Utah Clean Air Partnership

What Utah Clean Air Partnership does

Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, founded in 2012-2013 to advance air quality across the state through education, grants, and community programs. Its core offerings comprise a portfolio of community programs rather than technology products: the Smart Thermostat Program (providing free ecobee or Google Nest E thermostats to households earning below $98,336), the Leaf Blower Exchange (gas-to-battery equipment swap with 1,500 units exchanged over three years), Idle-Free Education in Salt Lake and Granite School Districts, the Gas Can Exchange, the Air Ambassadors High School Program, and the UCAIR Grants Program (operating across five funding categories since 2013 with awards of $10,000-$25,000). The organization also delivers air quality monitoring and reporting across 10 Utah cities through its collaboration with the Utah Division of Air Quality.

UCAIR's underlying operating model is a coordination and grant-making entity rather than a technology company. Its technology layer consists of third-party-built digital tools including the Utah Clean Air Incentive Finder (developed with Atlas Public Policy) and the use of state agency environmental data to guide programming. The organization is led by Executive Director Dane Ishihara and operates with a small staff of 1-10 employees. Its go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on grassroots outreach, school and employer engagement, and event-based distribution rather than traditional sales channels.

UCAIR's revenue is sourced from grants and donations. Grants flow from both corporate sponsors (Enbridge, Maverik, Big West Oil, Union Pacific, Rio Tinto Kennecott) and public-sector partners (Utah DEQ, DAQ), while individual donations are processed via the Classy platform. All UCAIR programs are free to eligible participants. The organization maintains a strategic network of over 100 partners spanning government agencies, businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations, which constitutes its primary distribution and funding infrastructure.

Name

Utah Clean Air Partnership

Legal name

Utah Clean Air Partnership

Website

https://ucair.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) is a Salt Lake City-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that improves Utah air quality through free community programs, equipment exchanges, and grants, serving residents, businesses, schools, and local governments statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants: UCAIR operates a grants program that funds innovative solutions for Utah's air quality since 2013. The organization also receives grant funding to run programs like the Smart Thermostat Program, Leaf Blower Exchange, and Idle-Free Education.
2. Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, UCAIR accepts donations from the public to support air quality improvement initiatives across Utah.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

UCAIR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that educates and empowers individuals, businesses, and community leaders in Utah to take actions that improve air quality. It runs community programs such as Smart Thermostat distribution, Leaf Blower Exchange, Gas Can Exchange, Idle-Free Education, the Air Ambassadors High School Program, and a Grants Program funding innovative air quality solutions. The organization also provides air quality monitoring and reporting in collaboration with the Utah Division of Air Quality.

Product overview

The Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates as a coordination and grant-making entity rather than a technology product company. Its offerings consist of community programs focused on air quality improvement, including the Smart Thermostat Program, Leaf Blower Exchange, Idle-Free Education, Gas Can Exchange, Air Ambassadors High School Program, UCAIR Grants Program, and Air Quality Monitoring & Reporting services. These programs work together through UCAIR's collaborative network with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality and Division of Air Quality to educate and empower individuals, businesses, and community leaders to improve Utah's air quality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smart Thermostat Program A community workshop program that provides free ecobee or Google Nest E smart thermostats to low- and moderate-income Utah households earning below $98,336 to reduce energy consumption and improve air quality.
• Leaf Blower Exchange A swap program that exchanges gas-powered leaf blowers for battery-powered electric models to reduce VOC emissions from yard equipment along the Wasatch Front, with over 1,500 exchanges completed over three years.
• Idle-Free Education An educational initiative at elementary and middle schools in the Salt Lake and Granite School Districts that reduces vehicle idling in school pick-up zones through awareness campaigns and observation-based monitoring.
• UCAIR Grants Program A grant funding program operating since 2013 that supports innovative air quality solutions across five categories: Electric Lawn Equipment Replacement ($10,000), Education/Outreach/Arts ($15,000), Building/Home Energy Efficiency ($20,000), Transportation/Mobility ($25,000), and Innovation ($20,000).
• Air Ambassadors High School Program A high school student engagement program that trains youth ambassadors to promote clean air practices and awareness in their schools and communities.
• Gas Can Exchange An exchange program that replaces old gas cans with new certified clean air models to reduce VOC emissions from fuel evaporation.
• Air Quality Monitoring and Reporting Real-time and forecast air quality information for 10 Utah cities including Salt Lake City, Sandy, Provo, St. George, Ogden, Tooele, West Jordan, Draper, Moab, and Logan, provided through collaboration with the Utah Division of Air Quality.
• At Work Programs A bundle of workplace programs including TravelWise for Work, Work Cleaner, Idle Less, and Be a Clean Air Champion to reduce emissions from business operations and employee commuting.
• At Home Programs Home-based initiatives including TravelWise, Shop Smart, Choose Green, Conserve Energy, and the Telework Resource Center to help Utah residents reduce household emissions.
• In The Community Programs Community engagement programs that connect Utah residents with local air quality improvement opportunities and resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17% reduction in idling vehicles after Idle-Free education campaigns
• +3 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

