The Urban Conservancy

Name

The Urban Conservancy

Legal name

The Urban Conservancy

Website

https://urbanconservancy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Environmental Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban Flood Resilience & Adaptation Planning (Climate, Nature-Based Solutions) (EUANAEAJ), Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Green stormwater infrastructure
• Residential paving removal
• Urban environmental nonprofit
• Youth environmental education
• Independent business advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Primary funding from philanthropic foundations including Greater New Orleans Foundation, Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation, Southeastern Sustainable Communities Fund, and others supporting environmental programs.
2. Corporate/Institutional Funding: Support from Entergy Environmental Initiatives Fund, Wisner Donor Fund, and other corporate sponsors for specific programs like Front Yard Initiative.
3. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting UC's mission, including appreciated stock transfers, donor-advised fund contributions, and IRA charitable rollovers.
4. Sponsorships and Event Revenue: Urban Heroes annual awards luncheon generates sponsorship revenue at Ecosystem ($5,000), Cypress Tree ($2,000), Coral Honeysuckle ($1,000), and Stokes' Aster ($500) levels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Urban Conservancy delivers community-based programs that promote urban environmental resilience in New Orleans. Its flagship Front Yard Initiative (FYI) provides technical assistance and (historically) financial incentives to homeowners to remove excessive paving and install green stormwater infrastructure such as rain gardens and permeable paving. The organization also operates the BASIN K-12 environmental literacy curriculum, the StayLocal independent business network, and the annual Urban Heroes community recognition program.

Product overview

The Urban Conservancy is a New Orleans-based nonprofit that operates several interconnected environmental and community programs rather than a traditional technology product. Its core programs include: the Front Yard Initiative (FYI), an incentive program for residential green infrastructure; BASIN, a youth environmental literacy curriculum; StayLocal, supporting independent businesses; and Urban Heroes, an annual awards celebration. These programs work collectively toward the organization's mission of strengthening the urban environment and local economy through equitable practices, policies, and programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Front Yard Initiative (FYI): UC's response to excessive yard paving; an incentive program reimbursing homeowners for removing paving and installing green stormwater infrastructure. Since 2015, FYI has helped 168 homeowners remove over 93,000 square feet of paving.
• StayLocal
• BASIN
• Urban Heroes

Products and services

• Front Yard Initiative (FYI) A residential green infrastructure incentive and technical assistance program for New Orleans homeowners that (historically) reimbursed eligible participants $2.50 per square foot of paving removed (up to 500 sq ft, max $1,250) and provides free technical guidance on rain garden, permeable paving, and bioswale installations. Since 2015 it has served 168 homeowners and removed over 93,000 square feet of paving. As of 2026, the financial incentive portion has been sunsetted and the program now focuses on policy advocacy and continued technical assistance.
• FYI Direct A fully-funded variant of the Front Yard Initiative for income-qualified households that experience the worst flooding consequences. The Urban Conservancy directly hires local Black-owned and women-owned businesses to design and build green infrastructure installations, removing cost as a barrier for vulnerable residents.
• BASIN (Building Active Stewardship in New Orleans) A K-12 youth environmental literacy curriculum teaching students about urban habitat, green infrastructure, urban planning, and climate resilience through field trips, project-based learning, and culminating presentations to local decision-makers. Delivered in partnership with the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans and the Office of Resilience and Sustainability.
• StayLocal An Urban Conservancy initiative that supports a strong network of local independent businesses in New Orleans through advocacy, resources, networking, and the B.Alert disaster preparedness communication service, strengthening the local independent economy.
• Urban Heroes An annual awards luncheon (held since 2011) that honors individuals for exceptional contributions to New Orleans' environmental, economic, and community resilience. Sponsorships are available at Ecosystem ($5,000), Cypress Tree ($2,000), Coral Honeysuckle ($1,000), and Stokes' Aster ($500) levels.
• Nature-Based Solutions An Urban Conservancy program area addressing tree canopy protection, native plant resources, and residential green infrastructure to improve New Orleans' urban environment and climate resilience. Includes the Native Plant Resources resource library for homeowners.
• StayLocal B.Alert Disaster Communication Service A disaster preparedness communication service operated under the StayLocal initiative that provides local independent businesses in New Orleans with coordinated alerts and communications during emergencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96,000 square feet of paving removed resulting in 4 million gallons of stormwater diverted annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Mastodonte, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Black woman-owned green infrastructure contractor designing and installing residential rain gardens, permeable systems, and stormwater solutions. Installed projects for FYI and FYI Direct participants.
• WaterWise Gulf SouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing funding and neighborhood champion support for residential green infrastructure in Lower Ninth Ward and other communities.
• Green Light New OrleansmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing rain barrels and community support for stormwater management projects in collaboration with FYI program.
• Launch NOLA Green / Thrive NOLAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen sector workforce training program equipping minority-owned businesses with stormwater management skills. Graduates support FYI contractor needs.
• Sewerage & Water Board of New OrleansmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity utility partnering on BASIN education program and stormwater management initiatives.
• Rebuilding Together New OrleansmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit workforce training partner collaborating on green infrastructure projects submitted for grant funding.
• Ubuntu Construction CompanymajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal Black-owned business hired to design and install residential green infrastructure projects under FYI Direct program.
• Dana Brown & AssociatesmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesign firm providing stormwater management designs for FYI Direct projects.
• Office of Resilience and SustainabilitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity department participating in BASIN culminating presentations and citywide climate resilience initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that creates parks and green infrastructure in cities, with active climate-resilience and urban heat island programs; competes for the same philanthropic capital and municipal partnerships in urban green infrastructure.
• WaterNow Alliance: National network of water utilities and local officials advancing sustainable water strategies including green stormwater infrastructure and equitable stormwater fees; UC's ED serves on its Equity Advisory Group, making it a closely aligned national peer.
• American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA): National umbrella organization for the local 'Independent Business Alliance' / 'Local First' movement of which UC's StayLocal program is an affiliate; directly comparable as a community-led local-economy advocacy organization.
• Groundwork USA: National network of local Groundwork trusts doing place-based environmental work including green infrastructure, brownfield remediation, and community engagement; operates a structurally similar model at greater scale across multiple U.S. cities.
• The Nature Conservancy (Louisiana Chapter): Global environmental nonprofit with a strong Louisiana program focused on coastal restoration, urban resilience, and nature-based solutions; competes for the same foundation grants and policy influence in New Orleans climate work.

Others

• Center for Watershed Protection: National nonprofit providing technical expertise, research, and tools on urban watershed and stormwater management; functions as an enabling/knowledge peer whose frameworks underpin residential green-infrastructure programs like UC's FYI.

Direct peers

• WaterWise Gulf South: Regional nonprofit focused on residential rainwater harvesting and green infrastructure across the Gulf South, including Lower Ninth Ward; provides funding and neighborhood champion support to UC's FYI program and shares the residential climate-resilience mission.
• Green Light New Orleans: New Orleans-based nonprofit that installs residential and commercial energy-efficiency and stormwater management solutions including rain barrels; directly partners with UC's FYI program and shares the residential green-infrastructure mission and target homeowner base.

Emerging players

• Rebuilding Together New Orleans: New Orleans-based nonprofit doing home rehabilitation and green-infrastructure workforce training; partnered with UC on grant submissions and shares both the homeowner and contractor-development missions.

Regional players

• Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans: Regional water-focused coalition that UC's ED co-founded; operates as a cross-organizational convener on water issues in Southeast Louisiana, complementing UC's direct program delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/UrbanConserv
• Facebookfacebook.com/UrbanConservancy
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbanconservancy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-urban-conservancy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Urban Conservancy