Conservation Works (North Coast RC&D Council)

What Conservation Works (North Coast RC&D Council) does

Conservation Works, formally the North Coast Resource Conservation & Development Council, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 68-0484941) operating in California's North Coast region across Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, and Marin counties. Founded over 20 years ago and headquartered in Windsor with a regional office in Fort Bragg, the organization delivers a portfolio of ten distinct conservation programs spanning water conservation (Rain Catchers), K-8 environmental education (Kids Creek Care, Mendocino Kids Fire Smart, Waste Wizards), pollinator and wildlife habitat (Bee Bold Alliance, Turkey Tail Project), wildfire resilience (North Bay Forest Improvement Program), agricultural support (CUSP Technical Assistance for Farmers), and urban greening (Tree Giveaway, Creek Care Mural). The organization reports having deployed over $8 million into conservation projects cumulatively while maintaining administrative costs below 5%, and operates with a lean staff supplemented by three California Climate Action Corps Fellows.

The underlying technology stack is non-digital: Conservation Works' "products" are field-based programs — physical rainwater harvesting systems (5,000-gallon tanks deployed to 21 sites since 2023), released wildlife (250 adult and 813 larval Behrens Silverspot butterflies), and curriculum-based K-8 lesson plans — delivered through in-person workshops, volunteer stewardship days, and Adopted Places partnerships. The website is Squarespace-based with no public API, no software product, and no AI components. Core "proprietary" assets are domain-specialized curriculum (watershed, fire smart, vermicomposting), partnerships with three Resource Conservation Districts and multiple municipalities, and CAL FIRE-funded landowner incentive programs.

The business model is donation-and-grant funded rather than fee-for-service. Revenue streams comprise individual donations (one-time and recurring "Impact Sustainers" via PayPal/credit card/check), foundation and government grants (CAL FIRE, California Fire Foundation, CDFW Wildlife Board, American Water Charitable Foundation, Community Foundation of Mendocino County), and legacy gifts through a planned-giving Legacy Circle program. The customer base is a hybrid of community segments: K-8 students and schools (education programs), small and socially disadvantaged farmers/ranchers (technical assistance), local volunteers, and municipal/government partners — none of whom are monetized customers but rather beneficiaries, partners, or funders.

Name

Conservation Works (North Coast RC&D Council)

Legal name

North Coast Resource Conservation & Development Council

Website

https://conservationworksnc.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Conservation Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit running ten field-based conservation programs — water harvesting, K-8 environmental education, pollinator habitat, wildfire resilience, and farmer technical assistance — across four North Coast California counties, funded by donations, grants, and legacy gifts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH), Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Ecological Restoration Planning & Monitoring (Habitat, Wetland, Stream) (EUAHAHAF), Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB)

Keywords

• Community conservation programs
• Watershed protection services
• Environmental education
• Wildfire resiliency programs
• Pollinator habitat restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

Windsor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations through PayPal, credit card, or check. Tax-deductible contributions to 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Includes one-time gifts and recurring Impact Sustainers membership.
2. Grant Funding: Grant funding from foundations and government programs including CAL FIRE, California Fire Foundation, CDFW Wildlife Board, American Water Charitable Foundation, and others.
3. Legacy Gifts: Bequests, beneficiary designations, charitable trusts, and real estate donations through Legacy Circle planned giving program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Conservation Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers community-based environmental conservation programs across North Coast California. Its core offerings include rainwater harvesting system deployment (Rain Catchers Program), K-8 environmental education (Kids Creek Care, Mendocino Kids Fire Smart, Waste Wizards), pollinator habitat restoration (Bee Bold Alliance), wildfire hazard treatment incentives (North Bay Forest Improvement Program), small farmer/rancher technical assistance, urban tree planting, and turkey tail mushroom community science projects.

Product overview

Conservation Works operates as a multi-program nonprofit organization offering environmental conservation services rather than a unified software product. The portfolio consists of distinct programs addressing water conservation (Rain Catchers), youth education (Kids Creek Care, Waste Wizards, Fire Resiliency), agricultural support (CUSP Technical Assistance), wildlife habitat (Bee Bold Alliance, Turkey Tail Project), and community greening (Tree Giveaway, Creek Care Mural). These programs function independently with shared organizational infrastructure, each serving specific community needs through hands-on projects, educational curriculum, and technical assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rain Catchers Program Rainwater harvesting initiative that provides 5,000-gallon tanks and technical assistance to schools, community gardens, and rural communities to capture winter runoff for summer use, supporting salmonid habitat in Russian River Watershed tributaries.
• Kids Creek Care Environmental education program for K-8 students covering water pollution prevention, water conservation, water quality sampling, and watershed health through hands-on classroom lessons and field activities.
• North Bay Forest Improvement Program (NBFIP) CAL FIRE-funded landowner incentive pilot program providing technical assistance and funding for wildfire hazard treatment on private properties in Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma counties, with focus on disadvantaged communities.
• Mendocino Kids Fire Smart Wildfire resilience education curriculum for K-8 students in Mendocino County, teaching causes of wildfire, climate change impacts, and mitigation efforts through interactive BINGO games.
• Waste Wizards School food waste composting program that teaches students to divert food waste from landfills through vermicomposting, reducing climate emissions and sequestering carbon.
• Bee Bold Alliance Collaborative initiative supporting monarch butterfly and pollinator habitat restoration through planting native milkweed and nectar plants, partnering with schools and community gardens.
• CUSP Technical Assistance for Farmers Grant application assistance and technical support for small and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, helping with business planning, financial strategies, and drought relief funding applications.
• Tree Giveaway Program Urban greening initiative in Fort Bragg providing free trees to residents to expand urban tree canopy, improve air quality, and support climate resilience.
• Turkey Tail Project Community science project in Mendocino County where landowners inoculate tan oak stumps with turkey tail mushrooms to accelerate decomposition and reduce brush management visits.
• Creek Care Mural Project Watershed education initiative combining classroom learning with public art creation, culminating in permanent murals that advocate for creek protection and community stewardship.

