What Planet Drum Foundation does

Planet Drum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable foundation founded in 1973 in San Francisco, California. In association with community activists and ecologists, the organization developed and popularized the concept of a "bioregion" — a geographic area defined by natural characteristics such as watersheds rather than political boundaries — and is recognized as the birthplace of the bioregional movement. Over 50+ years it has produced more than fifty publications and hundreds of workshops, and has cultivated a global network of allied bioregionalist groups across North America, South America, Europe, Japan, China, and Australia.

The foundation's core offerings include a portfolio of educational publications (Planet Drum Bundles of essays, poetry, and graphics; the Raise the Stakes review magazine; and the Pulse newsletter), the Bioregional Resource Directory, downloadable pamphlets, and the Wild in the City bioregional map of San Francisco. Beyond publications, Planet Drum conducts guided bioregional tours of the San Francisco Bay Area (1-4 hours, tailored to interests), hands-on restoration workshops in partnership with local organizations, and community events including presentations and performances. Major initiatives have included the San Francisco-based Sidewalk Garden (since 1985), Green City Project, Bioregional Education Project, Frisco Bay Mussel Group, and the long-running Eco-Ecuador project in Bahía de Caráquez (1999-2021).

Planet Drum operates as a small organization of 1-10 staff led by Director Judy Goldhaft (continuing after founder Peter Berg's death in 2011) and generates revenue through donations, memberships, and sales of publications and educational materials via its online shop and digital downloads. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on bioregional tours, workshops, presentations at community gatherings, an email newsletter, YouTube, and a network of allied organizations.

Name

Planet Drum Foundation

Legal name

Planet Drum Foundation

Website

https://planetdrum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Planet Drum Foundation is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, founded in 1973, that researches, publishes, and teaches bioregional sustainability through publications, tours, and workshops for community activists, educators, and local governments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education and Research

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Bioregional education
• Ecological research
• Environmental nonprofit
• Sustainability programs
• Community ecology

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: Planet Drum accepts donations and memberships to support their work for bioregional sustainability, education, and culture. The website prominently features a Donate button and membership appeal.
2. Shop Sales: The organization operates a shop selling publications, Planet Drum bundles, and related materials including maps, essays, and educational resources.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Planet Drum Foundation is a nonprofit organization that develops and disseminates bioregional education, research, and publications aimed at promoting ecological sustainability and place-based environmental awareness. It supports community-level bioregional projects globally and produces educational materials that frame human societies in relation to their natural ecological regions.

Product overview

Planet Drum Foundation operates as a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of educational resources and publications focused on bioregionalism. The core offerings include Planet Drum Bundles (individually assembled essays, poetry, and graphics in envelope format), Raise the Stakes (the organization's review magazine), Planet Drum Pulse (current news updates), the Bioregional Resource Directory, and downloadable educational materials. Additional services include the Bioregional Education Program with hands-on workshops, Bioregional Tours of San Francisco, and the Weaving Alliances community network. The organization also produces the Wild in the City bioregional map. These products collectively support the foundation's mission of promoting bioregional awareness and sustainable living strategies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bioregional Education Programs Educational programs and workshops that teach bioregional concepts and place-based ecological literacy for community members, educators, students, and grassroots organizers.
• Bioregional Research and Publications Research, reports, and publications articulating the bioregional approach to ecology and sustainability, intended for researchers, educators, and environmental practitioners.
• Community Bioregional Project Support Support for grassroots community projects that apply bioregional frameworks to local ecological and sustainability initiatives globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ years of continuous operation and influence on bioregional thought globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Craig Dremann / The Reveg EdgeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2023Craig Dremann led a tour of Kite Hill Preserve showing 90% restored serpentine grassland in Woodside, CA for 50th anniversary celebration.
• Shaping San FranciscocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for 50th anniversary events including presentations on ecological history, celebrations of Green City Project and bioregional movement history. Shaping San Francisco's 25th anniversary was co-celebrated with Planet Drum's 50th.
• Rainbow GroceryminorOthers50th Anniversary donation supporter - donated for the celebration events.
• Arizmendi BakeryminorOthers50th Anniversary donation supporter - donated for the celebration events.
• Trader Joe'sminorOthers50th Anniversary donation supporter - donated for the celebration events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Club Foundation: One of the largest US environmental nonprofits; overlaps with Planet Drum on grassroots environmental education and conservation advocacy, but operates at vastly greater scale across many issue areas beyond bioregionalism.
• Earthwatch Institute: Global environmental nonprofit engaging citizens in scientific field research and community conservation; overlaps with Planet Drum on hands-on environmental engagement and education but with a more science-research orientation.
• Center for Biological Diversity: US-based environmental advocacy nonprofit working on species and habitat protection; overlaps with Planet Drum's environmental mission but focuses on legal advocacy and policy rather than grassroots community ecology education.

Direct peers

• Ecotrust: Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit working at the intersection of economy, environment, and equity in the Pacific Northwest bioregion. Operates with a similar bioregionally-framed environmental mission and demonstration-project approach.
• Bioregional (UK): UK-based charity that independently developed and operationalized the bioregional approach for sustainable living; the closest conceptual peer to Planet Drum with a parallel mission of demonstrating place-based sustainability, despite operating in a different geography.
• Post Carbon Institute: Nonprofit focused on sustainability, resilience, and community-scale ecological thinking; shares Planet Drum's emphasis on place-based, holistic approaches to sustainability and publishes educational resources on related themes.
• Shaping San Francisco: Named partner and co-celebrant of Planet Drum's 50th anniversary; shares San Francisco base and overlapping community history/oral-history projects on ecological and place-based themes.

Regional players

• The Ecology Center: Bay Area-focused environmental education and community sustainability nonprofit; shares geographic footprint and educational mission with Planet Drum but operates with broader programming in food, waste, and energy.

Others

• Watershed Media: Nonprofit publisher of books and films on environmental and community resilience themes; an adjacent ecosystem partner that publishes in similar bioregional/place-based domains and could amplify Planet Drum's content.

Emerging players

• Permaculture Institute (USA): Network focused on permaculture design education and regenerative land use; overlaps with Planet Drum on community-scale ecological education and hands-on workshop formats.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PlanetDrumFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/planet-drum-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Planet Drum Foundation