Thorne Nature Experience
Thorne Nature Experience is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers hands-on, place-based nature education—including summer camps, nature preschool, and free community programs—to children, families, and schools across Colorado's Front Range.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1954
- HeadquartersBoulder, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Thorne Nature Experience does
Thorne Nature Experience is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental education organization headquartered in Lafayette, Colorado, delivering place-based nature programming to children, families, and schools across the Front Range. Founded in 1954 by Dr. Oakleigh Thorne II as the Thorne Ecological Institute, the organization has operated for over 70 years and reports having connected more than 300,000 children and adults to the outdoors. Its mission centers on joyful, hands-on outdoor learning that builds environmental stewardship and confidence in youth.
The core product portfolio spans Summer Camp Programs (day camps for ages 5–14 at Boulder, Lafayette, and Longmont locations), the Lafayette Nature Center (a year-round community facility opened in 2024 with playgrounds, pavilions, and trail access to Coal Creek Open Space), Nature Center Programs (field trips, after-school clubs, workshops), Thorne Nature Preschool (a wholly-owned sub-brand offering outdoor early-childhood education), Nature Together (caregiver-child sessions for ages 0–5), and Nature Center Saturdays seasonal workshops. The Nature Kids/Jóvenes de la Naturaleza (NKJN) coalition, anchored by Thorne and comprising 50+ Boulder County partner organizations, delivers free programming to BIPOC, Hispanic/Latino, and low-income families. Specialized offerings include a bird banding research camp led by the founder. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a CampInTouch online registration portal, in-person at the nature center, and through NKJN coalition referrals.
The revenue model is diversified across six streams: program fees (camp tuition, preschool tuition, nature center workshops), individual donations, corporate and foundation grants, retail merchandise through an e-commerce storefront, cause-marketing via the King Soopers Community Rewards program, and the annual Natural Night Out fundraiser. Pricing is accessible, with scholarships (e.g., a $280 credit for qualifying camp families) and free programming for NKJN-eligible participants. Operations run year-round with seasonal peak in summer, supported by 11–50 full-time staff plus 30+ seasonal instructors annually.
Thorne Nature Experience firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Thorne Nature Experience
- Legal name
- Thorne Nature Experience
- Website
- https://thornenature.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1954
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Thorne Nature Experience is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers hands-on, place-based nature education—including summer camps, nature preschool, and free community programs—to children, families, and schools across Colorado's Front Range.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Thorne Nature Experience industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Outdoor Environmental Education
- NAICS
- RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nature-Based / Forest School Early Learning Programs (EDACADAD), Outdoor / Nature-Based Before/After Care Programs (EDACAHAJ), Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO), Outdoor & Survival Skills Lessons (Bushcraft, Navigation, Foraging) (THAJAKAM)
Keywords
Where Thorne Nature Experience is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Thorne Nature Experience business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Program Fees: Registration fees for summer camps, nature preschool tuition, and nature center program fees from families
- Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting youth scholarships and program access
- Corporate and Foundation Grants: Sponsorships and grants from corporations and foundations supporting the Nature for All initiative and scholarship programs
- Retail Store: Merchandise sales including apparel, hats, stickers, and patches through online store
- Cause Marketing: King Soopers Community Rewards program where shoppers link cards to generate donations
- Annual Fundraiser: Natural Night Out annual fundraising event with silent auction and sponsorships
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | One-time | Bird Banding Camp - 10-day intensive for 6th-12th graders |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Nature Center Saturdays workshop fee |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Winter Nature Play Drop-In 5-pack |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Camp and apparel merchandise |
| Other | One-time | Summer Camp Financial Assistance |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Thorne Nature Experience product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Thorne Nature Experience is a nonprofit environmental education organization that runs youth summer day camps, a licensed Nature Preschool, year-round Lafayette Nature Center programs (field trips, Saturday workshops, after-school programs), caregiver-and-child Nature Together classes, and the No Kids Left Inside of Nature (NKJN) coalition that connects families to outdoor programming. Offerings serve children from infancy through high school and are delivered at the Lafayette, Colorado nature center and at partner sites across the Front Range.
