Solano Resource Conservation District

What Solano Resource Conservation District does

Solano Resource Conservation District (Solano RCD) is a California special district established in 1956 and headquartered in Dixon, California, that delivers natural resource conservation programming across Solano County. The organization operates on an annual budget of approximately $4.5 million funded primarily through federal, state, and local government grants and partnerships (roughly $4.25 million, or 95%) with the balance from local taxes, and is staffed by 17 employees. Its core service portfolio comprises four interconnected program lines: free K-12 environmental education (reaching 10,000+ students annually across 315+ classes and 115+ field trips at Rush Ranch and partner sites), habitat restoration across six county geographies (Lake Solano, Lake Dalwigk, Glen Cove, Benicia State Recreation Area, and Delta Levees partnership lands), agricultural water efficiency technical assistance including Mobile Irrigation Lab evaluations and soil moisture monitoring, and wildfire mitigation through Fire Safe Council coordination, prescribed burn associations, and FireSmart grazing cooperatives.

The organization operates a community-led, direct-distribution go-to-market model with no paid customer fees—programs are free to K-12 schools (with the RCD absorbing ~$5,000 per field trip including bus and insurance) and to agricultural landowners, and revenue accrues via grant submissions and agency partnership contributions rather than commercial sales. Education programs are delivered through four-station curriculum at Rush Ranch (Soil, Water, Plant, and Mindfulness) and biomonitoring collecting data feeding the National Estuarine Research Reserve. Restoration work spans monarch and pollinator habitat development (supported by a four-year, $900K Wildlife Conservation Board grant and a $1,143,500 Coastal Conservancy award), native planting, trail enhancement, and biochar soil amendment programs. Technical infrastructure is conventional: mobile irrigation testing equipment, soil moisture sensors, drone seeders, specialized biochar kilns, and ESRI Survey123 forms for citizen-science monarch reporting—there is no proprietary software platform, API, or AI/ML capability disclosed.

Name

Solano Resource Conservation District

Legal name

Solano Resource Conservation District

Website

https://solanorcd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Solano Resource Conservation District is a California special district, founded in 1956 and based in Dixon, that delivers free K-12 environmental education, habitat restoration, agricultural water efficiency assistance, and wildfire mitigation programs to Solano County residents, schools, and landowners, funded primarily by state and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation District Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Post-Fire Assessment & Rehabilitation (Erosion Control, Reseeding) (AFAMAEAH), Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF), Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests) (BPAIAMAF)

Keywords

• Natural resource conservation
• Environmental education programs
• Habitat restoration services
• Agricultural water efficiency
• Wildfire mitigation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dixon, California

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: Primary revenue source from federal, state, and local government grants and contracts including Department of Water Resources, CAL FIRE, Wildlife Conservation Board, State Coastal Conservancy, and Solano County Water Agency funding.
2. Local Partnerships and Agency Contributions: Contributions from local partners including Solano County Water Agency, Solano County Office of Education, cities, and other agencies. Budget comprises $4.25 million from local partnerships and grants out of $4.5 million total.
3. Tax Revenue: Approximately 5% of budget ($225,000) sourced from taxes, with remaining 95% from grants and partnerships.
4. Education Programs (Free to Schools): K-12 education programming provided free to participating schools, funded through grants and agency partnerships. The RCD covers costs including bus transportation and liability insurance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Solano Resource Conservation District is a special district of the State of California that provides free K-12 environmental education programs, habitat restoration, agricultural water efficiency technical assistance, wildfire mitigation, and conservation planning services to landowners, schools, and government partners across Solano County. Core deliverables include field-trip-based education programs reaching over 10,000 students annually, irrigation efficiency evaluations for farmers, native habitat restoration projects at sites such as Glen Cove, Lake Solano, and Lake Dalwigk, and community-led prescribed burn coordination.

