Environmental Youth Alliance

What Environmental Youth Alliance does

Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA), founded in 1989 and legally registered as EYA Environmental Youth Alliance Society (registered charity BN #89289 7166 RR0001), is a Vancouver-based non-profit that delivers land-based education and paid employment-training programs for youth ages 14-25 from equity-denied communities - defined as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+, and youth with disabilities. EYA operates a portfolio of six core programs (Cultivate, Roots & Shoots, Nature Stewards, Peer Mentors, Youth Habitat Crew, and School Field Trips / "Wild Mind"), all anchored at its primary 1.4-hectare programming site at Strathcona Community Gardens (759 Malkin Ave) and a secondary site at Renfrew Ravine (3998 Renfrew St). Programs focus on native plant horticulture, ecological restoration, plant medicine, and community leadership, with Indigenous teachings integrated through visits from Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

EYA's revenue model is donation-led and diversified across four streams: individual and monthly donor contributions, an annual native plant fundraiser (sliding-scale $25-$100 plant bundles), subsidized school field-trip fees ($99 for K-3, $120 for Grades 4-12), and corporate partnerships (lululemon, Patagonia, iA Financial, Alveole, Wawanesa, Vancouver Film Studios, Reverb). EYA also operates a native plant nursery that grew 4,023 plants in 2024, with 1,178 distributed free to 60 Indigenous-led, Black-led, and school garden projects across the Lower Mainland. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors committed to 50% BIPOC and 50% youth representation, with 90% of staff and board identifying as BIPOC and/or 2SLGBTQIA+ and 60% of board members being youth. Leadership transitioned in 2023 to a Co-Executive Director model shared by Erica Ellis and Carmen Wong.

In 2024, EYA supported 303 youth from equity-denied communities and 494 children and youth through school field trips. The organization received a transformative $200,000 donation from St Andrew's-Wesley United Church (its largest-ever single gift), a $146,335 EJ4Climate grant, and a Wawanesa Climate Champions Local Grant. EYA employs an estimated 11-20 staff and is currently scaling coordinator and stewardship headcount ahead of its 35th anniversary in 2026.

Name

Environmental Youth Alliance

Legal name

EYA ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH ALLIANCE SOCIETY

Website

https://eya.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Environmental Youth Alliance is a Vancouver-based registered charity delivering land-based education and paid employment-training programs for youth ages 14-25 from equity-denied communities, centered on native plant horticulture, ecological restoration, and Indigenous plant medicine at programming sites in East Vancouver.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Environmental education programs
• Youth employment training
• Native plant horticulture
• Ecological restoration services
• Land-based learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: EYA receives donations from individual donors, monthly supporters, and corporate partners. The organization is a registered charity (89289 7166 RR0001) and issues charitable tax receipts for donations. Donations support program supplies, youth educator wages, honoraria for participants, and payments to Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
2. Native Plant Sales: EYA generates revenue through annual native plant fundraisers, selling youth-grown plant bundles to community members for home gardens. Garden bundles (10 plants) are offered at sliding scale $50-$100; balcony bundles (5 plants) at $25-$50. Tax receipts issued for amounts above minimum donation.
3. School Field Trip Fees: EYA charges subsidized fees for school field trips: $99 for 90-minute K-3 field trips, $120 for 120-minute Grade 4-12 field trips. These fees help recover costs for staff time and materials.
4. Corporate Partnerships: EYA receives support from corporate partners through financial contributions, employee engagement programs, event partnerships, and in-kind donations. Partners include Alveole, iA Financial Group, lululemon, Patagonia, Vancouver Film Studios, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA) provides free land-based education and paid employment training programs for youth ages 14-25 from equity-denied communities in East Vancouver. Programs centre on native plant horticulture, ecological restoration, plant medicine, and community leadership, delivered at Strathcona Community Gardens (1.4 hectares) and Renfrew Ravine. Supporting activities include a youth-run native plant nursery, school field trips, plant gifts to community, and an annual native plant fundraiser.

