Coastal Corridor Alliance

What Coastal Corridor Alliance does

Coastal Corridor Alliance (CCA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit land conservation organization headquartered in Newport Beach, California, that protects coastal habitat along Orange County's Santa Ana River Coastal Corridor. Originally founded in 2008 as Banning Ranch Conservancy to battle development of the 400-acre Banning Ranch, the organization rebranded in January 2024 to reflect a broader mandate spanning 1,375 acres between Bolsa Chica and Upper Newport Bay. CCA's primary deliverable is the December 2022 acquisition of the 387-acre Frank and Joan Randall Preserve/Genga (former Banning Ranch) for $97 million, with title held by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA). The organization documents 18+ rare, threatened, or endangered species on preserved lands and operates one of only two federally recognized vernal pool complexes in Orange County at Fairview Park.

CCA operates through community-based programs including Habitat Restoration Days at Fairview Park (Thursdays, Fridays, 3rd Saturdays), monthly Beach & River Mouth Cleanups (4th Saturdays), the PEER workforce and partnership program, and active leadership in three parallel planning processes for Randall Preserve: Resource Management Plan, Coastal Resilience Strategy, and Public Access Plan. The organization runs an online merchandise shop, a monthly bilingual (English/Spanish) e-newsletter, and an educational video library. Underlying technology is standard non-profit web infrastructure — donation processing via PayPal and Stripe, website accessibility features, and social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and LinkedIn. There is no proprietary technology product.

The revenue model is diversified across donations (one-time and recurring), federal and state grants (California Natural Resources Agency, California Coastal Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation), foundation grants (Warne Family Fund via Orange County Community Foundation, Trust for Public Land), merchandise sales, and a legacy giving program targeting $5M by 2033. The major 2017 California Supreme Court ruling (7-0) in Banning Ranch Conservancy v. City of Newport Beach created a binding precedent requiring coastal jurisdictions to consider ESHA impacts in environmental reviews. CCA is governed by an 11-member board and operates with 8 staff, including an Executive Director, Development Director, Programs Administrator, Project Analyst, Community Events Specialist, Project Coordinator, and two UCI Fellows.

Name

Coastal Corridor Alliance

Legal name

Coastal Corridor Alliance

Website

https://coastalcorridor.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Coastal Corridor Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that protects 1,375 acres of Orange County coastal habitat along the Santa Ana River Corridor. It acquired the 387-acre Randall Preserve in 2022 for $97 million and operates volunteer habitat restoration, beach cleanup, and park planning programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation & Protected Land Brokerage (Easements, Land Trust Sales) (BPAJADAH)

Keywords

• Land conservation programs
• Habitat restoration services
• Coastal stewardship
• Community volunteer programs
• Environmental non-profit

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport Beach

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. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, families, and supporters. The organization accepts one-time and recurring donations. Donors can give via the website using PayPal or Stripe payment processors.
2. Grants and Government Funding: Funding from government agencies including California Natural Resources Agency, California Coastal Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris secured $8 million in state acquisition money.
3. Federal Grants: Funding from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for Resource Management Plan and Coastal Resilience Strategy. Also funded through The Trust for Public Land grants.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling merchandise including apparel (e.g., California King Snake Tee) with proceeds supporting conservation efforts.
5. Legacy Giving: Legacy giving program including bequests, retirement account beneficiaries, life insurance policy beneficiaries, and planned gifts through estate planning. Goal to raise $5M by 25th anniversary in 2033.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Coastal Corridor Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that delivers land conservation, habitat restoration, and community stewardship programs along the Santa Ana River Coastal Corridor in Orange County, California. Its core offerings include Habitat Restoration Days at Fairview Park, Beach & River Mouth Cleanups, the PEER Program, and Randall Preserve Planning services, all supported by donations, grants, and merchandise sales. The organization funded and led the $97 million acquisition of the 387-acre Frank and Joan Randall Preserve (formerly Banning Ranch), now held in title by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.

Product overview

Coastal Corridor Alliance operates as a non-profit conservation organization offering community-focused programs rather than a traditional software product. Its portfolio includes habitat restoration volunteer programs at Fairview Park, Beach & River Mouth Cleanups, Randall Preserve Planning initiatives, and the PEER Program for workforce development. Supporting services include an E-Newsletter for community updates, an Events Calendar for volunteer scheduling, a Video Resources Library for educational content, and an Online Shop for merchandise. The organization connects the community to coastal lands and waters through educational, volunteer, and planning activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Habitat Restoration Days
• Beach & River Mouth Cleanups
• Randall Preserve Planning
• PEER Program
• Coastal Corridor Alliance Online Shop

