Raptor Education Foundation

What Raptor Education Foundation does

Raptor Education Foundation (REF) is a 501-C-3 nonprofit charitable organization established in 1980 in Brighton, Colorado, operating as Colorado's first and oldest raptor sanctuary. The organization maintains a collection of approximately 30 non-releasable raptors — eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, kites, vultures, osprey, and harriers — and deploys them as live educational ambassadors for in-person presentations at schools, corporate events, conventions, state fairs, and government agency training programs. REF's stated functional purpose is environmental literacy, addressing what it characterizes as "nature-deficit disorder" by connecting audiences with the natural world through hands-on raptor encounters; the organization explicitly does not operate as a rehabilitation facility.

REF's core products and services include live raptor educational programs, professional environmental consulting services (wildlife surveys, nature center development, regulatory research, promotional programming, and pest management using raptor-based predation via the proprietary Large Area Integrated Prey Management System combined with mechanical trapping stations), Raptor Identification courses, the "Raptor Chronicles" newsletter, and the long-running "The Raptors of North America" educational book (in print 41+ years, distributed through University of New Mexico Press and Simon & Schuster, 2020 Skipping Stones Honor Award winner). The organization also generates revenue and engagement through the exclusive Colorado Respects Wildlife specialty license plates (created in 1999 with Governor Bill Owens), a tiered membership program ($24.95 Student through $5,000+ Eagle Lifetime), a Soaring adoption/sponsorship program, facility tours at $20/adult and $15/child, and the 2024-launched 5280 Peregrine Watch citizen science / live-streaming project documenting Denver's first confirmed nesting peregrine falcons.

The business model is multi-stream nonprofit: recurring membership dues and donations (Benevity Cause, Mile High United Way Code 0294, Community Shares), transactional revenue from admissions and merchandise (Square, Venmo, Zelle), B2B consulting billed at $125-$300/hour portal-to-portal with 3-hour minimums, and royalty-bearing book distribution. Customer segments span schools and educational institutions (500,000+ students reached since 1980), corporate clients (Frontier Airlines 2006-2010 pigeon control at DIA, Coors, C Lazy U Ranch), government wildlife agencies (Colorado Parks & Wildlife annual Raptor ID 2013-2024, US Fish & Wildlife Service), event organizers (FIS Ski World Cup at Beaver Creek since 1997), and individual members/supporters. REF has never received operational government operational support and is led by Founder Peter Reshetniak and President/Curator Anne Price, supported by a small core staff, professional docents, and volunteers.

Name

Raptor Education Foundation

Legal name

Raptor Education Foundation

Website

https://usaref.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Raptor Education Foundation is a 501-C-3 nonprofit and Colorado's first and oldest raptor sanctuary (Est. 1980), providing live raptor educational programs, environmental consulting, citizen science projects, and published materials to schools, corporations, government agencies, and individual supporters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Education & Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG), Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release Centers (Public Viewing/Education) (THAAAFAC)

Keywords

• Wildlife sanctuary operations
• Raptor educational programs
• Environmental literacy services
• Wildlife consulting services
• Live animal presentations

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees starting at $24.95 for Active Members, providing access to license plates, newsletter, and facility visit privileges. Higher tiers include Eagle ($5,000+), Falcon ($2,500-$4,999), Accipiter ($100-$2,499), and Buteo ($30-$99) levels with varying benefits.
2. Visitor Admissions: Public visitors pay $20/person for adults 18+, $15/person for ages 17 and under. Facility tours require advance reservation.
3. Book and Merchandise Sales: Sales of 'The Raptors of North America' coloring/activity book published by University of New Mexico Press, distributed by Simon & Schuster. Also sells merchandise through their online Square Payments store.
4. Environmental Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including pest control using raptors, nature center development, wildlife officer training, and promotional/marketing programs involving live raptors. Billed at $125-$300/hour depending on category.
5. License Plate Program: Specialty Colorado license plates featuring wildlife themes. Members pay $24.95 for annual membership plus a one-time $50 payment to county clerk for plate issuance.
6. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from public and private contributors. REF is a Benevity Cause and receives designations through Mile High United Way (Code: 0294) and Community Shares.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Raptor Education Foundation operates Colorado's first and oldest raptor sanctuary, offering live, non-releasable raptor educational presentations for schools, corporations, and public events. The organization provides environmental consulting services including wildlife management and pest control, publishes 'The Raptors of North America' coloring book, and operates a 30-bird raptor sanctuary near Barr Lake State Park in Brighton, Colorado.

