Wild Diversity

What Wild Diversity does

Wild Diversity is a 501(c)-style nonprofit organization founded in 2017 and headquartered in Richfield, Ohio, that builds welcoming outdoor experiences for BIPOC, Queer, and Trans participants in the Northeast Ohio region. Its program portfolio is structured around three core pillars: Adventure Guide Development (a leadership pathway for emerging outdoor leaders through workshops, field training, and mentorship), Youth Summer Camps (day and overnight camps for middle and high school students built on five guiding principles — Self-Confidence, Leadership, Personal Responsibility, Respect, and Stewardship), and Group Adventures (day hikes, overnight camping, backpacking, kayaking, and swimming for individuals and families). Supporting offerings include the Gear Library (equipment lending to remove participation barriers), Conservation and Community Workshops, Adventure Media (a youth-produced video series), and the Resilience Outdoor Conference (an annual convening of outdoor leaders and educators).

The underlying technology stack is essentially non-existent as proprietary IP; the offering is experiential and community-led, relying on in-person programming, content marketing via the organization's blog and SEO, and event-driven promotion rather than a software platform. There are no APIs, no AI/ML components, no mobile applications, and no disclosed data assets; the closest thing to infrastructure is a website (wilddiversity.com) used for program registration and a partner logo wall signaling community affiliations.

The business model is a hybrid of program-fee revenue (participation fees for outdoor adventures, youth camps, workshops, and group events) and community partnership revenue (contracts with community organizations and schools via the Adventure Outfitters program and community gear-lending library), augmented by grants and donations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the organization sits within a non-profit fiscal structure rather than a for-profit one. Wild Diversity competes less on price and more on its identity-affirming positioning, beginner-friendly pedagogy, and equipment-access model in a regional outdoor recreation market anchored by Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Summit Metro Parks, and Cleveland Metroparks.

Name

Wild Diversity

Legal name

Wild Diversity

Website

https://wilddiversity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wild Diversity is a Northeast Ohio-based nonprofit founded in 2017 that runs outdoor adventure, youth summer camp, and guide-development programs — supported by a gear-lending library and an annual leadership conference — for BIPOC, Queer, and Trans communities in the Akron and Cleveland metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation and Community Education

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK), Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Outdoor recreation programs
• Community outdoor education
• Youth summer camps
• Adventure guide training
• Gear lending library

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

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

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Revenue generated from participation fees for outdoor adventures, youth camps, workshops, and group events. Programs include day hikes, camping trips, kayaking adventures, and youth summer camps.
2. Community Partnerships: Wild Diversity partners with community organizations and schools, providing outdoor adventure services and education through their Adventure Outfitters program and community loan gear library.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wild Diversity runs welcoming outdoor experiences and education programs for BIPOC, Queer, and Trans communities, including group hikes, kayaking trips, camping weekends, youth summer camps, swimming instruction, conservation programming, and adventure guide leadership training. A complementary Gear Library loans outdoor equipment to participants, removing financial barriers to participation. Programs are delivered in Northeast Ohio and designed for all experience levels, with a focus on beginners.

Product overview

Wild Diversity is a nonprofit outdoor organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include Group Adventures (day hikes, camping trips, kayaking), Youth Summer Camps (day camps and overnight camps for middle/high school youth), Adventure Guide Development (leadership pathway for outdoor leaders), Swimming Program, Conservation Program, and Community Workshops. Supporting these are the Gear Library (equipment lending), Adventure Media (video series), and the Resilience Outdoor Conference (annual gathering). Programs are designed for all experience levels, with a focus on beginners, and emphasize community building, skill development, and personal growth through shared outdoor experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Group Adventures Safe and welcoming outdoor experiences including day hikes, themed and family campouts, backpacking trips, and single- or multi-day kayaking adventures for individuals and families across Northeast Ohio.
• Youth Summer Camp Summer camp programs for middle and high school youth featuring outdoor exploration, hands-on activities, and skill-building rooted in five guiding principles: Self-Confidence, Leadership, Personal Responsibility, Respect, and Stewardship. Includes sub-camps such as Nature Explorers Day Camp, Outdoor Skills and Survival Day Camp, Garden Soil and Stewardship Day Camp, Youth Overnight Camp, and Youth Leadership Wilderness Weekend.
• Adventure Guide Development A leadership pathway for outdoor enthusiasts to grow into confident outdoor leaders through workshops, field training, mentorship, feedback, and practical experience.
• Swimming Program A program helping participants build water comfort, confidence, and swimming skills by meeting people where they are and creating positive, supportive water experiences.
• Conservation Program A program supporting emerging and experienced conservation leaders in developing community-centered environmental solutions while building meaningful connections to the outdoors.
• Community Workshops Practical skills workshops offered as standalone sessions or series, covering skills like swimming, fire building, and kayaking comfort, designed to meet participants where they are.
• Adventure Media An outdoor exploration video series created for youth and families, featuring stories from community members exploring conservation, outdoor skills, ecosystems, and adventure, filmed and produced by young people.
• Gear Library A program partnering with local organizations to expand outdoor access by loaning gear to community partners and participants, reducing barriers to outdoor adventures and education.
• Resilience Outdoor Conference A gathering for outdoor leaders, educators, guides, and community members to engage in meaningful conversations, hands-on education, shared experiences, and leadership development rooted in community care.

