The National Association of Conservation Districts

What The National Association of Conservation Districts does

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1946 and headquartered in Washington, DC. NACD represents all 3,000 conservation districts across the United States and the 17,000 individuals serving on their governing boards, serving as the unified national voice for locally-led conservation. Its operations center on advocacy, education, grant administration, and member services in focus areas including soil health, water quality and quantity, forestry, wildlife, pollinators, and urban/community conservation.

NACD's core "products" are programmatic rather than technology-based: Technical Assistance Grants and the Friends of NACD District Grants Program distribute federal and donor funding to districts; NCF-Envirothon engages 25,000+ high school students annually from 4,000 schools; and Stewardship Week (running 50+ years) anchors public education. Education, communications, and grant delivery are supported by a website, the NACD Marketplace e-commerce storefront, and a publications suite (The Resource, eResource, Forestry Notes, Conservation Clips). The organization does not maintain proprietary technology, software products, or APIs.

NACD's revenue model combines membership dues from conservation districts, individual donations via the Friends of NACD program ($35-$1,500 annual tiers), NACD Marketplace merchandise sales, and—dominantly—federal grant funding administered through USDA-NRCS and partner agencies. The annual operating budget reached $54 million for FY2027, reflecting material expansion of federal pass-through activity under CEO Jeremy Peters, who is departing September 30, 2026 after 11 years. Sister organization National Conservation Foundation (NCF) runs educational programs and has separate governance.

Name

The National Association of Conservation Districts

Legal name

The National Association of Conservation Districts

Website

https://nacdnet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NACD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1946 that represents America's 3,000 conservation districts and 17,000 board members, delivering advocacy, federal grant administration, and conservation education programs nationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration (BPAIABAL)

Keywords

• Conservation district advocacy
• Natural resource management
• Nonprofit membership association
• Conservation grant programs
• Environmental education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: NACD generates revenue through membership dues from conservation districts across the United States. The organization represents approximately 3,000 conservation districts and their state/territory associations.
2. Friends of NACD Individual Donations: Individual supporters contribute at four donation levels (between $35 to $1500), with each level entitling members to specific benefits. These individual contributions fund the Friends of NACD District Grants Program.
3. NACD Marketplace Sales: The NACD Marketplace sells educational materials, stewardship and education resources, recognition awards, service pins, district outreach supplies, NACD apparel, and accessories. Revenue generated supports conservation district programs.
4. Federal Grants and Programs: NACD receives federal funding through various USDA and other government programs to administer conservation grant programs. The annual budget grew to $54 million for fiscal year 2027, representing diverse portfolio of conservation grant programs, membership services, trainings, and events.
5. Technical Assistance and Grant Administration: NACD administers Technical Assistance Grants for conservation districts, distributing federal funding to support district capacity and conservation delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that represents America's 3,000 conservation districts and 17,000 board members through grassroots advocacy, federal policy work, technical assistance grants, educational programs, publications, and member services. It distributes federal conservation funding to districts, administers the Stewardship and Education program and NCF-Envirothon, and operates an online marketplace for branded merchandise and educational materials.

Product overview

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that does not offer a unified software product but rather provides a portfolio of member services, grant programs, educational initiatives, and resources for America's 3,000 conservation districts. The core offerings include Conservation District Membership for advocacy representation, Technical Assistance Grants and Friends of NACD District Grants as funding programs, the NCF-Envirothon and Stewardship Program as youth education initiatives, NACD Publications (The Resource, eResource, Forestry Notes, Conservation Clips) for communications, the NACD Marketplace for branded merchandise, and the Conservation District Directory as a locator service. The organization also facilitates Annual Meetings, Summer Meetings, regional events, and Spring Fly-Ins for networking and policy advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation District Membership
• Friends of NACD District Grants Program

