Monarch Watch
Monarch Watch is a University of Kansas-based nonprofit founded in 1992 that runs North America's longest-running monarch butterfly tagging program, distributes free milkweeds for habitat restoration, and operates community science, education, and e-commerce programs serving citizens, schools, and conservation partners across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersLawrence, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Monarch Watch does
Monarch Watch is a nonprofit education, conservation, and research program founded in 1992 by Dr. Orley "Chip" Taylor and based at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. It operates as an outreach program of the KU Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research and the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, with a small core staff of 1-10 employees. The program runs the longest-running monarch butterfly tagging and mark-and-recapture initiative in North America, alongside the Bring Back the Monarchs conservation campaign, which has distributed over one million free milkweed plugs to schools and restoration projects since 2015 via partner nurseries. Supporting programs include the Monarch Waystation registration program, the Monarch Calendar Project for phenology tracking, the Dplex-L email discussion list for community engagement, the Kids Zone educational site, and a Monarch Watch mobile app (iOS/Android) launched in August 2022 for community science data submission.
The organization's technology stack centers on a custom mobile app for iOS and Android that supports tag image capture with automatic code import, GPS location capture, and offline data submission, plus e-commerce storefronts for the Monarch Watch Shop (tags, rearing kits, educational materials) and the Milkweed Market (regionally appropriate milkweed plugs). Monarch Watch maintains an extensive scientific bibliography of nearly 1,000 references and reaches more than 100,000 people annually through tagging, events, and digital channels including a blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Monarch Watch is funded through a hybrid nonprofit model combining tax-deductible donations processed via the KU Endowment Association (100% pass-through with no overhead deduction), institutional grants from Bayer and NRDC, free milkweed distribution programs (freemium model — free plants plus paid shipping of $50-$90 per shipment for restoration projects), and direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales. Key customer segments are individual conservationists and citizen scientists, K-12 schools and educational non-profits, large-scale habitat restoration projects, and partner conservation organizations. In November 2023, Dr. Kristen A. Baum succeeded Chip Taylor as Director, with continuity supported by the $1.4M Chip and Toni Taylor Professorship in Support of Monarch Watch.
Monarch Watch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Monarch Watch
- Legal name
- Monarch Watch
- Website
- https://monarchwatch.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Monarch Watch is a University of Kansas-based nonprofit founded in 1992 that runs North America's longest-running monarch butterfly tagging program, distributes free milkweeds for habitat restoration, and operates community science, education, and e-commerce programs serving citizens, schools, and conservation partners across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Monarch Watch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Conservation Education
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI), Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG)
Keywords
Where Monarch Watch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lawrence
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Monarch Watch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations managed through KU Endowment Association. The organization relies on contributions from supporters to fund programs. Donors can make one-time or recurring gifts (monthly or annually).
- Shop Sales: Revenue from sale of monarch tags, monarch rearing kits, t-shirts, posters, books, and other educational merchandise through the Monarch Watch Shop.
- Milkweed Market Sales: Sale of milkweed plugs for gardens and restoration projects through the Milkweed Market.
- Endowed Professorship Funding: The Chip and Toni Taylor Professorship in Support of Monarch Watch was established with a $1.4M gift to support the directorship position.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free Milkweeds for Schools & Non-Profits |
| Freemium | Annual | Free Milkweeds for Restoration Projects |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels11 records
Monarch Watch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Monarch Watch is a nonprofit education, conservation, and research program that operates a large-scale monarch butterfly tagging study, registers Monarch Waystation habitat gardens, distributes milkweed plugs through schools and restoration projects, and runs community science initiatives via a mobile app and the Dplex-L email discussion list. It sells tagging supplies, rearing kits, books, and educational merchandise through the Monarch Watch Shop, and milkweed plants through the Milkweed Market.