Product overview

Raptor Education Foundation (REF) is Colorado's first and oldest raptor sanctuary, established in 1980, offering environmental literacy programs through live raptor presentations, educational materials, and consulting services. The organization's core offerings include: Live Raptor Educational Programs featuring permanently impaired, non-releasable raptors for schools, corporations, and events; Environmental Consulting Services for wildlife management and natural solutions; The Raptors of North America book (award-winning coloring book publication); Colorado Respects Wildlife license plates for members; the Soaring adoption/sponsorship program; visitor sanctuary tours; Raptor ID courses; the Raptor Chronicles newsletter; and the 5280 Peregrine Watch citizen science project. REF operates as a 501-C-3 charitable organization endorsed by Roger Tory Peterson and supported through memberships, donations, and program fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Raptor Educational Programs In-person presentations featuring live, non-releasable raptors (eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, vultures) for schools, corporations, conventions, and events, connecting audiences with the natural world to promote environmental literacy.
• Environmental Consulting Services Professional natural history and environmental consulting for organizations, government agencies, and businesses including wildlife surveys, promotional programs, pest management using prey species, and environmental impact documentation. Priced at $125-$300/hour.
• The Raptors of North America Book A comprehensive coloring book and introduction to North American raptors published by the Raptor Education Foundation, winner of the 2020 Skipping Stones Honor Award for Nature and Ecology Books, distributed by Simon & Schuster and University of New Mexico Press.
• Colorado Respects Wildlife License Plates Colorado's first and only wildlife-themed license plates exclusive to REF members, supporting wildlife conservation and environmental literacy programs.
• Soaring Raptor Adoption/Sponsorship Program Raptor adoption and sponsorship program offering five levels (Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) with adoption certificates, photos, and background information on adopted birds.
• Visitor Tours and Open House Events Guided tours of the raptor sanctuary facility near Barr Lake State Park, Brighton, Colorado, with visits to see live eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls. Includes annual open house events.
• Raptor Identification Courses Professional raptor identification courses for wildlife agency staff and citizen scientists, utilizing live bird collections and decades of field experience.
• 5280 Peregrine Watch Citizen Science Project A citizen science project documenting and monitoring Denver's first documented nesting peregrine falcons through camera monitoring, volunteer coordination, and public education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pigeon control: 95% pest elimination within 6 months, 99.9% success rate maintained
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• THF Prairie Center Development, L.L.C.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with THF Realty's Prairie Center Development and the City of Brighton to develop Eagle World International, the world's first destination tourism center featuring a complete live collection of all eagle species globally. REF's raptor collection and offices were relocated to the new site as of December 2008.
• The City of BrightonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the City of Brighton and Brighton Lodging Tax Committee on the Prairie Center Development project and general raptor sanctuary operations.
• Unico Properties LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding owners based in Seattle, Washington provided access to their property at 1875 Lawrence St, Denver for the 5280 Peregrine Watch project documenting Denver's first nesting peregrine falcons.
• Mile High United WaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorREF is a Certified Mile High United Way Affiliated Agency (Designation Code: 0294), allowing donors to designate contributions through workplace giving programs.
• University of New Mexico PresscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublisher and distributor of 'The Raptors of North America' book, handling retail distribution through Simon & Schuster to Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
• Fairfield & Woods P.C.minorOthersLegal counsel providing pro bono legal services to REF.
• Community SharesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkplace giving platform allowing donors to designate contributions to REF (note: Community Shares retains 15% of pledged funds).
• BenevityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate employee giving platform where REF is listed as a Benevity Cause for workplace charitable donations.
• Seven Hills Veterinary HospitalcoreOthersREF's primary veterinary partner providing medical care for their raptor collection including endoscopic procedures and general health services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Carolina Raptor Center: Nonprofit raptor center in Charlotte, NC operating a medical/treatment facility and public education programs with live raptors. Comparable to REF on live-ambassador education model and visitor programming.
• Alaska Raptor Center: Sitka, Alaska nonprofit raptor rehabilitation and education center with public viewing programs. Directly comparable on live-raptor education and visitor operations in a regional market.
• The Raptor Trust: New Jersey nonprofit raptor rehabilitation, education, and research center. Comparable to REF on raptor care, public education programming, and volunteer-dependent operating model.
• Cascades Raptor Center: Oregon-based nonprofit wildlife hospital and education center for native raptor species. Closely comparable on the wildlife education/exhibit side and hospital-to-sanctuary transition model.
• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: Nonprofit raptor conservation and education organization operating since 1934 in Pennsylvania. Most direct comparable to REF given shared focus on raptor education, citizen science monitoring, and sanctuary operations.
• World Center for Birds of Prey (The Peregrine Fund): Idaho-based nonprofit focused on raptor conservation globally with a public education center featuring live raptors. Closely comparable to REF on live-raptor education, conservation research, and global raptor field work.

Broad incumbents

• Denver Zoo: AZA-accredited regional zoo and conservation organization in the same Denver metro market. Overlaps with REF on wildlife education and conservation programming but serves a much broader animal collection and visitor base.
• National Audubon Society: Large national nonprofit with bird-focused conservation, education, and sanctuary programs across the U.S. Overlaps with REF on raptor conservation and environmental literacy but operates at vastly greater scale and with chapters in every state.

Regional players

• Rocky Mountain Wild: Colorado-based nonprofit focused on native species and habitat conservation in the Rocky Mountain region. Adjacent peer sharing REF's regional geography and conservation education mission, though not raptor-specific.

Emerging players

• Trinity Oaks Raptor Center: Smaller raptor education and rehabilitation nonprofit in Texas with live-bird programming. Comparable niche model to REF with similar live-ambassador educational offerings, but at earlier stage of scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC134Cv4GoKoss0PW_pZEElA
• Facebookfacebook.com/usaraptor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/raptor-education-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Raptor Education Foundation