Quantifiable outcome

• CDC notes less than half of people in the United States live within half a mile of a park, and outdoor communities help bridge access gaps
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Mayo TrustminorOthersCommunity partner listed on Wild Diversity's website. Mayo Trust supports Wild Diversity's mission of creating welcoming outdoor experiences and building community through the outdoors.
• OPM CominorOthersCommunity partner supporting Wild Diversity's outdoor programs and community-building initiatives in Northeast Ohio.
• Red BeanminorOthersCommunity partner supporting Wild Diversity's mission to help people build connection to the outdoors through adventure and education.
• CuyahogaminorOthersPartner organization collaborating with Wild Diversity on outdoor experiences, likely leveraging Cuyahoga Valley National Park and surrounding areas.
• ForestOrrminorOthersCommunity partner supporting Wild Diversity's outdoor programming and community engagement efforts.
• Ohio Hiking FoundationminorOthersPartner foundation supporting hiking and outdoor access initiatives, aligned with Wild Diversity's mission to expand outdoor participation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Outdoor Afro: Outdoor Afro is a national nonprofit reconnecting Black Americans with nature through hikes, camping, and outdoor education. It is the closest direct peer to Wild Diversity in mission (BIPOC outdoor access) and program design (community-led group adventures, training leaders, and events).
• Latino Outdoors: Latino Outdoors is a community-based nonprofit organizing outdoor experiences and leadership development for Latino communities. It shares Wild Diversity's identity-affirming, community-led outdoor education model and is a direct mission peer.
• The Venture Out Project: The Venture Out Project provides wilderness trips and outdoor education for LGBTQ+ communities, directly mirroring Wild Diversity's Queer/Trans outdoor inclusion focus. It is a strong mission-aligned direct peer.

Emerging players

• Brown Girls Climb: Brown Girls Climb is a nonprofit creating opportunities for women of color in climbing and outdoor spaces. It overlaps with Wild Diversity's audience and DEI-focused community building, though its sport (climbing) is narrower than Wild Diversity's broad outdoor mix.
• Outdoor Asian: Outdoor Asian connects Asian and Pacific Islander communities to nature through group events and education. It shares Wild Diversity's identity-based community model but is smaller in scale and less formalized around youth/guide pipelines.
• Disabled Hikers: Disabled Hikers builds a community of disabled hikers and advocates for accessible trails. It overlaps with Wild Diversity's mission of removing barriers to outdoor participation, though it focuses on disability access rather than racial/gender identity.

Broad incumbents

• GirlTrek: GirlTrek is a large health-focused nonprofit mobilizing Black women and girls to walk together outdoors. It is broader and more established than Wild Diversity, but comparable in community-led outdoor activation and identity-affirming mission.
• National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): NOLS is the largest US outdoor education provider, offering wilderness courses and guide training. It shares Wild Diversity's outdoor skills education and leader development categories but operates at vastly larger scale and without the identity-affirming framing.
• Appalachian Mountain Club: The Appalachian Mountain Club is a large outdoor recreation and conservation nonprofit offering hiking, camping, and education across the Northeast US. It overlaps in outdoor education programming and youth/family outdoor experiences, though it is not identity-focused.

Others

• REI Cooperative Action Fund: REI's grantmaking arm is a direct investor in Wild Diversity and a funder across the equity-in-outdoors nonprofit sector. It is a relevant ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wilddiversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wilddiversity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Wild Diversity