Name

conserve lake county

Legal name

Conserve Lake County

Website

https://conservelakecounty.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Landscaping Services (561730)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH), Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Sustainable landscaping
• Conservation easements
• Habitat restoration
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Grayslake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and families form a significant portion of the operating budget. Members receive the bi-annual Land Matters newsletter, invitations to special events, discounts on public programs, and free admission to the annual meeting. Membership tiers range from $50 to $500.
2. Conservation@Home Property Consultation Fees: Fee-for-service property consultations where professional biologists visit properties to assess and advise on eco-friendly landscaping. Package A is $50 for consultation and/or certification, Package B at $100 adds one-year membership, and Package C at $200 adds membership plus 20% discounts on trees/shrubs/plants and event admissions. Non-member rate is $179.
3. Foundation Grants: Major grants from foundations including the Grand Victoria Foundation ($260,000 grant for Conservation@Home), Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Liberty Prairie Foundation, and others. Grants support specific programs and operations.
4. Planned Giving and Bequests: Planned giving program where donors can include Conserve Lake County in their wills or estate plans. The organization encourages planned gifts as a way to leave a lasting conservation legacy for Lake County.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Conserve Lake County preserves open land, restores natural areas, and inspires land conservation throughout Lake County, Illinois. The organization offers conservation easements, land stewardship, ecological restoration, and the Conservation@Home sustainable landscaping program with property consultations and certification. Services include volunteer workdays, native plant sales, educational workshops, and partnerships with government agencies and private landowners.