Product overview

Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA) operates as a unified suite of land-based education and employment training programs designed for youth from equity-denied communities. The portfolio consists of six core programs: Cultivate (employment skills workshops), Roots & Shoots (paid job training internship), Nature Stewards (free multi-week education), Peer Mentors (volunteer development), Youth Habitat Crew (paid summer employment), and School Field Trips (Wild Mind). These programs are supported by a Native Plant Nursery that produces plants for community gifting and annual fundraising. All programs center on native plant horticulture, ecological restoration, plant medicine, and community leadership, integrating Indigenous teachings through visits from Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cultivate Free employment skills workshop series for youth ages 18-25 from equity-denied communities, focusing on resume writing, communication, job searching, and land-based skills like invasive species removal, tool safety, and plant medicine.
• Roots & Shoots An 8-week paid land-based job training and internship program for youth ages 18-25 from equity-denied communities, offering skills in native plant horticulture, ecological restoration, plant medicine, and employability skills.
• Nature Stewards Free multi-week land-based education programs for youth ages 14-18 from equity-denied communities, covering native plant horticulture, ecological restoration, plant medicine, and community leadership through themes including Earth Allies, Plants & People, and Rewilding.
• Peer Mentors Volunteer program for youth ages 18-25 from equity-denied communities interested in developing skills in land-based education and youth work, providing mentorship and hands-on experience delivering Nature Stewards programs.
• Youth Habitat Crew Paid summer jobs for youth ages 15-25 from equity-denied communities interested in developing land-based job skills, working to maintain EYA programming sites through ecological restoration and medicine harvesting.
• School Field Trips (Wild Mind) Curriculum-aligned field trips for elementary and high school classes offering 90-120 minutes of land-based learning at Strathcona Community Gardens, covering topics like urban wetlands, native plants, pollinators, and plant propagation.
• Plant Nursery EYA's native plant nursery in the Downtown Eastside where youth grow thousands of native plants annually, supporting wildlife habitat projects and the organization's plant gifts and fundraiser programs.
• Plant Gifts to Community Annual program distributing youth-grown native plants to Indigenous-led and Black-led garden projects, public schools, and community groups in East Vancouver and across the Lower Mainland.
• Native Plant Fundraiser Annual spring fundraiser offering youth-grown native plant bundles (Meadow Garden, Understory Garden, and Balcony Bundles) to community members, supporting land-based education programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 303 youth empowered from equity-denied communities in 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Still Moon Arts SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year partnership for Still Creek rewilding and ecological restoration project. In 2021, 169 youth contributed to ongoing restoration of native habitat along Still Creek through this three-year project.
• Strathcona Community GardenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost site for EYA programming including wetland project, native plant nursery, greenhouse, plant medicine gardens, rewilding areas, and solar-powered eco-classroom. 1.4 hectare community-run greenspace.
• Kilala LelumminorOthersIndigenous health organization receiving youth-grown native plants for garden projects.
• Vancouver Native Housing SocietyminorOthersIndigenous housing organization receiving youth-grown native plants for community garden projects.
• Squamish NationminorOthersIndigenous Nation receiving youth-grown native plants for garden and habitat restoration projects.
• Satinflower NurseriesminorOthersEducational partner providing native plant knowledge and workshops for youth programs.
• AlveoleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting EYA for two years with employee engagement activities, garden workshops, and financial support.
• Growing ChefsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization where board member Madi Bourette-Knowles serves as Co-Executive Director. Potential collaborative partner in food and garden education.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Greenest City: Toronto-based non-profit (formerly Greenest City) focused on urban agriculture, food justice, and youth employment training in environmental work. Highly comparable to EYA in combining paid youth employment with hands-on environmental programming and equity-centered mission.
• Squamish Environment and Sustainability Society (SENS): Squamish-area non-profit delivering community environmental education, restoration projects, and youth programming. Comparable in model (hands-on environmental work, youth engagement, partnerships with Indigenous Nations) though operating in a different sub-region of BC.
• Stanley Park Ecology Society: Vancouver-based non-profit delivering outdoor environmental education, school programs, and habitat restoration with significant youth and community programming. Directly comparable to EYA in geography, target audience, and curriculum-aligned school field trip model.

Direct peers

• Evergreen Canada: Canadian non-profit focused on urban nature, school ground greening, and youth engagement with the environment. Highly comparable to EYA in mission (nature connection and equity-centered programming) and in delivering hands-on land-based education programs in major Canadian cities.
• Satinflower Nurseries: Indigenous-owned native plant nursery on Salt Spring Island supplying the Pacific Northwest and offering educational programming. Comparable to EYA's native plant nursery and Indigenous-led environmental education approach, and an existing educational partner.
• Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC): Vancouver-based environmental non-profit offering school programs, community workshops, and urban ecology projects. Direct peer of EYA in the same city, serving similar K-12 audiences with environmental education and community engagement programming.
• NatureKids BC: BC-based charity connecting children and families to nature through outdoor exploration clubs and environmental education. Comparable to EYA's youth-focused land-based learning model and serving similar age groups in British Columbia.
• Growing Chefs: Vancouver-based non-profit delivering food and garden education to youth, with overlapping board and partnership ties to EYA. Comparable in mission, target demographic (youth in Metro Vancouver), and educational workshop model.

Broad incumbents

• Child & Nature Alliance of Canada: Canadian organization connecting children, families, and educators to nature through resources, training, and advocacy. Comparable to EYA in mission to expand nature-based learning for youth, though operates more as a network and advocacy body than as a direct program provider.
• Pacific Parklands Foundation: BC-wide foundation supporting environmental education, conservation, and park stewardship programming. Comparable to EYA's environmental education and habitat restoration work, though operates as a grant-making umbrella rather than direct program provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EnvironmentalYouthAlliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/environmental-youth-alliance
• Instagraminstagram.com/enviroyouthalliance
• Xx.com/EnviroYA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Environmental Youth Alliance