The Great Raleigh Cleanup

What The Great Raleigh Cleanup does

The Great Raleigh Cleanup (TGRC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2020 by Preston Ross III and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. The organization coordinates community-based litter removal, waste diversion, and paid workforce programs serving the greater Raleigh area. Its program portfolio includes Adopt-the-Block (neighborhood-led cleanup adoption), Cleanup Crew (volunteer-driven removal events), Landfill Diversion (waste sorting and recycling), Litter-Free Streams (watershed protection with installed trash traps), Workforce Program (paid transitional employment), and Corporate Volunteering (employer-organized service days). TGRC reports cumulative impact of 150,000+ to 190,000+ pounds of litter removed since founding.

TGRC operates a diversified nonprofit revenue model combining individual donations, corporate partnerships and sponsorships, branded merchandise sales, and aluminum recycling proceeds. The most significant revenue line appears to be a contract and grant relationship with the City of Raleigh, which also co-funds the Workforce Program alongside social-services nonprofit A Place at the Table. Through that program, launched in 2023, TGRC has employed 100+ transitional workers and paid out $100,000+ in wages, functioning as both an environmental service provider and a workforce development intermediary.

The organization's stakeholder network spans municipal government (City of Raleigh), academic institutions (NC State University), environmental nonprofits (Sound Rivers), and high-traffic venue partners (Coastal Credit Union Music Park, Red Hat Amphitheater, NC State Football). Operations are delivered by a small core team of 1-10 employees supplemented by volunteers, workforce program participants, and corporate volunteer groups. TGRC is not a technology company and operates no proprietary platform; its competitive position rests on community mobilization, municipal relationships, and integrated program design rather than on technical assets or intellectual property.

Name

The Great Raleigh Cleanup

Legal name

The Great Raleigh Cleanup

Website

https://raleighcleanup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Great Raleigh Cleanup is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2020 that organizes community litter removal, watershed protection, and paid workforce programs in Raleigh, NC, funded by individual donations, corporate partnerships, and a City of Raleigh contract.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Environmental Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Street & Public Space Litter Collection (Municipal Cleaning) (BPALAAAE)

Keywords

• Community litter cleanup
• Environmental nonprofit services
• Volunteer waste removal
• Workforce development program
• Landfill diversion events

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations through Give Lively platform (501(c)(3) nonprofit). One-time donations support the Litter-Free Raleigh mission.
2. Corporate Partnerships & Volunteering: Companies engage employees through self-led or TGRC-led cleanups with suggested donations. Corporate partnerships include multiple managed cleanups, impact reports, and marketing benefits.
3. Merchandise Sales: TGRC branded merchandise sold through their online store to generate additional revenue and promote the organization.
4. Aluminum Recycling Revenue: Revenue from recycling aluminum cans collected at landfill diversion events at live venues, including Red Hat Amphitheater and Coastal Credit Union Music Park.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Great Raleigh Cleanup is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes community-based litter removal programs across Raleigh, NC. It mobilizes volunteers through Adopt-the-Block neighborhood cleanups, Group Cleanups at parks and roadsides, Landfill Diversion aluminum recycling at live events, and Litter-Free Streams waterway protection via trash traps. It also runs a Workforce Program that pays individuals experiencing homelessness $20/hour for litter removal under a City of Raleigh contract.

Product overview

The Great Raleigh Cleanup is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of community service programs centered on environmental cleanup and workforce development. The core offerings include: Adopt-the-Block (empowering residents to clean their neighborhoods), Cleanup Crew/Group Cleanups (community volunteer events), Landfill Diversion (aluminum can recycling at live events), Litter-Free Streams (trash trap monitoring for waterway protection), Workforce Program (employment for individuals experiencing homelessness), and Corporate Volunteering & Partnerships (team-building cleanups for businesses). These programs work together to achieve the organization's mission of creating a litter-free Raleigh through community-powered environmental stewardship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adopt-the-Block

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000+ pounds of litter removed since founding
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key partner and supporting.

