Ecorise
EcoRise is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers standards-aligned K-12 environmental education curricula, teacher training, student microgrants, and youth climate leadership programs, serving 175,000+ students and 4,000-7,700+ teachers annually across five U.S. state hubs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ecorise does
EcoRise is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 and headquartered in Austin, Texas that provides K-12 environmental education curricula, teacher professional development, student microgrant programs, and youth civic engagement programming. Founded by Gina LaMotte, the organization operates with 11-50 employees across state hubs in California, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington, DC, serving over 175,000 students annually through a network of 4,000-7,700 teachers. EcoRise is led by Co-Executive Directors Jon Stott and Abby Randall, who jointly oversee development, operations, finance, programs, people and culture, and technology teams.
EcoRise's core product is the Sustainable Intelligence Curriculum, a standards-aligned K-12 offering of 165+ lessons across seven eco-themes (water, waste, food, energy, transportation, air, and public spaces), available in English and Spanish and aligned to NGSS, CCSS, TEKS, and Education for Sustainability standards. The curriculum is supplemented by specialized modules including the Introduction to Environmental Justice curriculum (developed with Groundwork USA) and the CLEAN-approved Introduction to Climate Resilience lessons. The organization's Gen:Thrive platform powers data tools including the National School Garden Map. Complementary programs include the Student Innovation Fund ($557,000+ in microgrants awarded since 2015), Youth Climate Councils in Austin and San Antonio (218 members since 2020), the Teacher Ambassador Program, and the Texas Green Careers Academy offering paid clean energy internships. Partnerships span municipal governments (Austin, San Antonio), utilities (Austin Energy), technology vendors (Froliq), and national nonprofits.
EcoRise operates a nonprofit revenue model funded primarily through foundation grants, federal agency awards (NASEM Gulf Research Program, US EPA, NOAA, USDA), corporate philanthropy, and individual donations. Curriculum access is provided free to educators via learn.ecorise.org, with a freemium distribution approach where professional development, microgrants, and city-level program integration represent higher-touch engagement tiers. The organization reaches customers primarily through community-led and event-driven GTM motions, leveraging teacher ambassadors, conferences such as the Green Schools Conference, regional Student Innovation Showcases, and direct partnerships with school districts and city sustainability offices. No commercial revenue model is in place; growth is funded through grant cycles and donor campaigns.
Ecorise firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ecorise
- Legal name
- EcoRise
- Website
- https://ecorise.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- EcoRise is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers standards-aligned K-12 environmental education curricula, teacher training, student microgrants, and youth climate leadership programs, serving 175,000+ students and 4,000-7,700+ teachers annually across five U.S. state hubs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ecorise industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Environmental Education
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO), Agriculture, Environmental & Earth Sciences (EDAGABAL)
Keywords
Where Ecorise is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ecorise business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: EcoRise operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises funds through individual donations, corporate partnerships, and foundation grants. They run annual giving campaigns with matching funds (Leadership Circle Matching Fund). They have received major grants from organizations like NASEM Gulf Research Program, Hollomon Price Foundation, and federal programs.
- Government and Foundation Grant Funding: EcoRise receives significant grant funding from government agencies and foundations. Notable grants include a two-year NASEM Gulf Research Program grant for the Texas Green Careers Academy, and grants from USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant and Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation for the National School Garden Map.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Curriculum Access |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Student Innovation Fund Grants |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Ecorise product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EcoRise is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers K-12 environmental education curricula, teacher professional development, student innovation microgrants, youth climate councils, and green-career internship programs. Its flagship offering, the Sustainable Intelligence Curriculum, comprises 165+ lessons across seven eco-themes in English and Spanish, supplemented by the Student Innovation Fund, Youth Climate Councils, and the Texas Green Careers Academy. Revenue is generated primarily through donations, foundation grants, and government grants (e.g., NASEM, USDA, EPA).