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency partner collaborating with UCAIR on air quality initiatives. DEQ offers additional funding programs including the Air Quality Incentive Programs, Charge Your Yard Incentive Program, and Alternative Fuel Heavy-Duty Vehicle Tax Credit.
• Division of Air Quality (DAQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing air quality data and forecasts used by UCAIR to guide its programs and communications. Collaborates on data-driven insights for air quality improvement.
• EnbridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst-choice energy delivery company sponsoring the Idle-Free Education program. UCAIR's Idle-Free Education program, sponsored by Enbridge, is dedicated to raising awareness about harmful effects of vehicle idling.
• MaverikcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding partner for the UCAIR Smart Thermostat Program. Maverik and Big West Oil provide funding that enables free smart thermostats for low-to-moderate income Utah households.
• Big West OilcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding partner for the UCAIR Smart Thermostat Program. Together with Maverik, funds the distribution of free ecobee smart thermostats to households earning below $98,336.
• Union Pacific RailroadcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the UCAIR Leaf Blower Exchange program for the past three years. Funding covers the full cost of battery-powered leaf blowers distributed to participants.
• Lowe'sminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail partner providing venue for Leaf Blower Exchange events. EGO POWER+ battery-powered leaf blowers are provided through Lowe's for the exchange program.
• Housing ConnectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership enabled installation of smart thermostats in 2024 in multifamily housing units across Salt Lake County, with accessible guidance for residents to maximize energy savings.
• University of UtahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner that conducted a study showing Idle-Free education at a Utah elementary school reduced idling vehicles by 17% and total idling time by 37%.
• Rocky Mountain PowerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnergy provider offering Wattsmart program with rebates for smart thermostats. Referenced as alternative option for Utah households seeking smart thermostat rebates.
• AESminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting UCAIR's air quality improvement mission.
• Utah Clean EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner offering Energy Efficiency Incentives page helping Utah residents access federal tax credits and local utility rebates for energy-saving home upgrades.
• Utah Clean CitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the UCAIR network supporting clean transportation and air quality initiatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Lung Association: National nonprofit with a long-standing air quality and lung health mission including state-level clean air advocacy, education, and research. Operates as a broader incumbent that overlaps with UCAIR on air quality messaging but addresses lung health holistically rather than as a state-specific air quality coordinator.
• Sierra Club: One of the largest U.S. environmental nonprofits with active Utah chapters focused on air quality, clean energy, and public lands. Competes for overlapping corporate/foundation funding and grassroots volunteer pool, but with a much broader environmental mandate.

Emerging players

• Earthworks: National nonprofit focused on reducing the environmental and public health impacts of oil, gas, and mineral extraction. Relevant given Rio Tinto Kennecott's involvement with UCAIR and shared air quality/pollution themes, though more advocacy-oriented than UCAIR's programs.

Direct peers

• Clean Air Council: Philadelphia-based nonprofit focused on regional air quality through advocacy, education, and community programs. Most direct functional peer to UCAIR — same mission, similar community-led program model, and operates at a state/regional rather than national scale.
• HEAL Utah: Utah-based environmental nonprofit focused on air quality and clean energy advocacy. Most geographically comparable peer to UCAIR — operates in the same regulatory environment, engages the same corporate and state partners, and competes for similar community mindshare.
• Utah Clean Energy: Utah-based nonprofit focused on clean energy policy and emissions reduction, and an existing UCAIR partner. Operates in the same state on overlapping themes (energy efficiency, transportation emissions) and shares corporate/state partners, making it both a peer and a collaborator.
• Breathe Project: Pittsburgh/Southwest Pennsylvania regional air quality coalition focused on reducing air pollution from industrial sources through community action. Comparable as a regional, coalition-style air quality nonprofit with a similar partner network model.
• Moms Clean Air Force: National community-driven nonprofit mobilizing parents around clean air and climate. Comparable in grassroots engagement, education-led programming, and corporate/foundation funding model, though at a much larger national scale.
• Air Alliance Houston: Houston-based nonprofit working on air quality and environmental health through community engagement, research, and policy advocacy. Comparable in scale, structure, and mission to UCAIR, with a similar blend of grassroots education and data-driven programming.

Regional players

• South Coast Air Quality Management District: California's largest air quality management agency, running education, incentive, and rulemaking programs analogous to UCAIR. Comparable in mission and program mix (incentive programs, public education, idle reduction), but operates as a government regulator with taxing authority rather than a nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UCAIR_UT
• Facebookfacebook.com/UCAIR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ucair

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 Utah Clean Air Partnership