Quantifiable outcome

• NACD represents 3,000 conservation districts and 17,000 board members across the United States
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bureau of Land ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2026NACD and Bureau of Land Management signed a Memorandum of Understanding in March 2026 to strengthen conservation efforts and promote collaboration on federal lands management.
• Pheasants Forever and Quail ForevercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2025NACD and Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever signed a memorandum of understanding in February 2025 to collaborate on conservation programs supporting wildlife habitat and private lands conservation.
• AmeriCorps and The Corps NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2024USDA announced establishment of the Working Lands Conservation Corps in partnership with NACD, AmeriCorps, and The Corps Network in February 2024. This initiative engages young people in conservation service while supporting conservation districts.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 February 2023NACD and USFWS signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in 2023 to encourage closer working relationships, facilitate accomplishments of conservation tasks, and provide opportunity for information exchange. The partnership has expanded with a cooperative work plan in the North Central Region focusing on relationship building, conservation delivery, and communication outreach.
• The Scotts Miracle Gro FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerScotts Miracle Gro Foundation is a longtime supporter of NACD, beginning support for Urban and Community Conservation Webinars in 2013. In 2025, they expanded support to include the Friends of NACD program, helping deliver grants to member districts.
• National Conservation Foundation (NCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCF is NACD's sister organization that educates and prepares conservation leaders for sustainability and regeneration of natural resources. NCF's hallmark programs include NCF-Envirothon (engaging 25,000+ students annually) and the Next Generation Leadership Institute.
• Ducks UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD and Ducks Unlimited have a cooperative agreement to collaborate on wetland and waterfowl conservation programs supporting private lands stewardship.
• National Wild Turkey FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD signed a cooperative agreement with the National Wild Turkey Federation to support turkey habitat conservation and outdoor recreation on private lands.
• Sand County FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD and Sand County Foundation signed a cooperative agreement to advance conservation excellence and support voluntary conservation efforts on private lands.
• Trust In FoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD and Trust In Food affirmed their partnership in August 2024 to advance conservation adoption and support farmers and ranchers in implementing sustainable practices.
• Agriculture Future of America (AFA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD partners with AFA annually to bring 50 college students to the AFA + NACD Sustainability Institute for hands-on learning and field experiences in conservation and agriculture.
• National Association of State Conservation Agencies (NASCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD is a partner in the National Conservation Planning Partnership along with NASCA, NRCS, NCDEA, and NARC&DC, formed to emphasize the critical role of conservation planning.
• Pollinator PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD and Pollinator Partnership collaborate on pollinator conservation education and recognition programs, including the Pollinator Conservation Award.
• Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable AgricultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD CEO Jeremy Peters serves on the board of directors for Field to Market, a collaborative alliance working on sustainable agriculture across the supply chain.
• Conservation Technology Information CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD CEO Jeremy Peters serves on the board of directors for the Conservation Technology Information Center, supporting conservation technology and practices.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Wildlife Federation: National nonprofit advocating for wildlife conservation and serving as a federation of state affiliates. Comparable as a large membership-based environmental advocacy organization that delivers education programs, but operates at a broader national scale rather than through local conservation districts.
• National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA): Nonprofit association representing state agriculture departments. Comparable as a national association advocating for state-level agricultural and conservation policy, though representing state agencies rather than local conservation districts.
• National Audubon Society: Major national environmental nonprofit focused on bird and habitat conservation with local chapters across the country. Comparable as a large membership-based conservation organization with educational programming, but with a species-specific focus rather than broad natural resource management.

Direct peers

• Soil and Water Conservation Society: Professional society dedicated to sustainable use of soil, water, and related resources. Directly comparable to NACD in its mission focus on conservation practice and natural resource management, though smaller and oriented toward individual professionals rather than local government districts.
• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit dedicated to protecting farmland and promoting sustainable agriculture practices. Comparable as an advocacy organization working on private lands conservation with federal policy expertise, and notably the previous employer of NACD CEO Jeremy Peters.
• Izaak Walton League of America: National conservation organization with local chapters focused on natural resource protection. Comparable to NACD in its membership-based structure with local chapters delivering conservation advocacy, though founded on hunting/angling heritage rather than government-district model.

Emerging players

• Pheasants Forever / Quail Forever: Habitat conservation organization with formal MOU partnership with NACD. Comparable as a private lands conservation group working with farmers and landowners through local chapters, but with narrower species and habitat focus.
• Trust In Food: Conservation initiative of the Farm Journal Foundation focused on adoption of regenerative agriculture practices. Comparable as a partner organization working with farmers on conservation adoption, but focused on private sector engagement rather than public district representation.
• Ducks Unlimited: Major wetland and waterfowl conservation nonprofit with active cooperative agreement with NACD. Comparable as a national conservation organization delivering on-the-ground habitat programs and engaging private landowners, though focused specifically on wetlands and waterfowl rather than broad natural resource conservation.
• National Wild Turkey Federation: Wildlife habitat conservation organization with formal cooperative agreement with NACD. Comparable as a national nonprofit delivering private lands conservation programs through local engagement, though species-specific in mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/nacdconserve
• YouTubeyoutube.com/NationalAssociationofConservationDistricts
• Facebookfacebook.com/NACDconserve
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nacdconserve
• Instagraminstagram.com/nacdconserve

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The National Association of Conservation Districts