Product overview

Solano Resource Conservation District operates as a conservation organization offering multiple interconnected programs rather than a single product. The core offerings include K-12 education programming (field trips, in-class lessons, teacher trainings), restoration projects (habitat enhancement, native plantings), water quality programs (agricultural water efficiency, irrigation testing), wildfire mitigation (prescribed burns, grazing, biochar), and conservation planning services. Major projects include the Suisun Marsh Watershed Program, Glen Cove Waterfront Enhancement, Lake Solano Park Restoration, and Monarch Waystation Kits. The organization partners with agencies like the Department of Water Resources, Solano County Water Agency, and Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation to deliver these services across Solano County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 Education Programming
• Suisun Marsh Watershed Program
• Watershed Explorers
• Creek Biomonitoring
• School Water Education Program (SWEP)
• Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District Education Program
• Teacher Trainings
• Wildfire Mitigation and Resources
• Solano Prescribed Burn Association
• FireSmart Grazing
• Biochar Kiln Loan Program
• Agricultural Water Efficiency Program
• Mobile Irrigation Lab
• Glen Cove Waterfront Enhancement Project
• Lake Solano Park Habitat Restoration Project
• Lake Dalwigk Community-Based Urban Greening Project
• Monarch Waystation Kits
• Conservation Planning
• Delta Levees Program Partnership

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ students reached annually through K-12 education programs
• +11 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

40 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Solano County Water AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funder for education programs. Board member Supervisor Mitch Mashburn sits on the Water Agency board. Likely to provide education funding in 2024-2025 fiscal year.
• Solano County Office of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for K-12 education programs supporting students across Solano County.
• Solano County Department of Resource ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for conservation and education programs in Solano County.
• Fairfield-Suisun Sewer DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of wastewater education program for fifth-graders, providing facility access and STEM career exploration opportunities. 330 students from 4 schools participated in 2025.
• Yocha Dehe Wintun NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Suisun Marsh Watershed Program and funder of Glen Cove Waterfront Enhancement Project. Tribal members developing interpretive materials for Lake Solano restoration.
• National Estuarine Research ReservesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for Suisun Marsh education program where students conduct chemical tests on marsh water, contributing data to ongoing professional research.
• Department of Water Resources (DWR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelta Levees Program partnership since 2019 to steward state-owned lands in Sacramento San Joaquin Delta. RCD provides localized knowledge of delta ecosystems and habitat restoration.
• Yolo County RCDsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional RCD partnership for DWR Delta stewardship work, co-stewarding lands and leveraging skills, tools, and resources.
• Contra Costa RCDsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional RCD partnership for DWR Delta stewardship work.
• San Joaquin RCDsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional RCD partnership for DWR Delta stewardship work.
• Solano County ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Lake Solano Park restoration project. RCD received Coastal Conservancy grant to work with county parks on habitat and public access improvements.
• Putah Creek CouncilsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Lake Solano Park habitat restoration project.
• Bureau of ReclamationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Lake Solano Park habitat restoration project.
• Greater Vallejo Recreation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManages Glen Cove Waterfront Park site. Partner in Glen Cove Waterfront Enhancement Project. Coordinating vegetation management with Solano RCD.
• Vallejo Watershed AlliancesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Glen Cove Waterfront Enhancement Project and Lake Dalwigk restoration.
• Vallejo Flood and Wastewater DistrictsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Lake Dalwigk Community-Based Urban Greening Project for 44-acre stormwater detention basin enhancement.
• City of VallejosecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Lake Dalwigk Community-Based Urban Greening Project.
• Napa-Solano Audubon SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Lake Dalwigk Community-Based Urban Greening Project.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Lake Dalwigk restoration and agricultural water efficiency programs. Provides technical support for soil and water conservation.
• Vallejo City Unified School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Lake Dalwigk Community-Based Urban Greening Project.
• Willis Linn Jepson Chapter of California Native Plant SocietysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Solano RCD on school monarch habitat programs, providing expertise on native plants.
• CAL FIREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for wildfire prevention and prescribed burn programs. Funded Nelson Road prescribed burn through Wildfire Prevention Grants to Yolo County RCD with Solano RCD as subcontractor.
• Solano County Fire Safe CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCountywide fire safe council network. Solano RCD provides wildfire resources and mitigation support through this partnership.
• Benicia Fire Safe CouncilsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fire safe council providing wildfire preparedness resources and community education in Benicia area.
• Green Valley Fire Safe CouncilsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fire safe council providing wildfire preparedness resources and community education in Green Valley area.
• Glen Cove Fire Safe CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fire safe council for Glen Cove area.
• Pleasants Valley Fire Safe CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fire safe council for Pleasants Valley area.
• Fairfield Fire DepartmentsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nelson Road prescribed burn project, identified as high priority along with CAL FIRE and Vacaville Fire Department.
• Vacaville Fire DepartmentsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nelson Road prescribed burn project, identified as high priority along with CAL FIRE and Fairfield Fire Department.
• Solano Irrigation DistrictsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in agricultural water efficiency programs and district water management.
• Dixon Resource Conservation DistrictsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional RCD partnership for agricultural water efficiency programs in Solano County.
• Maine Prairie Irrigation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in agricultural water efficiency programs.
• Reclamation District 2068minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in agricultural water efficiency programs.
• Solano County Farm BureausecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in agricultural technical assistance and water efficiency programs.
• Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management DistrictsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Suisun Marsh Watershed Program.
• California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided firefighter training (FFT2) for RCD staff and community partners during Nelson Road prescribed burn project.
• City of Vacaville Public WorkssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGranted access to Nelson Road site for fuel reduction work including limbing, piling, pile burning, and broadcast burning.
• Solano Land TrustsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerManages Rush Ranch Open Space where education programs are conducted. Information sharing partner for Lynch Canyon wildlife guide.
• Cal Maritime (California State Maritime Academy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents helped install native trees and shrubs along Benicia State Recreation Area trail network.
• State Parks DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Benicia State Recreation Area pollinator enhancement project. State Parks manages the recreation area where restoration work occurs.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Putah Creek Council: Watershed-focused nonprofit in the Solano/Yolo region that partners with Solano RCD on the Lake Solano Park restoration project; comparable mission around water and habitat stewardship.
• Napa-Solano Audubon Society: Regional Audubon chapter that partners with Solano RCD on the Lake Dalwigk urban greening project; comparable habitat restoration and community education outreach in overlapping territory.
• Solano Land Trust: Local nonprofit that manages Rush Ranch Open Space, the primary site where Solano RCD delivers its watershed education programs; offers a sibling nonprofit conservation model in the same geography.
• Dixon Resource Conservation District: Neighboring RCD within Solano County that partners with Solano RCD on agricultural water efficiency programs; smaller scale but directly comparable mission and constituency.