Product overview
Thorne Nature Experience is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of nature-based youth education programs. The core offerings include Summer Camp Programs (day camps ages 5-14 at Boulder, Lafayette, and Longmont locations), the Lafayette Nature Center (outdoor community hub with playgrounds and trails), Nature Center Programs (field trips and after-school offerings), and Thorne Nature Preschool (year-round outdoor early childhood education). Supporting programs include Nature Kids/Jovenes de la Naturaleza (NKJN) coalition providing free nature programs for underserved families, Nature Together caregiver-and-child sessions, and seasonal Nature Center Saturdays workshops. The organization also runs an annual fundraiser (Natural Night Out), operates a merchandise store, and maintains a blog resource hub. All programs share a unifying mission of building environmental stewardship through joyful, hands-on outdoor experiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Summer Camp Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 300,000 children and adults connected to nature over 70 years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Thorne Nature Experience
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Thorne Nature Experience technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Thorne Nature Experience partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Boulder JCCminorVenue partner hosting Thorne's annual Natural Night Out fundraiser event with 500+ attendees
- Nature Kids/Jóvenes de la Naturaleza (NKJN) Coalition PartnerscoreCoalition of 50+ Boulder County organizations with shared goal of expanding outdoor access. Partners include various nature-based program providers offering summer camps, archery/fishing workshops, equine therapy, stewardship projects, family camping trips, and teen employment. Includes Promotores groups, parent leadership, and Youth Advisory Board for community governance.
- Longmont Astronomical SocietyminorPartner for Nature Center Saturdays winter programming, providing astronomy expertise for 'Navigators of the Night' evening events at Lafayette Nature Center
- Growing Up BoulderminorPartner organization co-running Thursday Nature Together sessions at East Boulder Community Park
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Thorne Nature Experience competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wilderness Inquiry: Nonprofit delivering outdoor adventure experiences for youth and adults nationwide, comparable to Thorne in mission (connecting people to nature) and youth program model.
- Tinkergarten: National outdoor play and nature-based learning program for ages 0-8, conceptually overlapping with Thorne's Nature Together and Nature Preschool offerings.
- Mountain Kids Preschool: Outdoor nature preschool based in Lafayette/Boulder offering similar forest-school style early childhood programming to Thorne Nature Preschool, competing for the same Front Range families.
- The Ecology Center: Southern California nonprofit offering nature-based programs, workshops, and ecological restoration experiences that mirror Thorne's Lafayette Nature Center and Saturday workshops programming.
- Naturalists at Large: California-based nature education and outdoor science school providing field-based learning programs for schools and youth, comparable to Thorne's Nature Center field trips and after-school programs.
- Avid4 Adventure: Colorado-based outdoor adventure summer day camps serving children and teens in multiple states, directly comparable to Thorne's Boulder/Lafayette/Longmont day camp portfolio.
- Outdoor Afro: Nonprofit increasing Black leadership and participation in outdoor recreation, with overlapping equity-focused outdoor access mission and community partnership model similar to NKJN.
Broad incumbents
- Children & Nature Network: National nonprofit advocating and curating resources for connecting children to nature; a broader industry/ecosystem actor serving the same movement that Thorne operates within.
- National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation organization offering youth nature education programs (e.g., Eco-Schools, Ranger Rick) that overlap with Thorne's environmental education mission.
- REI Co-op: Outdoor retailer operating outdoor education programming and Force of Nature initiative focused on equity in the outdoors; shares outdoor-access mission and community-based outreach model with Thorne.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Thorne Nature Experience social profiles
Digital presenceThorne Nature Experience financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thorne Nature Experience leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Thorne Nature Experience subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Thorne Nature Experience funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thorne Nature Experience 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 Thorne Nature Experience
What does Thorne Nature Experience do?
Thorne Nature Experience is a nonprofit environmental education organization that runs youth summer day camps, a licensed Nature Preschool, year-round Lafayette Nature Center programs (field trips, Saturday workshops, after-school programs), caregiver-and-child Nature Together classes, and the No Kids Left Inside of Nature (NKJN) coalition that connects families to outdoor programming. Offerings serve children from infancy through high school and are delivered at the Lafayette, Colorado nature center and at partner sites across the Front Range.
Is Thorne Nature Experience a public or private company?
Thorne Nature Experience is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Thorne Nature Experience founded?
Thorne Nature Experience was founded in 1954. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Thorne Nature Experience based?
Thorne Nature Experience is headquartered in Boulder, United States, in the North America region.
How does Thorne Nature Experience make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are individual Donations, corporate and Foundation Grants, retail Store, cause Marketing and annual Fundraiser.
Who are Thorne Nature Experience's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wilderness Inquiry, Tinkergarten, Mountain Kids Preschool, The Ecology Center, Naturalists at Large, Avid4 Adventure and Outdoor Afro. Broad incumbents are Children & Nature Network, National Wildlife Federation and REI Co-op.
Does Thorne Nature Experience have an API?
No public API is recorded for Thorne Nature Experience.
What industry is Thorne Nature Experience in?
Thorne Nature Experience's product category is Youth Outdoor Environmental Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAOAB, Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs, with a secondary code of EDACADAD, Nature-Based / Forest School Early Learning Programs. Its NAICS code is 7212 and its SIC code is 8200.