Missouri Prairie Foundation

What Missouri Prairie Foundation does

The Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust founded in 1966 and headquartered in Columbia, Missouri, that acquires, permanently protects, and manages prairie and native grassland habitats across Missouri. It owns and stewards 36 properties totaling more than 5,000 acres, including some of the state's most biologically rich old-growth prairies, and conducts science-based management such as prescribed burns (1,182 acres across 13 prairies in 2022) and invasive species treatment. Revenue is generated through annual membership dues across seven tiers ($20 student to $2,000 lifetime), individual donations and planned giving, foundation grants (including America the Beautiful and Land Trust Alliance), native plant sales held in 14 events across seven Missouri cities, merchandise, and the Missouri Prairie Journal (published since 1979). MPF also operates the Grow Native! professional certification and education program (since 2012, with nearly 200 professional members) and administers the Missouri Invasive Plant Council (since 2015), both of which extend its reach into the native-plant industry and statewide invasive-species policy. The organization achieved national land trust accreditation in 2021 and operates with a lean staff of approximately five employees, supported by more than 1,500 member households and a network of conservation partners including the Missouri Department of Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, and the Land Trust Alliance.

Name

Missouri Prairie Foundation

Legal name

Missouri Prairie Foundation

Website

https://moprairie.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Missouri Prairie Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that protects and manages 36 prairie properties totaling 5,000+ acres in Missouri, serving more than 1,500 member households, ~200 native-plant industry professionals, and conservation partners statewide through acquisition, science-based stewardship, education, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation and Prairie Restoration

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Grassland/Rangeland Management & Restoration (EUABABAF)

Keywords

• Prairie conservation
• Land trust services
• Native grassland restoration
• Native plant education
• Habitat protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues ranging from $20 (student) to $2,000 (lifetime). Members receive Missouri Prairie Journal subscription, discounts on events, and invitations to exclusive activities.
2. Donations and Contributions: One-time and recurring donations from individuals, including honor/memory gifts, workplace giving, IRA charitable rollovers, and securities donations. Prairie naming rights also available.
3. Plant Sales and Merchandise: Revenue from native plant sales organized throughout Missouri and merchandise through the MPF Square store.
4. Grants and Foundation Support: Funding from foundations and organizations including America the Beautiful grants, Land Trust Alliance, and various conservation foundations.
5. Prairie Garden Grants Program: Small grants awarded to organizations for prairie garden establishment, funded by donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The Missouri Prairie Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that protects and restores Missouri's prairies and native grasslands through acquisition and permanent stewardship of 36 properties totaling more than 5,000 acres. It delivers science-based prairie management (prescribed burns, invasive plant treatment, floristic integrity surveys), native plant education through the Grow Native! program (professional certification, native plant database, webinars), and statewide invasive species advocacy through the Missouri Invasive Plant Council.

Product overview

The Missouri Prairie Foundation is a nonprofit land trust and conservation organization that operates as a single unified entity rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization encompasses several integrated programs: its core prairie conservation work (property acquisition and management of 36 properties totaling over 5,000 acres), the Grow Native! native plant education and marketing sub-brand (with professional certification, native plant database, webinars, and landscape resources), the Missouri Invasive Plant Council (administered since 2015), and various outreach services including the Missouri Prairie Journal publication, prairie garden grants, annual events (Prairie BioBlitz, Annual Dinner, National Prairie Day, Photo Contest), webinars and master classes, and citizen science programs via iNaturalist. The Grow Native! program operates as a distinct branded component with its own professional membership, certification, and educational resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grow Native!: Native plant education and marketing program that provides professional certification, native plant databases, webinars, garden awards, and educational resources for landscape professionals and the public.
• Missouri Invasive Plant Council (MoIP)

Products and services

• Prairie Land Stewardship and Management Active stewardship of 36 properties totaling more than 5,000 acres of prairie, including prescribed burns, invasive species treatment, and habitat restoration. Open to the public for guided prairie experiences, hiking, bird watching, and limited hunting and fishing.
• Grow Native! Program Native plant education and marketing program providing professional certification, a 400+ species native plant database, landscape design tools, webinar series, native plant sales, and the Gardens of Excellence program for landscape professionals and the public.
• Missouri Invasive Plant Council (MoIP) Interdisciplinary council working to make early detection and control of invasive plants a statewide priority in Missouri, including annual Callery Pear Buyback Events and advocacy for invasive plant legislation.
• Prairie Research Program Supports prairie research through small grants, funds species surveys on MPF properties, provides property access for approved data collection, and contracts floristic integrity surveys to assess prairie quality.
• Missouri Prairie Journal Quarterly journal publication covering prairie conservation, native plants, research findings, and MPF activities. Included with membership.
• Prairie Garden Grants Program Annual grants to help fund establishment or improvement of prairie gardens or plantings using Midwest native plants that are accessible to the public.
• Prairie Strips Program Conservation practice using native grasses and flowers to control erosion, filter water, create pollinator and bird habitat, and store carbon on agricultural land.
• Prairie & Woodland Management Training Annual training program teaching skills including prescribed fire management, forest stand improvement techniques, and chainsaw use for private landowners, professionals, and students.
• Webinars and Master Classes Free webinar series and master classes on prairie biology, native landscaping, and conservation topics reaching thousands of people annually, with recordings available on YouTube.
• National Prairie Day Annual observance day founded by MPF in 2016 to celebrate and raise awareness of prairie conservation.
• Adopt a Butterfly Program Symbolic adoption of the regal fritillary butterfly ($20 minimum) with informational card and butterfly art print and magnet as thank-you gift.
• MPF Annual Dinner & Silent Auction Annual celebration of Missouri's prairie legacy featuring awards program and silent auction, held each August.