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully preserved 387 acres of coastal land (Randall Preserve) through $97M conservation transaction
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Local Joint Powers Authority (JPA) that holds title to Randall Preserve property. MRCA's willingness to accept title kept the deal alive at a critical juncture. Now overseeing park planning process including Resource Management Plan, Coastal Resilience Strategy, and Public Access Plan. Key personnel include Joe Edmiston, Elena Eger, Mario Sandoval, Jeff Maloney, Isabela Noriega, Liam Walsh, Brian Baldauf, Sofia Aleman, and Julien Buenaventura.
• The Trust for Public Land (TPL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Transaction specialists at TPL facilitated the $97M land acquisition. TPL worked with NBR on potential sale for preservation purposes. Key personnel including Dave Sutton, Paolo Perrone, Guillermo Rodriguez, and Rico Mastrodonato contributed expertise, skillset, and patience to the conservation transaction. TPL provided grants to CCA for Resource Management Plan and Coastal Resilience Strategy.
• California Native American TribescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple tribal nations with ancestral homeland and traditional territory in the Coastal Corridor. Randall Preserve/Genga is contained within California's Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) Sacred Lands file. Alliance collaborates with Native Nations leaders for appropriate acknowledgement, preservation, and tribal access to sacred sites.
• Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous PeoplescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization authorized to support the Randall Preserve/Genga, focusing on Indigenous peoples' rights and sacred site protection.
• Sea and Sage Audubon SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in monthly bird monitoring on the Randall Preserve. Scott Thomas has worked with the organization for decades on shorebird conservation at the Santa Ana River Mouth.
• California Cultural Resource Preservation Alliance (CCRPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural resource preservation organization collaborating with CCA.
• California Oaks FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject of California Wildlife Foundation focused on oak preservation and habitat conservation.
• Coastline CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner in the Coastal Corridor Alliance network.
• Endangered Habitats LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation organization working to protect endangered habitats.
• Fairview Park AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization dedicated to Fairview Park preservation and enhancement. Debby Koken serves on the board of Fairview Park Alliance.
• Friends of Harbors, Beaches and ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting preservation of harbors, beaches, and parks in Orange County.
• Huntington Beach Wetlands ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit managing Huntington Beach Wetlands including Talbert, Brookhurst, Magnolia, and Newland marshes.
• Newport Bay ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve.
• OC HabitatsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal habitat conservation organization working in Orange County.
• OC Model EngineersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization associated with Fairview Park activities.
• Orange County Business CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness advocacy organization in Orange County.
• Save Our Youth (SOY)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit supporting 7th-12th grade students in Newport-Mesa Unified School District. Manuel Chavez works as Outreach and Programs Manager for SOY.
• Still Protecting Our Newport (SPON)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization protecting Newport Beach open spaces.
• UCI College CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity program providing fellows (Raina Bonifacio and Alyssa Yoon) to support CCA projects.
• UCI NatureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of California Irvine program focused on natural environment education and research.
• DudekcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm hired to complete Resource Management Plan, Coastal Resilience Strategy, and Public Access Plan for Randall Preserve.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights24 records

Direct peers

• The Trust for Public Land: The Trust for Public Land was CCA's direct transaction partner on the $97M Randall Preserve acquisition, providing deal expertise and grants. Both organizations share a focus on land conservation transactions and public access to natural lands.
• California Wildlife Foundation: The California Wildlife Foundation houses the California Oaks Foundation, which is a listed CCA partner. Both organizations focus on habitat conservation in California, including wildlife and oak preservation programs.
• Newport Bay Conservancy: Newport Bay Conservancy supports the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve, which is part of CCA's Coastal Corridor. Both are Orange County-focused land and habitat conservation non-profits with adjacent service areas.
• Endangered Habitats League: Endangered Habitats League is a listed CCA partner and a regional California conservation organization working to protect endangered habitats. Both organizations advocate for habitat protection policies in California.
• Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples: Sacred Places Institute is authorized to support the Randall Preserve/Genga and works on Indigenous peoples' rights and sacred site protection. Both organizations collaborate on tribal access to sacred sites within the Coastal Corridor.
• Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy: HBWC is a listed CCA partner managing the Huntington Beach Wetlands including Talbert, Brookhurst, Magnolia, and Newland marshes within CCA's Coastal Corridor. Both organizations protect adjacent coastal wetlands in Orange County.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is one of the largest global conservation organizations. CCA board member Paolo Perrone is a Project Director there, demonstrating personnel overlap and shared mission of protecting ecologically significant lands.
• Land Trust Alliance: Land Trust Alliance is the national membership association for land trusts in the United States. CCA operates as a de facto land trust focused on the Santa Ana River Coastal Corridor and would fit within LTA's member network.
• Sierra Club: The Sierra Club's Santa Ana River Estuary and Bluffs Task Force was the precursor to Banning Ranch Conservancy in 1999, making Sierra Club the parent organization from which CCA originated. Both are environmental conservation organizations with overlapping advocacy goals.

Emerging players

• Save the Redwoods League: Save the Redwoods League is a California-focused land conservation non-profit protecting iconic forest landscapes. While focused on redwoods rather than coastal wetlands, it shares CCA's model of acquiring and stewarding ecologically significant lands in California.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/coastalcorridor.bsky.social
• Instagraminstagram.com/coastalcorridor
• Facebookfacebook.com/coastalcorridor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coastal-corridor-alliance

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Coastal Corridor Alliance