Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association

What Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association does

The Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association (SLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2000 and headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, with a physical office in Bellvue. The organization delivers sustainability education programs and resources to youth, business professionals, community members, and local governments across Northern Colorado. Its core offerings include the Youth Climate Leadership Summit (432 students from 20 schools in 2025), the Weld Youth Environmental Leadership Summit, the Youth Climate Action Event (75 young leaders), the fee-based Sustainability Leadership Program (20 sessions over three months at $750 per participant), and Earth Day Fort Collins. The organization claims to have educated 150,000+ people through its programs over 25 years.

SLA's revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit structure combining tax-deductible donations (processed through Network for Good), program tuition ($750 per Sustainability Leadership Program participant), corporate sponsorships for events such as Earth Day Fort Collins and the Youth Climate Leadership Summit, and fundraising events like the annual Wine & Cheese Pairing. Its technology footprint is limited to a website-based platform for program delivery, online donation processing, and virtual class delivery for the Sustainability Leadership Program; there is no disclosed proprietary technology, patents, or AI/ML capability. Supporting resources include the Impact Pledge, the Communicating Climate Guide, 25 Easy Sustainable Actions, voter registration materials, and a blog covering sustainability topics.

Commercially, SLA serves four primary segments: youth/students (middle school through college), business professionals pursuing ESG/sustainability expertise, general community members, and local government units. Distribution is through direct program delivery, partner networks (1% for the Planet, Bohemian Foundation, City of Fort Collins, Colorado State University, Poudre School District), and community events. Named corporate and institutional partners include Platte River Power Authority, Xcel Energy, Odell Brewing Company, Republic Services, Nature Conservancy, Patagonia, Eco-Cycle, Otterbox, and Hewlett Packard. The organization is governed by a volunteer board and operates with 1-10 employees under Executive Director Kellie Falbo.

Name

Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association

Legal name

Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association

Website

https://sustainablelivingassociation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 in Fort Collins, Colorado, delivering sustainability education programs and resources to youth, business professionals, community members, and local governments across Northern Colorado.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL)

Keywords

• Sustainability education
• Environmental nonprofit programs
• Youth climate leadership
• Community sustainability events
• Climate action resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors supporting environmental education and community sustainability programs
2. Program Tuition: Fee-based Sustainability Leadership Program with tuition of $750 per participant
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events such as Earth Day Fort Collins and Youth Climate Leadership Summit
4. Fundraising Events: Special events like Wine & Cheese Pairing fundraiser generating revenue for operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers sustainability and climate education through youth leadership summits, a paid Sustainability Leadership Program (20 sessions over three months at $750 per participant), community events such as Earth Day Fort Collins, and free educational resources. It serves more than 150,000 participants across 25 years of programs in Northern Colorado.