Product overview
Monarch Watch is an education, conservation, and research nonprofit program based at the University of Kansas, founded in 1992 by Dr. Orley 'Chip' Taylor. Its offerings span a mobile app (iOS/Android) for community science data collection, the Monarch Tagging Program for mark-and-recapture research, the Monarch Calendar Project for phenology tracking, the Monarch Waystation registration program for habitat creation, the Bring Back The Monarchs conservation campaign (encompassing free milkweed distribution for schools and restoration projects), the Milkweed Market and Monarch Watch Shop for purchasing milkweed plants and merchandise, the Monarch Watch Kids Zone for child-focused education, a blog for population and migration news, and the Dplex-L email discussion list for community engagement. The portfolio is organized as a set of interconnected conservation and education programs supported by a mobile app and two commercial marketplaces, rather than a single unified software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Monarch Watch Mobile App A free mobile application for iOS and Android that enables the public to participate in Monarch Watch community science projects, submit monarch tagging data, report tag recoveries, and contribute calendar observations directly from the field with GPS and image capture capabilities.
- Monarch Tagging Program A large-scale mark-and-recapture research program in which volunteers purchase monarch tags and tag monarch butterflies during the fall migration to track their movement and contribute to migration biology research.
- Monarch Waystation Program A program that encourages individuals and organizations to create and register Monarch Waystations (monarch habitat gardens), providing guidelines, resources, and official registration for participants.
- Milkweed Market An online storefront operated by Monarch Watch for purchasing flats of milkweed plugs for butterfly gardens and habitat restoration projects, offering regionally appropriate native milkweed species.
- Monarch Watch Shop An online shop selling monarch tagging materials, rearing kits, books, posters, t-shirts, and related educational merchandise to support Monarch Watch programs.
- Bring Back The Monarchs Campaign A conservation campaign focused on restoring milkweed habitat for monarch butterflies across North America, incorporating seed collection, free milkweed distribution for schools and restoration projects, and the Milkweed Market for purchasing regionally appropriate milkweed plugs.
- Free Milkweeds for Schools & Non-Profits Program Application-based program that distributes a free flat of 32 milkweed plugs (including shipping) to qualifying schools and educational non-profits for creating educational monarch habitat gardens, subject to educational goals, maintenance plan, space, and administrative support requirements.
- Free Milkweeds for Restoration Projects Program Free milkweed plug distribution for large-scale habitat restoration projects (minimum 2 acres east of Rockies, 1/4 acre in California); recipients pay shipping and handling costs ($50-$90 for minimum 4 flats via UPS Ground).
- Monarch Calendar Project A community science project inviting participants to record and submit monarch observation dates throughout the year to track population and migration phenology.
- Monarch Watch Kids Zone A dedicated kids-friendly website featuring interactive educational content about monarch life cycles, migration, milkweed plants, anatomy, predators, experiments, and origami butterfly activities.
- Junior Scientist Activity Books Downloadable and printable activity booklets for children covering monarch butterfly science and exploration activities, available in spring and fall editions.
- Dplex-L Email Discussion List An electronic mailing list and discussion group for Monarch Watch subscribers to share migration reports, tag recovery information, conservation tips, classroom activities, and news of meetings and conservation efforts along migratory routes.
Companies that use Monarch Watch
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Monarch Watch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Monarch Watch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Partner NurseriescoreRegional nurseries contracted to propagate and grow milkweed plugs for Monarch Watch's free milkweed distribution programs for schools and restoration projects.
- Pollinator PartnershipminorCollaborative relationship for sharing planting guides and ecoregional resources developed in partnership with National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, C.S. Fund, Plant Conservation Alliance, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management.
- Xerces SocietyminorPartnership for pollinator conservation resources. Xerces Society provides pollinator conservation information and milkweed seed finder tools that complement Monarch Watch programs.
- University of KansascoreMonarch Watch is an educational outreach program based at the University of Kansas. The program operates through the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research and the Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Monarch Watch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Wildlife Federation: National Wildlife Federation is a large, established wildlife conservation nonprofit with broad pollinator and habitat programs (e.g., Certified Wildlife Habitat). It is a broad incumbent because it touches the same gardener/educator audience as Monarch Watch but operates at a national scale across many species, not just monarchs.
