Rio Grande Watershed Conservation & Education Initiative

What Rio Grande Watershed Conservation & Education Initiative does

Rio Grande Watershed Conservation & Education Initiative (RGWCEI) is a Colorado-based 501(c)-style non-profit founded in 2009 that delivers K-12 conservation and environmental education programs across all six counties of the San Luis Valley. Headquartered at 101 S Craft Drive in Alamosa, the organization employs between two and five staff led by Executive Director Hannah Thill and operates with a lean structure in which Program Assistant and Financial Director Mattea Freel simultaneously serves as District Manager for the Center and Rio Grande Conservation Districts.

RGWCEI's core offerings comprise a portfolio of free educational products: Class 2 Field (classroom presentations and field trips aligned to Colorado science standards), the Youth Conservation Camp (a three-day, two-night residential program at Beaver Creek in the Rio Grande National Forest for ages 8-13), Natural Resource Workshops/Envirothon (middle and high school field workshops covering aquatic ecology, soil health, forestry, and wildlife), the Conservation Poster Contest (annual NACD-affiliated contest for grades 5-6), the SLV School Pumpkin Patch (annual farm experience hosted by Allied Potato Colorado for eight consecutive years), Online Learning Resources (digital lessons segmented by grade band), and a Mobile River Trailer for hands-on water education. All school and afterschool programs are offered at no cost, with travel reimbursement for field trips.

The organization has no fee-for-service revenue; operations are funded entirely through grants, donations, and in-kind partner support from a network of more than 30 entities including the Environmental Protection Agency, US Forest Service, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Great Outdoors Colorado, the five founding SLV conservation districts, and private foundations such as the Trinchera Blanca Foundation and CLIF Bar Family Foundation. Distribution is community-led through school partnerships, conservation district referrals, social media, and community events. RGWCEI interacts with more than 3,000 youth annually and describes itself as the only conservation education non-profit in Colorado partnering with conservation districts.

Name

Rio Grande Watershed Conservation & Education Initiative

Legal name

Rio Grande Watershed Conservation & Education Initiative

Website

https://rgwcei.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RGWCEI is a Colorado non-profit providing free K-12 conservation and watershed education programs across all six counties of the San Luis Valley, serving 3,000+ youth annually through in-classroom, field, camp, and online formats funded by grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Education Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Educational Services (611), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMABAD

Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/STEM Enrichment & Science Programs

SECONDARYTHAAAOAA

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Educational Adventure Programs (Outdoor Education, Skill Development)

SECONDARYEDALAIAG

Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals)

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Athletics, Recreation & Fitness

Keywords

• Conservation education programs
• Youth environmental education
• Watershed conservation services
• Outdoor learning experiences
• Natural resource stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Alamosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Non-profit organization supported by generous funders and education partners including foundations and conservation districts. Programs are offered free of charge to schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RGWCEI delivers free K-12 conservation education programs across all six counties of Colorado's San Luis Valley. Core offerings include tailored classroom presentations, field trips, hands-on workshops, a multi-day residential Youth Conservation Camp, an annual poster contest, a school pumpkin patch experience, and online learning resources, all connecting science and social studies standards to local watershed, soil, water, and natural resource realities.

Product overview

RGWCEI is a non-profit conservation education organization offering a portfolio of K-12 educational programs and resources for the San Luis Valley. The core offerings include Class 2 Field (classroom lessons and field trips), Youth Conservation Camp (residential outdoor camp), Natural Resource Workshops/Envirothon (middle/high school workshops), Conservation Poster Contest (annual art competition), and SLV School Pumpkin Patch (farm experiences). Online Learning Resources provide digital lessons by grade level, while the Mobile River Trailer extends hands-on water education. All school programs are free of charge with travel reimbursement for field trips.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Class 2 Field Hands-on classroom activities, presentations, and field trips connecting science and social studies standards to Rio Grande Watershed realities. Topics include water movement, watershed health, soil, and natural resource management. Lessons are free, customizable, and aligned with Colorado science standards.
• Conservation Poster Contest

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ youth reached annually through programs, learning resources, and partnerships