Product overview
EcoRise is a sustainability education nonprofit offering a portfolio of K-12 curricula and youth programs. The core product is the Sustainable Intelligence Curriculum—a comprehensive K-12 curriculum with 165+ lessons across seven eco-themes (water, waste, food, energy, transportation, air, and public spaces), available in English and Spanish. This core curriculum is supplemented by specialized modules including the Introduction to Environmental Justice curriculum (developed with Groundwork USA) and the Introduction to Climate Resilience lessons. EcoRise also operates youth programming including Youth Climate Councils in regional hubs, the Green Careers Academy with paid internships, and the Student Innovation Fund providing micro-grants to student projects. The Gen:Thrive platform provides data tools and resources for the broader environmental education movement, powering initiatives like the National School Garden Map. Educator support is delivered through Professional Development and the Teacher Ambassador Program.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Gen:Thrive: Data-driven technology platform and tools for climate and sustainability education, including the National School Garden Map built in collaboration with the SGSO Network.
Products and services
- Sustainable Intelligence Curriculum Ready-to-use K-12 environmental literacy curriculum with 165+ lessons in English and Spanish covering seven eco-themes, aligned to NGSS, CCSS, TEKS, and EfS standards, used by teachers in classroom project-based learning.
- Student Innovation Fund Microgrant program providing funding to K-12 student-led sustainability and climate resilience projects, with grant recipients presenting work at Student Innovation Showcases.
- Professional Development for Educators Training and professional development services for K-12 teachers on EcoRise curricula and student-centered environmental investigations delivered through workshops and ambassador programs.
- Youth Climate Councils Regional youth climate councils (Austin Youth Climate Equity Council and San Antonio MYECCI) that train youth on sustainability, local policy, civic procedures, and impact projects in partnership with city governments.
- Texas Green Careers Academy Green workforce development program for teens providing paid 110-hour internships in clean energy sectors, VR career simulations, mentorship, and transportation assistance in partnership with Austin Energy, Froliq, and Groundswell.
- Gen:Thrive Platform Data-driven national movement-building platform with a National Dashboard of service providers for educators and districts to discover support, powering tools like the National School Garden Map.
- Teacher Ambassador Program Program where trained teacher ambassadors facilitate professional development workshops introducing EcoRise resources and student-centered environmental investigations to other educators.
- City Partnerships Program Partnership program with cities (Austin, San Antonio) to advance environmental literacy, sustainable schools, and access to green career pathways at the municipal level.
- Introduction to Environmental Justice Curriculum Foundational K-12 curriculum exploring environmental justice history and concepts, including Environmental Justice Heroes posters and Just/Unjust scenario cards, developed with Groundwork USA.
- Introduction to Climate Resilience Lessons K-12 lessons creating a foundation for understanding climate resilience and justice, including climate vulnerabilities, U.S. case studies, town hall role-plays, and collective action planning; CLEAN approved.
- National School Garden Map Interactive national mapping platform that layers school garden locations, support organizations, social vulnerability indicators, and climate risk data into a single visualization, built on Gen:Thrive technology.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million lbs of waste diverted from landfill since 2015
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Ecorise
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ecorise technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Ecorise partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UCLA School of EducationcorePartnership to develop TREEAMS tree nursery model, growing trees on school campuses before permanent planting for post-wildfire recovery in Los Angeles areas.
- School Garden Support Organization (SGSO) NetworkcoreLaunched the National School Garden Map, an interactive platform compiling and visualizing school garden data from across the United States. Built on Gen:Thrive technology.
- Edible SchoolyardcorePartner in National School Garden Map collaboration working to change how the school garden movement operates through data visualization.
- Kids GardeningcorePartner in National School Garden Map collaboration providing data on school garden locations and support organizations.
- National Farm to School NetworkcorePartner in National School Garden Map collaboration connecting school gardens to farm to school initiatives.
- Austin EnergycoreCommunity-owned electric utility serving Central Texas is a key employer partner for the Texas Green Careers Academy, opening doors to career opportunities and grounding the program in real utility workforce needs.
- FroliqcoreTechnology partner providing augmented and virtual reality training tools that let students experience hands-on career simulations in clean energy sectors right in their classrooms.
- ViabosqueminorConsulting partner in development of 2025-2028 strategic plan (Together, We Thrive).
- Unbounded AssociatesminorCollaborated with EcoRise curriculum team to develop Introduction to Climate Resilience lessons.