• NC State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership launched in 2025 for litter surveys of streets and parking lots in the Marsh Creek watershed. Research to understand sources and patterns of land-based litter to prevent marine debris.
• Sound Rivers (Litter-Free Rivers Program)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Partnership for the Litter-Free Streams program. Sound Rivers' Litter-Free Rivers program installed two trash traps in the Marsh Creek Watershed to capture floating litter and protect local waterways.
• Raleigh StormwatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Municipal partnership for the installation and maintenance of trash traps in the Marsh Creek Watershed as part of the Litter-Free Streams program.
• A Place at the TablecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to identify and recruit individuals experiencing homelessness for the Workforce program. A Place at the Table is a pay-what-you-can cafe that connects program participants with employment opportunities.
• City of RaleighcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Primary funder of the Workforce program providing seed money and ongoing contract support. Provides employment opportunities for beautification program targeting city public spaces.
• Coastal Credit Union Music Parkkey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor venue partner for landfill diversion events. The Great Raleigh Cleanup collects aluminum cans and promotes recycling at concerts and events to minimize environmental impact.
• Red Hat Amphitheaterkey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for aluminum can recycling at concerts. Workforce program members support diversion events at this downtown Raleigh venue.
• NC State Footballkey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports venue partner for landfill diversion events. TGRC promotes recycling and collects aluminum cans at football games.
• The No Woman, No Girl InitiativesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated hygiene products for Workforce program participants, providing essential supplies to individuals experiencing homelessness.
• WRAL NEWSsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia coverage of TGRC's work including the NC State study on plastic pollution and litter tracking initiatives.
• NC Sea GrantsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for research on reducing litter in urban waterways including the Track the Bottle GPS tracking initiative.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Trash Hero: Global volunteer-driven community cleanup nonprofit with chapters in dozens of countries running regular cleanups, recycling education, and waste reduction programs. Matches TGRC's community-powered volunteer cleanup model and event-driven approach, but operates at international scale rather than a single U.S. city.
• Clean Vibes: For-profit sustainability services company providing event waste management, recycling, and landfill diversion at concerts and festivals. Directly comparable to TGRC's Landfill Diversion program (e.g., Coastal Credit Union Music Park can collection); operates at larger venue scale with paid staff rather than volunteer-driven model.
• VolunteerCleanup.org: Florida-based volunteer cleanup coordination nonprofit organizing beach and waterway cleanups with corporate sponsorships and impact reporting. Closely comparable to TGRC's group cleanup + corporate volunteering model with similar geographic focus on a single state/region.
• Keep Durham Beautiful: North Carolina-based affiliate of Keep America Beautiful running litter cleanup, recycling, and beautification programs in Durham. Operates the same general model as TGRC (community cleanups, corporate partnerships, neighborhood adopt programs) in an adjacent NC market; a TGRC board member previously worked here, evidencing operational comparability.

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Conservancy: International nonprofit running the International Coastal Cleanup, the world's largest volunteer litter collection effort. Shares TGRC's volunteer-driven cleanup data-collection and impact-reporting approach, but operates globally with a much larger institutional footprint.
• Surfrider Foundation: National nonprofit running volunteer beach and waterway cleanups, coastal restoration, and environmental advocacy with a strong chapter network. Comparable to TGRC's community-powered volunteer cleanup model, but with a coastal focus, larger donor base, and broader programmatic scope.
• Keep America Beautiful: National nonprofit umbrella for community improvement affiliates including litter prevention, recycling, and beautification programs across the U.S. Operates a broader portfolio than TGRC and includes many of the same program categories (Adopt-a-Spot, Great American Cleanup) that TGRC's Adopt-the-Block and Cleanup Crew mirror at city scale.

Emerging players

• Alliance for the Great Lakes: Regional nonprofit running Adopt-a-Beach programs across the Great Lakes watershed, with volunteer cleanups, data tracking, and corporate partnerships. Closely comparable to TGRC's Litter-Free Streams waterway focus plus broader volunteer cleanup model, but operates across a multi-state Great Lakes geography.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/raleighcleanup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/raleighcleanup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 The Great Raleigh Cleanup