- The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization with active pollinator and milkweed habitat programs. It is a broad incumbent that competes for the same corporate and foundation grants as Monarch Watch but at a much larger scale and across many conservation priorities.
Direct peers
- Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: Xerces Society is a leading invertebrate conservation nonprofit with substantial pollinator and milkweed habitat programs. It is a direct peer because both organizations deliver pollinator habitat resources, partner nurseries, and educational content targeting overlapping audiences (gardeners, restoration practitioners, schools).
- Journey North: Journey North is a citizen-science program that tracks monarch migration and seasonal phenology across North America. It is the closest direct peer to Monarch Watch because both rely on volunteer-submitted tagging/sighting data and publish migration maps and seasonal updates for monarch researchers and educators.
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center promotes native plants and sustainable landscapes, including pollinator-friendly gardens and milkweed recommendations. It is a direct peer in the native-plant and pollinator-habitat education niche that drives much of Monarch Watch's demand.
- Southwest Monarch Study: Southwest Monarch Study is a research and monitoring program focused on monarch populations in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. It is a direct peer because it conducts monarch tagging, migration research, and conservation outreach in a subregion of Monarch Watch's geographic footprint.
- Pollinator Partnership: Pollinator Partnership is a nonprofit that coordinates pollinator conservation across North America, including ecoregional planting guides. It is comparable to Monarch Watch because both produce regional habitat guidance, partner with conservation funders, and engage the public in pollinator gardening — and are listed as Monarch Watch partners.
- Monarch Joint Venture: Monarch Joint Venture is a national partnership of organizations focused on monarch conservation, including habitat restoration and research. It directly overlaps with Monarch Watch's Bring Back The Monarchs habitat work and convenes many of the same federal, NGO, and academic partners.
Others
- Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research: Kansas Biological Survey is Monarch Watch's parent administrative unit at the University of Kansas. It is comparable as the academic home that provides scientific infrastructure and credibility but is not a competing conservation program.
Regional players
- Butterflies and Their People (Cuale Reserve / CEMCA): Mexico-based monarch conservation programs (e.g., CEMCA, WWF-Telmex Telcel alliance) work on the overwintering forest end of the monarch migration. They are regional peers because they target a different geography of the same migration phenomenon Monarch Watch studies from the U.S./Canada breeding range.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Monarch Watch social profiles
Digital presenceMonarch Watch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Monarch Watch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Monarch Watch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Monarch Watch M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Monarch Watch
What does Monarch Watch do?
Monarch Watch is a nonprofit education, conservation, and research program that operates a large-scale monarch butterfly tagging study, registers Monarch Waystation habitat gardens, distributes milkweed plugs through schools and restoration projects, and runs community science initiatives via a mobile app and the Dplex-L email discussion list. It sells tagging supplies, rearing kits, books, and educational merchandise through the Monarch Watch Shop, and milkweed plants through the Milkweed Market.
Is Monarch Watch a public or private company?
Monarch Watch is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Monarch Watch founded?
Monarch Watch was founded in 1992. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Monarch Watch based?
Monarch Watch is headquartered in Lawrence, United States, in the North America region.
How does Monarch Watch make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are shop Sales, milkweed Market Sales and endowed Professorship Funding.
Who are Monarch Watch's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Wildlife Federation and The Nature Conservancy. Direct peers are Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Journey North, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Southwest Monarch Study, Pollinator Partnership and Monarch Joint Venture. Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research is listed as an others. Butterflies and Their People (Cuale Reserve / CEMCA) is listed as a regional player.
Does Monarch Watch have an API?
No public API is recorded for Monarch Watch.
What industry is Monarch Watch in?
Monarch Watch's product category is Wildlife Conservation Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAB, Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection, with a secondary code of BPAGAIAI, Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 7900.