Product overview

The Sustainable Living Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of educational programs and community events focused on sustainability and climate action. The core programs include the Youth Climate Leadership Summit, Weld Youth Environmental Leadership Summit, Youth Climate Action Event, Sustainability Leadership Program, and Earth Day Fort Collins. Supporting resources include the Impact Pledge, Communicating Climate Guide, 25 Easy Sustainable Actions guide, and a News Updates blog. The organization also hosts the annual Wine & Cheese Pairing Fundraiser and provides voter registration resources. The portfolio is unified by the mission to empower Colorado communities through education and resources for a sustainable future, connecting youth, professionals, and community members through events, training programs, and informational content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Climate Leadership Summit Annual summit that engages middle and high school students to learn from each other and from leading climate scientists, empowering them to understand, navigate, and address challenges posed by climate change.
• Weld Youth Environmental Leadership Summit A summit that empowers Weld County students to explore environmental science, engage in sustainability solutions, and develop leadership skills to drive change in their communities.
• Youth Climate Action Event A youth-focused event where 75 young leaders engage in service projects, education, political discussions, and a career fair, equipped with tools, resources, and personalized Action Plans to drive climate solutions at school, home, and in their communities.
• Sustainability Leadership Program A business-oriented paid program providing participants with knowledge and tools to become purpose-driven sustainability leaders, exploring different business models to drive change. Includes 40 hours of content across 20 sessions over three months (March-May), with tuition of $750 per participant. Limited to 20 participants per cohort.
• Earth Day Fort Collins Annual community celebration of environmental stewardship featuring informational booths, kids activities, live music, speakers, food trucks, a beer garden, and a Poudre River cleanup component. Free to attend.
• Wine & Cheese Pairing Fundraiser Annual fundraising event featuring guided wine and cheese pairing with expert sommeliers at OBC Wine Project in Fort Collins, with proceeds benefiting the Sustainable Living Association.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000+ people educated through programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 1% for the PlanetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSLA is an approved 1% for the Planet recipient and became eligible to receive contributions from member companies. This partnership provides access to corporate members who pledge 1% of sales to environmental causes.
• Bohemian FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation partner supporting sustainability initiatives in Northern Colorado communities.
• City of Fort CollinscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for ClimateWise program, Building Performance Standards task force, and Earth Day Fort Collins. SLA serves as strategic lead partner to evaluate and reimagine ClimateWise program for local businesses.
• Colina FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation partner supporting environmental education and community sustainability programs.
• Colorado State University - School of Global Environmental SustainabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Sustainability Leadership Program presenters, Impact MBA collaboration, and student involvement. CSU's Impact MBA Program Director serves as SLA Vice President.
• Earth Rising FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization for environmental education initiatives.
• NoCo FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNorthern Colorado foundation partner for regional sustainability initiatives.
• Odell Brewing CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarth Day Fort Collins venue host and major sponsor. Board member Montana Sauve is Wholesale Delivery Supervisor. Partner for river health and watershed protection initiatives.
• Poudre School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for youth programs including Youth Climate Leadership Summit and Weld Youth Leadership Summit. Board member Chris Bergmann is educator and administrator in district.
• University of Northern ColoradominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for sustainability education and student involvement opportunities.
• Xcel EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEarth Day sponsor and partner organization supporting clean energy goals. Proud participant in SLA Earth Day event.
• Coalition for the Poudre River WatershedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partnership for 2026 Earth Day focused on river health and watershed protection, connecting community with action-oriented opportunities for Poudre River care.
• Platte River Power AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarth Day sponsor and presenter in Sustainability Leadership Program. Proud participant in SLA Earth Day event with incredible conversations with residents and business owners.
• Republic ServicescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEarth Day sponsor and presenter in Sustainability Leadership Program. Sponsor of Sustainable Living Association.
• Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability Leadership Program presenter organization bringing thought leadership on conservation and environmental stewardship.
• PatagoniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability Leadership Program presenter bringing industry perspective on purpose-driven business practices.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Resource Central: Boulder-based nonprofit focused on water and energy conservation through community education programs and resources. Directly comparable as a Colorado environmental education nonprofit delivering community-facing sustainability programming.
• Local First: Community-focused nonprofit supporting local economies and sustainable business. Notably, SLA launched 'Be Local' in 2006 — the predecessor to this organizational model — making Local First a direct legacy peer in the local-sustainability space.
• Climate Reality Project: National climate education and leadership training nonprofit founded by Al Gore. Directly comparable mission-wise through climate education and community leadership training programs, though operating at significantly larger national scale.
• Eco-Cycle: Boulder, Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on recycling, waste reduction, and Zero Waste community education. Directly comparable as a Colorado-based environmental education nonprofit that runs community programs and has been an SLA participant organization.

Broad incumbents

• EarthShare: National federation facilitating workplace giving for environmental nonprofits. Adjacent to SLA's donor-development model and useful as a benchmark for federated fundraising approaches at scale.
• Nature Conservancy: One of the world's largest environmental nonprofits. SLA partners with Nature Conservancy as a Sustainability Leadership Program presenter; broadly comparable through conservation and climate education work, but operating at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Green America: National nonprofit that mobilizes economic power for environmental and social justice through green business networking and consumer education. Comparable through the Sustainability Leadership Program's purpose-driven-business training focus, but at national scale.

Regional players

• Conservation Colorado: Statewide Colorado environmental advocacy organization working on climate, land, water, and community conservation policy. Comparable as a Colorado-based environmental nonprofit but operates at state advocacy scale rather than SLA's community-program delivery focus.
• ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability: Global network of local governments committed to sustainability, operating US programs focused on climate action planning. Comparable through the ClimateWise municipal partnership model, but focused on direct government engagement rather than community-program delivery.

Others

• 1% for the Planet: Network connecting businesses that pledge 1% of sales to approved environmental nonprofits, of which SLA is an approved recipient. Functions as an enabling partner/funder rather than a direct competitor, providing corporate donation infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SustainableLivingAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sustainablelivingassociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/sla_noco

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association