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• Rio Grande Watershed Association of Conservation DistrictsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella organization of five SLV conservation districts; primary host and founding supporter of Youth Conservation Camp for over four decades
• Colorado Parks & WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing wildlife biology presentations and activities at Youth Conservation Camp; leads Wildlife small group topic
• US Forest Service (Rio Grande National Forest)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing forestry education and activities at camp; leads Forestry small group topic
• Natural Resources Conservation ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing soil health and conservation technical expertise for programs
• CSU Extension SLV AreacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity extension providing Range topic group at camp; offers 4-H youth development programs
• Colorado Division of Water ResourcesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing water administration and management education
• SLV Trout UnlimitedmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization providing aquatic ecology and fly fishing activities at camp
• Rio Grande Headwaters Land TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand trust supporting watershed conservation education
• Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRestoration organization providing watershed education presentations
• Colorado State Forest ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing forestry education resources and expertise
• Adams State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal university providing educational resources and Adventure Program partnerships; partner in Generation Wild coalition
• Alpine Achievers InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth organization partner in SLV Generation Wild coalition; Boys & Girls Club affiliate
• SLV Boys & Girls ClubmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth organization providing Outdoor Skills small group at camp; partner in Generation Wild coalition
• Rio Grande Farm ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal agricultural park providing farm-based education opportunities
• Trinchera RanchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ranch supporting conservation education initiatives
• Allied Potato ColoradominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural company hosting SLV School Pumpkin Patch for 8 consecutive years
• Colorado Section - Society for Range ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional organization supporting range management education
• SLV Generation Wild CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition funded by Great Outdoors Colorado including City of Alamosa Parks & Rec, Alpine Achievers Initiative, City of Creede, SLV GO!, SLV Rattlers, Adams State University Adventure Program, SLV Boys & Girls Club, and Rio Grande Farm Park
• National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization hosting annual Conservation Poster Contest for 5th and 6th graders in partnership with SLV conservation districts
• Colorado Association of Conservation Districts (CACD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level organization for conservation districts; hosts state-level poster contest judging

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yellowstone Forever: The official non-profit partner of Yellowstone National Park, operating K-12 education programs, youth camps, and field institutes — comparable in operating model (park-adjacent conservation education, donor-funded, free/subsidized school programs).
• Trout Unlimited (Youth Education Programs): A national coldwater conservation non-profit with active youth education, stream-side classroom, and conservation camp programs — RGWCEI's local SLV Trout Unlimited partnership mirrors TU's national youth education operating model.
• Rocky Mountain Conservancy: A Colorado-based non-profit that delivers conservation education programs, youth camps, and field-based learning experiences within and around Rocky Mountain National Park — directly comparable to RGWCEI in mission, region, and program mix (school programs, camps, curriculum).
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: A watershed-focused non-profit delivering K-12 environmental education, field programs, and outdoor learning experiences — directly comparable in mission, school-program model, and watershed-specific framing of conservation education.
• Project WET Foundation: A global non-profit publishing water education curriculum and training K-12 teachers — directly comparable to RGWCEI's watershed/water-focused Class 2 Field curriculum, aligned with science standards, and free-to-schools delivery.
• Student Conservation Association: A national non-profit engaging youth and young adults in hands-on conservation service, education, and career pathways — comparable as a youth-focused conservation education non-profit with similar funding sources (federal grants, foundations, individual donors).
• Leave No Trace (Center for Outdoor Ethics): A non-profit delivering outdoor ethics and environmental education curriculum to schools, camps, and youth programs nationwide — directly comparable to RGWCEI's outdoor conservation education mission and K-12 school delivery model.

Emerging players

• Earthwatch Institute: An environmental non-profit delivering field-based science and conservation education programs for youth and adults — comparable in outdoor learning and conservation mission, but operating at national/international scale versus RGWCEI's regional focus.
• Pacific Rivers Council: A watershed conservation advocacy and education non-profit — comparable in watershed-based mission and educational programming, though focused on the Pacific Northwest rather than the Rio Grande basin.

Broad incumbents

• National Wildlife Federation (Education Programs): A large national conservation non-profit offering K-12 environmental education curriculum, school programs, and educator training — overlaps in mission and target audience but at vastly greater scale and broader programmatic scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQy9pByuERKWoQFai5EJGww
• Facebookfacebook.com/rgwcei
• Instagraminstagram.com/riograndewatershed_conserv_edu

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 Rio Grande Watershed Conservation & Education Initiative