The Ozarks Resource Center, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, was formed in 1978 and serves as a
not-for-profit fiscal umbrella for projects that further its mission.

The organization’s purpose is “to provide research, education, technical assistance, and dissemination of information” on appropriate technology that is sustainable, environmentally-responsible, and based on renewable resources. Also to be promoted are economic and agricultural strategies that foster “bioregional self-reliance for the family, farm, community, the Ozarks, and other bioregions.” — as stated in the by-laws.

ORC was originally located at New Life Farm, a demonstration farm in eastern Douglas County, Missouri, that operated for about a decade. The group held workshops and produced educational materials about the alternative technologies in place on this farm, such as solar panels, a methane digester, hydraulic ram,
organic gardens, and composting toilets.

Currently, the Ozarks Resource Center sponsors educational projects and hosts annual events, such as a Backyard Concert, Earth Day activities, and the Ozark Area Community Congress (OACC, or ‘oak’), an environmentally-focused event which celebrated its 46th gathering in 2025. Educational projects include
Farm Unfixed, an ecology-based teen science education internship program; Karst in the Ozarks, with online curriculum and videos that teach about area caves and springs; and the colorful Ozarks Seasons Poster,
which shows annual plant and animal phenology.

With a history spanning 1979 to the present, ORC has had many projects over the years, as shown below. Some have spun off to form their own organizations, including Ozarks Regional Land Trust, now protecting more than 36,000 Ozark acres, and the Yellow House Community Arts Center, offering art events in West Plains, MO.