- Groundswell (formerly Galveston's Own Farmers Market)corePartner since 2022, co-developing community-rooted internship model through programs like the SEED internship. Demonstrates how workforce development creates lasting impact when grounded in community relationships.
- Austin Independent School District (Austin ISD)corePartner in Austin Youth Climate Equity Council supporting implementation of district sustainability and long-range planning along with City of Austin's Climate Equity Plan.
- City of Austin Office of SustainabilitycorePartner in Austin Youth Climate Equity Council working to meaningfully address the climate crisis by bringing young people into the process.
- University of Texas Planet Texas 2050coreUniversity partner in Austin Youth Climate Equity Council bringing research and academic expertise to youth climate engagement.
- City of San Antonio Mayor's OfficecoreLead partner in Mayor's Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives (MYECCI), fostering youth voice in execution of City's first Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
- San Antonio Office of SustainabilitycorePartner in MYECCI supporting youth engagement in climate action and adaptation planning.
- Groundwork USAcoreCollaboration to develop Introduction to Environmental Justice curriculum for K-12 students. Groundwork USA is a national enterprise working at intersection of environment, equity, and civic engagement.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ecorise competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EarthEcho International: Youth-focused environmental education nonprofit offering curriculum, educator resources, and youth leadership programs for K-12 audiences, directly overlapping EcoRise's mission and target audience.
- Project Learning Tree: National environmental education provider offering standards-aligned K-12 curriculum and educator professional development, with deep teacher network similar to EcoRise's Teacher Ambassador model.
- National Wildlife Federation Eco-Schools USA: K-12 sustainability program providing pathways, curriculum, and school certification for environmental literacy and stewardship, competing for the same teacher and district audience.
- Captain Planet Foundation: Youth environmental education nonprofit funding hands-on projects and learning opportunities for K-12 students, with overlapping microgrant and project-based learning offerings.
- Green Education Foundation: K-12 sustainability education nonprofit providing lesson plans, activities, and resources to teachers and schools, directly competing for educator mindshare.
Regional players
- Ten Strands: California-focused nonprofit advancing environmental literacy in K-12 schools through teacher professional development and district partnerships, serving a comparable function in a single state.
Emerging players
- SubjectToClimate: Earlier-stage K-12 climate education resource hub providing curated, standards-aligned climate lessons for educators, intersecting EcoRise's curriculum offerings with a more focused climate angle.
- Children & Nature Network: Nonprofit advancing equitable access to nature-based education for youth, with adjacent outdoor and environmental literacy programming relevant to EcoRise's audience.
Others
- Green Schools Alliance: Network of schools and districts collaborating on sustainability practices and environmental literacy, serving as a peer organization with overlapping K-12 sustainability audience.
Broad incumbents
- North American Association for Environmental Education: Umbrella professional association advancing environmental literacy and education across North America, providing research, convenings, and guidelines that shape the field EcoRise operates in.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ecorise social profiles
Digital presenceEcorise financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ecorise leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Ecorise funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ecorise M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ecorise
What does Ecorise do?
EcoRise is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers K-12 environmental education curricula, teacher professional development, student innovation microgrants, youth climate councils, and green-career internship programs. Its flagship offering, the Sustainable Intelligence Curriculum, comprises 165+ lessons across seven eco-themes in English and Spanish, supplemented by the Student Innovation Fund, Youth Climate Councils, and the Texas Green Careers Academy. Revenue is generated primarily through donations, foundation grants, and government grants (e.g., NASEM, USDA, EPA).
Is Ecorise a public or private company?
Ecorise is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ecorise founded?
Ecorise was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ecorise based?
Ecorise is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ecorise make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are government and Foundation Grant Funding.
Who are Ecorise's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EarthEcho International, Project Learning Tree, National Wildlife Federation Eco-Schools USA, Captain Planet Foundation and Green Education Foundation. Ten Strands is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are SubjectToClimate and Children & Nature Network. Green Schools Alliance is listed as an others. North American Association for Environmental Education is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Ecorise have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ecorise.
What industry is Ecorise in?
Ecorise's product category is K-12 Environmental Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMABAD, Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation), with a secondary code of BPAGAGAH, Environmental Education & Outreach. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.