Product overview

Conserve Lake County is a non-profit land conservancy organization that operates as a single integrated offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization's primary service is the Conservation@Home program, which provides sustainable landscaping consultations, resources, and property certification to help Lake County residents implement eco-friendly practices. Supporting services include land preservation (helping landowners preserve property through easements, donations, or sales), land stewardship (ecological restoration and volunteer workdays at nature preserves), outreach and education (presentations, workshops, and community events), native plant sales, and volunteer programs. These services work together to achieve the organization's mission of preserving open land, restoring natural areas, and inspiring land conservation in Lake County, Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation@Home Program A sustainable landscaping program that provides property consultations, educational resources, and certification for homeowners and businesses implementing eco-friendly landscaping practices. Focuses on native plants, rainwater management, lawn care, and invasive species control to support clean water, rich soil, and resilient ecosystems.
• Land Preservation Services Services helping landowners preserve open space through conservation easements, land donations, land sales, and partnerships with conservation organizations and government agencies.
• Land Stewardship Services
• Native Plant Sales
• Property Consultation Services On-site property visits by professional biologists lasting up to 75 minutes, providing personalized recommendations for native plants, rainwater management, lawn care, and invasive species control, with follow-up email summaries.
• Volunteer Programs Monthly restoration workday volunteers at nature preserves, special events volunteers, and office work volunteers helping with mailings and file management.
• Outreach and Education Programs Educational programs including presentations to groups, workshops, classes, exhibit booths for green fairs, and volunteer workday projects to inform and engage the community in conservation efforts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 acres preserved since 2004 through land acquisitions, easements, land donations, and landowner negotiations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• The Conservation FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation@Home is a program of The Conservation Foundation. The Conservation Foundation has certified over 2,000 properties in DuPage and Will Counties. Through an agreement with The Conservation Foundation, Conserve Lake County brings the Conservation@Home program to Lake County residents with free yard consultations, support, and property certification.
• Libertyville TownshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Conserve Lake County for land stewardship needs of their Open Space District including ecological restoration in Oak Openings and Liberty Prairie Nature Preserves. Owns and manages 760 acres in the Liberty Prairie Reserve and maintains four miles of regional trail.
• Lake County Forest Preserve DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for land preservation. Conserve Lake County facilitates land sales between interested landowners and the LCFPD. The district has preserved over 29,000 acres of open land and built an extensive trail system since 1958. Almond Marsh and Independence Grove Forest Preserves are key resources within the Liberty Prairie Reserve.
• Illinois Nature Preserves CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency that dedicates high-quality lands as Illinois Nature Preserves. Partnered with Conserve Lake County on the Dokum Mskoda Nature Preserve project. Has dedicated three Illinois Nature Preserves within the Liberty Prairie Reserve.
• OpenlandsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional nonprofit conservation organization. Like Conserve Lake County, Openlands preserves private land through conservation easements. Played a role in creating the 77-acre Lakeshore Preserve near Lake Forest. Member of the Land Conservation Partners of Lake County.
• Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner in the Land Conservation Partners of Lake County coalition and part of the Planning Team for the Liberty Prairie Reserve Master Plan. Has dedicated three Illinois Nature Preserves within the Reserve.
• Ducks UnlimitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides grants to help preserve and restore land in the Liberty Prairie Reserve, with a focus on wetland restoration projects that improve habitat for local and migrating waterfowl.
• Chicago WildernessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of over 230 groups working to support land conservation within the Chicago area. Conserve Lake County is a member of this coalition.
• Land Trust AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational coalition of land trusts that requires adherence to a strict set of standards and practices. Conserve Lake County is a member.
• Prairie State Conservation CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of land trusts in Illinois that advances issues affecting conservation initiatives and policies across the state. Conserve Lake County is a member despite its local focus.
• Land Conservation Partners of Lake CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of 17 partners including governmental agencies (Lake County Forest Preserve District, Lake County Planning, Libertyville Township, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, Illinois DNR) and land conservation organizations (Barrington Area Conservation Trust, Citizens for Conservation, Openlands, Mettawa Open Lands Association, Lake Bluff Open Lands Association, Lake Forest Open Lands Association) and watershed groups (Upper DesPlaines River Ecosystem Partnership, North Branch Watershed Project, Fox River Ecosystem Partnership, Indian Creek Watershed Project, Flint Creek Watershed Project). All partners adopted the vision to preserve 20% of Lake County by 2030.
• Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership (NIIPP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIIPP, led by Coordinator Cathy McGlynn, conducts workshops and outreach about invasive plants to towns, villages, park districts, forest preserve districts, and organizations in the Lake Michigan Watershed. Conserve Lake County partners on workshops held in Lake County.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Conservation Foundation: The Conservation Foundation runs the parent Conservation@Home program that Conserve Lake County licenses to operate in Lake County. Direct peer in residential eco-landscaping certifications and suburban land conservation across DuPage, Will, and Lake counties.
• Openlands: Chicago-area land conservation nonprofit that preserves private land through conservation easements and is a member of the Land Conservation Partners of Lake County coalition. Closely comparable suburban land trust mission and landowner engagement model.
• Citizens for Conservation: Local Lake County-area land trust focused on habitat preservation and restoration, also a member of the Land Conservation Partners coalition. Directly comparable mission, geography, and stakeholder base.
• Barrington Area Conservation Trust: Suburban Chicago land trust that preserves open space through easements and acquisitions, and is a Land Conservation Partner of Lake County. Comparable land-preservation services and suburban landowner engagement.
• Liberty Prairie Foundation: Grayslake-area foundation focused on conservation, local food systems, and prairie stewardship in the Liberty Prairie Reserve. Direct peer and key financial partner that funds overlapping programs in the same geography.

Regional players

• Lake Forest Open Lands Association: Lake County-focused open space preservation organization that is a Land Conservation Partner. Operates in an overlapping geography with a similar mission but smaller, municipality-scoped footprint.
• Lake Bluff Open Lands Association: Municipally focused open lands organization in Lake County and a Land Conservation Partner. Comparable in service offering but narrower geographic scope than Conserve Lake County's countywide reach.

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that works with communities and landowners to protect land through acquisitions, easements, and conservation financing. Comparable land trust model at a much larger scale and broader geography.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation organization that protects land and water through easements and acquisitions. Comparable land preservation services with vastly greater scale, geographic breadth, and fundraising capacity.

Emerging players

• Ducks Unlimited: National habitat conservation nonprofit that funds wetland restoration projects within the Liberty Prairie Reserve. Partial overlap on wetland habitat preservation and conservation grantmaking.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 conserve lake county