Others

• California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD): State-level trade and coordination body for California's RCDs; provides firefighter training and policy support to Solano RCD and serves as the peer reference for statewide RCD scale and benchmarking.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Federal USDA agency providing technical soil and water conservation support to Solano RCD's agricultural programs; broader jurisdiction and resource base but overlapping landowner technical assistance mission.
• National Estuarine Research Reserve System: NOAA-administered network of coastal reserves that partners with Solano RCD on the Suisun Marsh education program, where students contribute water quality data to ongoing professional research.

Direct peers

• Yolo County Resource Conservation District: Adjacent RCD with overlapping DWR Delta stewardship and wildfire mitigation programs; Solano RCD actively co-stewards delta lands with this peer, making it the closest day-to-day operational comparison.
• Contra Costa Resource Conservation District: Bay Area RCD engaged in the same DWR Delta habitat stewardship and agricultural water efficiency programs as Solano RCD, with comparable mix of landowner assistance and conservation education.
• San Joaquin Resource Conservation District: Delta-region RCD co-stewarding Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta lands with Solano RCD under DWR partnership; highly comparable operational model and funding mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCL2Rx_oGQV2VJapxxxcKb5w
• Facebookfacebook.com/thesolanorcd
• Instagraminstagram.com/solanorcd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solano-resource-conservation-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Solano Resource Conservation District