundation of the ranching industry. The Coalition includes ranchers, conservationists, and state and federal agencies.
• California Native Plant Society (CNPS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship with CNPS on conservation and education efforts, including co-publishing educational materials and sharing resources on native plants.
• California Society for Ecological Restoration (SERCAL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint CNGA + SERCAL membership available at $90/year, providing combined benefits and discounts for members of both organizations.
• Point Blue Conservation ScienceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNGA references Point Blue Conservation Science's research and tools for farming and ranching, including Resource Portal for Prescribed Grazing and Soil Health and Ranch Management Tools.
• Hedgerow Farms, Inc.minorOthersNative seed producer and corporate sponsor at the highest Danthonia californica membership level, supporting CNGA's conservation mission.
• Pacific Coast SeedminorOthersNative seed company and corporate sponsor at the Danthonia californica membership level.
• S & S SeedsminorOthersNative seed supplier and corporate sponsor at the Danthonia californica membership level.
• Westerveld Ecological ServicesminorOthersEcological services company and corporate sponsor at the Stipa pulchra membership level.
• Audubon CaliforniaminorOthersBird conservation organization and corporate sponsor at the Poa secunda membership level.
• East Bay Regional Park DistrictminorOthersGovernment agency managing regional parks and corporate sponsor at the Poa secunda membership level.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional players

• Resource Conservation District of Solano County: Solano Resource Conservation District is one of CNGA's Poa secunda-tier corporate sponsors and is a regional California public agency that supports on-the-ground grassland conservation and restoration work. It is a regional peer involved in similar habitat restoration projects in CNGA's core geography.

Broad incumbents

• Audubon California: Audubon California is a state-level bird conservation nonprofit that sponsors CNGA at the Poa secunda level because of shared grassland bird habitat priorities. It is a broader incumbent operating across bird conservation while overlapping with CNGA's grassland-focused habitat work.
• Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: Xerces Society is a national nonprofit focused on invertebrate conservation including pollinators and grassland butterflies. It overlaps with CNGA's grassland insect conservation work (73 listed grassland-associated species includes 6 butterflies) and competes for similar conservation donor dollars.
• The Nature Conservancy (California): The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit with significant California land conservation and restoration programs. It is a broader incumbent that addresses grasslands among many other ecosystems and competes with CNGA for donor dollars and corporate sponsorships.
• Sierra Club (California/National): Sierra Club is a large environmental advocacy organization with active California chapters working on habitat and rangeland protection. It is a broader incumbent operating across many environmental issues while overlapping with CNGA on grassland habitat conservation.

Direct peers

• California Society for Ecological Restoration (SERCAL): SERCAL is a California-focused ecological restoration professional society that offers joint membership with CNGA at $90/year. It is a direct peer given shared mission around ecosystem restoration, joint member benefits, and overlapping professional audience of land managers and restoration practitioners.
• California Native Plant Society (CNPS): California Native Plant Society is a nonprofit dedicated to conserving California native plants and natural habitats through education, advocacy, and scientific work. CNPS is a direct peer to CNGA as both organizations focus on native flora conservation in California with overlapping audiences, publications, and partnership on educational materials.
• California Rangeland Conservation Coalition: The California Rangeland Conservation Coalition is a coalition of ranchers, conservationists, and agencies on whose Rangeland Resolution CNGA is a signatory. It is a direct peer sharing grassland/rangeland conservation mission with overlapping member networks and policy advocacy.

Others

• Hedgerow Farms: Hedgerow Farms is a California native grass and wildflower seed producer and CNGA's highest-tier Danthonia californica corporate sponsor. It is an ecosystem partner/enabler providing the seed supply chain that grassland restoration work depends on.

Emerging players

• Point Blue Conservation Science: Point Blue Conservation Science is a California-based conservation science organization whose research and tools for rangeland grazing CNGA actively references. It is an emerging player that produces research CNGA disseminates, with overlapping audiences in rangeland and grassland stewardship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CAnativegrassland
• Instagraminstagram.com/californianativegrasslands
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-native-grass-assn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 California Native Grass Assn