Utah Rivers Council
Utah Rivers Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 that protects Utah's rivers and water resources through research, education, grassroots advocacy, and policy work, primarily focused on Great Salt Lake restoration, Colorado River stewardship, and municipal water conservation programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersSandy, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Utah Rivers Council does
Utah Rivers Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1994 and headquartered in Sandy, Utah. It promotes conservation of Utah's rivers and water resources through research, education, grassroots advocacy, public policy work, and community leadership, with principal focus on restoring the Great Salt Lake, advancing Colorado River stewardship, and reducing municipal outdoor water waste. Its program portfolio includes The 4,200 Project (a flagship initiative seeking to raise the Great Salt Lake back to 4,200 feet above sea level), the RainHarvest rain barrel distribution program operated through 18+ Northern Utah municipal partnerships, the Rip Your Strip drought-tolerant landscaping program, the 40 by 30 Campaign targeting a 40% reduction in municipal per-capita water use by 2030, and the BluePrint Utah interactive water footprint calculator co-developed with the University of Utah Office of Sustainability. Content and outreach products include the Liquid Courage video series, quarterly newsletters, research reports (The 4,200 Project Guidebook, A Future on Borrowed Time, Mirage in the Desert, There's No Water Available), legislative report cards, and educational webinars.
The organization operates with a small staff (1-10 employees) led by Executive Director Zachary Frankel, Water Policy Associate Lindsey Hutchison, and Advocacy Marketing Manager Joe Roberts. Its go-to-market is community-led, mobilizing supporters through email alerts, volunteer activities, and digital content to drive grassroots pressure on Utah legislators. Geographic footprint is concentrated in Utah with adjacent engagement across the broader Colorado River Basin.
Revenue is generated primarily through donations and member contributions, supplemented by merchandise sales and unit-priced RainHarvest rain barrels (offered at $88 each versus a $154.99 retail value, with some municipalities further subsidizing to $60). The organization does not charge for its primary services and relies on a coalition model with implementation partners — notably Earthjustice for litigation, Great Basin Water Network and Glen Canyon Institute for Colorado River advocacy, and national environmental nonprofits (Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, American Bird Conservancy) for the Great Salt Lake protection coalition. No equity funding, parent company, or venture capital backing is reported; operations are sustained by charitable contributions, grants, and program-related merchandise revenue.
Utah Rivers Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Utah Rivers Council
- Legal name
- Utah Rivers Council
- Website
- https://utahrivers.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Utah Rivers Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 that protects Utah's rivers and water resources through research, education, grassroots advocacy, and policy work, primarily focused on Great Salt Lake restoration, Colorado River stewardship, and municipal water conservation programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Utah Rivers Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental advocacy and water conservation services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)
Keywords
Where Utah Rivers Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sandy
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Utah Rivers Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Utah Rivers Council relies on donations from supporters and members. The website prominently features donation options and merchandise purchases as primary revenue mechanisms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rain barrel program with subsidized pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Utah Rivers Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Utah Rivers Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes conservation of Utah's rivers and water resources through research, education, grassroots advocacy, and public policy work. It sells rain barrels at subsidized prices through the RainHarvest program and partners with municipalities on conservation programs like Rip Your Strip, while funding operations through donations, grants, merchandise, and sponsorships. Its flagship initiative, The 4,200 Project, focuses on restoring the Great Salt Lake to a sustainable water level.
Product overview
Utah Rivers Council operates as a non-profit advocacy organization focused on protecting Utah's water resources through research, education, grassroots advocacy, and policy work. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including The 4,200 Project (their flagship initiative to restore the Great Salt Lake), RainHarvest (discounted rain barrel distribution), Rip Your Strip (drought-tolerant landscaping), BluePrint Utah (water footprint calculator), and the 40 by 30 Campaign (municipal water reduction goal). They complement these with educational content including the Liquid Courage video series, webinars, newsletters, and published research reports. The organization advocates for water conservation policy and opposes large water development projects like the Lake Powell Pipeline and Bear River Development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The 4,200 Project: A Utah Rivers Council initiative to raise the Great Salt Lake back to the sustainable level of 4,200 feet above sea level through policy work and grassroots organizing.
- RainHarvest
- Liquid Courage
- BluePrint Utah
- Rip Your Strip Program
Products and services
- RainHarvest rain barrel program Annual discounted rain barrel program that partners with 18+ Northern Utah municipalities to offer rain collection barrels to Utah residents at subsidized pricing ($88 per barrel, vs. $154.99 retail; some municipalities further subsidize to $60). Estimated savings of 15,020–22,940 gallons per Salt Lake County house annually.
- Rip Your Strip drought-tolerant landscaping program Drought-tolerant landscaping program that empowers Northern Utah residents to convert hard-to-water parking strips into water-saving drought-tolerant gardens, administered in partnership with Northern Utah municipalities for over 15 years.
- BluePrint Utah water footprint calculator Interactive, regionally-specific water footprint calculator built in partnership with the University of Utah Office of Sustainability that helps Utah residents understand their household water usage patterns.
- Great Salt Lake Waterkeeper program Dedicated advocacy and water-quality monitoring program protecting the Great Salt Lake ecosystem, combining scientific advocacy, litigation (in coalition with Earthjustice, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, American Bird Conservancy, Center for Biological Diversity, and Sierra Club), and policy work toward lake restoration.