Quantifiable outcome

• MPF prairies collectively support up to 350 native vascular plant species with 27-53 conservative species per site
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and secondary.

• The Nature Conservancy - Missouri ChaptermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021TNC donated three prairies (Goodnight-Henry, Rockhill, Shelton L. Cook Memorial Meadow) to MPF along with $50,000 for future stewardship costs. Three additional donated properties expanded MPF's holdings significantly.
• Land Trust AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021MPF is a nationally accredited land trust through the Land Trust Alliance's accreditation program, recognizing excellence in protecting important natural places. MPF serves on the Missouri Land Trust Coalition Steering Committee.
• Missouri Invasive Plant Council (MoIP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015MPF has administered the Missouri Invasive Plant Council since 2015. MoIP works to make early detection and control of invasive plants a statewide priority, including annual Callery Pear Buyback Events in 23 cities and advocacy for invasive plant legislation.
• Grow Native! ProgramcoreOthers · 1 January 2012MPF has served as home of the Grow Native! native plant education and marketing program since 2012. The program includes nearly 200 professional members, professional certification, Gardens of Excellence, native plant database, webinar series, and native landscaping resources.
• Missouri Department of ConservationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for prairie protection, invasive species treatment on 602 acres of MDC prairies in 2022, and joint conservation efforts. Aaron Jeffries, Deputy Director of MDC, received MPF's Dick Dawson Prairie Pioneer award in 2025.
• Missouri River Bird ObservatorysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-directors Dana Ripper and Ethan Duke received MPF's 2022 Bill T. Crawford Prairie Professional award for bird surveys and monitoring focused on Missouri's rarest habitats including prairie.
• Missouri Chapter of The Nature ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nature Conservancy donated three prairies to MPF with stewardship funding, representing significant expansion of MPF's conservation portfolio.
• Prairie Conservation Community PartnerssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with conservation organizations, agencies, and private landowners to protect thousands of additional acres beyond MPF's own holdings. Missouri S&T Ozark Research Field Station collaborated on Monarch Expedition to Mexico.
• Missouri Land Trust CoalitionsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPF serves on the Steering Committee of the Missouri Land Trust Coalition, presenting on how communities can use land trusts for community planning.
• Conservation Federation of MissourisecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual awards partnership recognizing outstanding conservation achievements. MPF Executive Director Carol Davit received Conservationist of the Year award from CFM in 2023.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit focused on land conservation for public access and parks. Comparable land-acquisition and stewardship work but operates at much larger scale with focus on urban parks and public-lands access rather than ecological habitat protection.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation organization that has donated prairie properties to MPF. Operates as a much larger land trust and conservation buyer across all U.S. states, with overlapping mission in prairie/grassland protection.
• National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation organization with overlapping wildlife habitat and native plant advocacy. Operates as a much larger advocacy and education body with a broader taxonomic scope than MPF's prairie-specific focus.
• Ducks Unlimited: Large U.S. conservation organization focused on wetlands and grasslands for waterfowl habitat. Operates as a much larger land manager and policy advocate with overlapping grassland conservation activities.

Direct peers

• Natural Lands: Regional nonprofit land trust operating across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Comparable model — land acquisition, stewardship, native plant programs, and accredited land trust status — though focused on forested rather than prairie habitat.
• Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation: Statewide nonprofit land trust in Iowa with similar scope — prairie protection, native plant education, land acquisition, and member-supported conservation. Closest peer in mission and operating model within the Midwest.
• Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever: Grassland conservation nonprofit focused on habitat for pheasants, quail, and other grassland birds. Highly comparable mission to MPF around prairie preservation and native grassland management, with a larger chapter-based membership model.

Others

• Land Trust Alliance: National membership organization representing land trusts, including MPF. Not a direct peer but the accreditation body and industry association that confers MPF's nationally accredited land trust status.

Regional players

• Minnesota Prairie Land Society: Local prairie conservation nonprofit in Minnesota focused on remnant prairie protection. Comparable niche prairie-focused mission in an adjacent Midwest state, but does not directly compete in Missouri.
• Kansas Land Trust: Statewide nonprofit land trust in Kansas with similar prairie/grassland conservation mission in the broader Great Plains region. Comparable operating model but does not directly compete in Missouri.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/MissouriPrairie
• Facebookfacebook.com/MOPrairie
• Instagraminstagram.com/missouri_prairie_foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Missouri Prairie Foundation