Quantifiable outcome

• Invested over $8 million into conservation projects over 20+ years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• California Climate Action CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization for California Climate Action Corps Fellows who support conservation programs including watershed education, tree planting, and community engagement activities.
• Gold Ridge Resource Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Rain Catchers in Your Neighborhood program, deploying rainwater harvesting systems in the watershed district.
• Sonoma Resource Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Rain Catchers program and drought relief efforts for Russian River Watershed.
• Mendocino Resource Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Rain Catchers program serving Mendocino County watershed districts.
• North Bay Forest Improvement Program (NBFIP) PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Clear Lake Environmental Research Center and RCDs in Sonoma, Mendocino, and Napa counties to provide wildfire hazard treatment on private properties. Funded by CAL FIRE.
• CoastwalkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdopted Shell Beach and Kortum Trail through Coastwalk's adopt-a-beach program for coastal cleanup and stewardship.
• City of Fort BraggminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Adopted Places program including Otis R. Johnson Wilderness Park and urban greening initiatives.
• City of Santa RosaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Colgan Creek restoration project and Creek Stewardship Program with Sonoma Water.
• City of WillitsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Davis Creek Watershed protection and community engagement.
• EnvirichmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental education partner developing curriculum resources for Kids Creek Care program.
• Laguna de Santa Rosa FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on Creek Care Mural Project and watershed education initiatives.
• Roseland School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Creek Care Mural Project serving Roseland schools and community.
• Bee Bold AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in pollinator protection efforts and South Lincoln Street Community Garden support in Fort Bragg.
• Community Soil FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Larkfield Community Garden rain garden installation and ongoing garden support.
• Community Foundation of Mendocino CountycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFunder of Fort Bragg Tree Giveaway pilot program supporting urban greening initiatives.
• California Fire FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrant funder for Mendocino Kids Fire Smart wildfire resilience education program for K-8 students.
• Mendocino Fire Safe CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurriculum inspiration source for fire science education materials.
• California State ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in invasive species removal at Goat Rock Beach and other coastal conservation events.
• Land PathsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in pollinator garden planting events and habitat creation projects.
• Noyo Food ForestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fort Bragg Monarch Pollinator Planting at Fort Bragg High School campus.
• Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Small Farm Conference North Bay Regional Gathering and dry farming techniques panel.
• The Joseph and Vera Long FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFunder of Creek Care Mural Project.
• The Dr. Suess FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFunder of Creek Care Mural Project.
• American Water Charitable FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFunder of Kids Creek Care program and watershed education initiatives.
• Sonoma Water Creek Stewardship ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Colgan Creek restoration project and creek stewardship activities.
• Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Beyond the Burn: Grazing for Fire Smart Lands education program.
• Xerces SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPollinator conservation guidelines followed for monarch butterfly and native bee habitat projects.

Scale indicators7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District: A Sonoma County RCD that co-implements the Rain Catchers program with Conservation Works. Operates as a peer conservation delivery organization in overlapping geographies.
• Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation: Sonoma-based nonprofit collaborating on Creek Care and watershed education. Highly comparable education and stewardship focus in the same region.
• Land Paths: Sonoma County land trust and stewardship nonprofit partnering on pollinator plantings. Comparable volunteer-led conservation model in the same North Coast service area.
• Mendocino Resource Conservation District: Mendocino County RCD that partners on Rain Catchers and watershed conservation. Closely comparable organization operating in an adjacent service area.
• Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF): California nonprofit that co-hosts the Small Farm Conference with Conservation Works and supports small/underserved farmers. Comparable mission around sustainable agriculture and grant technical assistance.
• Coastwalk California: California coastal stewardship nonprofit partnering with Conservation Works through the Adopted Places program. Comparable volunteer-driven coastal conservation model.
• Sonoma Resource Conservation District: Sonoma-based RCD that partners with Conservation Works on drought relief and watershed programs. Highly comparable in mission, funding model, and service area.

Emerging players

• Point Blue Conservation Science: California-based conservation science nonprofit operating across the state with a focus on applied ecology and climate-smart conservation. Comparable science-driven conservation approach, broader geographic footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: National nonprofit specializing in pollinator and invertebrate conservation. Conservation Works' Bee Bold Alliance and pollinator programs follow Xerces guidelines, making it a comparable but broader-scope player.
• Sierra Club Foundation: Large national environmental nonprofit working across conservation, climate, and advocacy. Comparable mission space but operates at significantly larger scale with paid membership model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ncrcanddc
• Facebookfacebook.com/NCRCDC
• Instagraminstagram.com/conservation_works
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-coast-resource-conservation-&-development-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Conservation Works (North Coast RC&D Council)