Quantifiable outcome
- Municipal water use reduction target of 175 gallons per person per day (40% reduction by 2030)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Utah Rivers Council
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Utah Rivers Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Utah Rivers Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- EarthjusticecoreEarthjustice provides legal representation for the coalition (including Utah Rivers Council, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, American Bird Conservancy, Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club) in litigation against the state of Utah for failure to protect the Great Salt Lake. The partnership enables the coalition to pursue judicial remedies when legislative avenues fail.
- Great Basin Water NetworkcoreCoalition partner in Colorado River advocacy and research. Partnered on the 'There's No Water Available' report on the imminent Colorado River crisis. Joint advocacy against water development projects affecting the Colorado River Basin.
- Glen Canyon InstitutecoreCoalition partner focused on Glen Canyon Dam and Colorado River issues. Joint publication of reports including 'Antique Plumbing at Glen Canyon Dam' examining water supply infrastructure.
- Utah Physicians for a Healthy EnvironmentcoreCoalition partner in Great Salt Lake protection. Co-published the report on toxic dust costs from the shrinking Great Salt Lake. Combined scientific and public health expertise for advocacy.
- American Bird ConservancymajorCoalition partner representing avian conservation interests in Great Salt Lake protection efforts. The lake hosts 12 million migratory birds annually and is critical habitat.
- Center for Biological DiversitymajorCoalition partner in litigation against the state for Great Salt Lake protection. Brings species and ecosystem protection expertise to the coalition.
- Sierra ClubmajorCoalition partner in Great Salt Lake protection litigation. National environmental organization providing additional resources and credibility to state-level advocacy.
- Northern Utah Municipalitiesmajor18+ municipalities in Northern Utah partner with URC for rain barrel distribution and Rip Your Strip landscaping program implementation. Municipalities subsidize rain barrel costs for residents.
- University of Utah Office of SustainabilityminorDevelopment partner for BluePrint Utah water footprint calculator. Partnership with academic institution for technology and research collaboration.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Utah Rivers Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Grand Canyon Trust: Regional nonprofit protecting the Colorado Plateau, including the Colorado River corridor. Comparable size and mission overlap with URC.
- Glen Canyon Institute: Nonprofit focused on Glen Canyon Dam and Colorado River restoration. Co-publisher with URC of 'Antique Plumbing at Glen Canyon Dam' and a core coalition partner.
- Waterkeeper Alliance: Global umbrella for Waterkeeper organizations; URC's Great Salt Lake Waterkeeper subsidiary is an affiliate, making Waterkeeper Alliance a direct parent-equivalent peer.
- Save the Colorado: Nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring the Colorado River. Operates in the same river-basin advocacy niche as URC's Colorado River program.
- Great Basin Water Network: Regional water-advocacy coalition focused on the Great Basin and Colorado River Basin. Listed as a core URC coalition partner on joint reports including 'There's No Water Available.'
- Western Resource Advocates: Regional advocacy group working on water, energy, and land issues across the Interior West. Directly comparable in mission, geography, and policy approach to URC.
Broad incumbents
- Sierra Club: National environmental advocacy organization that overlaps with URC on Great Salt Lake litigation and Colorado River work but operates across many environmental issues nationwide.
- Center for Biological Diversity: National nonprofit using science, policy, and litigation to protect species and wild places. Co-litigant with URC in the Great Salt Lake lawsuit.
Others
- Earthjustice: National environmental law firm providing legal counsel to URC's coalition (not a direct advocacy competitor). Included as an enabling/thematically related ecosystem partner via the Great Salt Lake lawsuit.
- American Bird Conservancy: National bird-conservation organization that is a coalition partner in Great Salt Lake protection, representing the 12 million migratory birds at stake. Adjacent cause overlap rather than direct competition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Utah Rivers Council social profiles
Digital presenceUtah Rivers Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Utah Rivers Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Utah Rivers Council subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Utah Rivers Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Utah Rivers Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Utah Rivers Council
What does Utah Rivers Council do?
Utah Rivers Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes conservation of Utah's rivers and water resources through research, education, grassroots advocacy, and public policy work. It sells rain barrels at subsidized prices through the RainHarvest program and partners with municipalities on conservation programs like Rip Your Strip, while funding operations through donations, grants, merchandise, and sponsorships. Its flagship initiative, The 4,200 Project, focuses on restoring the Great Salt Lake to a sustainable water level.
Is Utah Rivers Council a public or private company?
Utah Rivers Council is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Utah Rivers Council founded?
Utah Rivers Council was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Utah Rivers Council based?
Utah Rivers Council is headquartered in Sandy, United States, in the North America region.
How does Utah Rivers Council make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Contributions.
Who are Utah Rivers Council's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Grand Canyon Trust, Glen Canyon Institute, Waterkeeper Alliance, Save the Colorado, Great Basin Water Network and Western Resource Advocates. Broad incumbents are Sierra Club and Center for Biological Diversity. Others are Earthjustice and American Bird Conservancy.
Does Utah Rivers Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for Utah Rivers Council.
What industry is Utah Rivers Council in?
Utah Rivers Council's product category is Environmental advocacy and water conservation services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAK, Water Resources & Watershed Protection. Its NAICS code is 813312.