The GREEN Program
The GREEN Program (TGP) is a Philadelphia-based, woman- and minority-owned public benefit corporation that delivers short-term (7-10 day) experiential sustainability education programs abroad in destinations including Iceland, Peru, Nepal, Belize, Senegal, and Jamaica, serving university students and professionals from more than 470 universities across 70 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The GREEN Program does
The GREEN Program (TGP) is a Philadelphia-based, woman- and minority-owned public benefit corporation founded in 2009 by Melissa Lee while she was a student at Rutgers University. The company designs and delivers short-term (typically 7-10 day) experiential education programs abroad focused on sustainability and renewable energy topics, with active destinations including Iceland, Peru, Nepal, Belize, New Orleans, Senegal, and Jamaica. Its core product is a portfolio of structured programs that combine SDG-aligned coursework, on-site visits to renewable energy and conservation facilities, expert-led instruction by partner-university faculty (Reykjavik University, Kathmandu University, Penn State), and interdisciplinary capstone projects.
TGP monetizes primarily through one-time program fees, with airfare, visa, and travel insurance billed separately, and supplements revenue through affiliate referral income (travel insurance via World Nomads and StudentUniverse) and tax-deductible donations channeled through fiscal sponsor Sustainability Nexus, a 501(c)(3) that funds scholarships. The technology surface is a web-based platform with a participant portal, online applications, payment processing, and a recently added Atlas AI travel assistant; the company also issues verifiable digital certificates and continuing-education credits via GBCI.
Go-to-market is community- and event-led: the company recruits via university study-abroad offices, alumni referral programs, social media, education-abroad conferences, and a hybrid B2C enrollment funnel (online application plus phone-based enrollment support). Customers are predominantly university students, with secondary segments in sustainability professionals and corporate partner organizations, drawn from more than 470 universities across 70 countries.
The GREEN Program firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The GREEN Program
- Legal name
- The GREEN Program Public Benefit Corporation
- Website
- https://thegreenprogram.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The GREEN Program (TGP) is a Philadelphia-based, woman- and minority-owned public benefit corporation that delivers short-term (7-10 day) experiential sustainability education programs abroad in destinations including Iceland, Peru, Nepal, Belize, Senegal, and Jamaica, serving university students and professionals from more than 470 universities across 70 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The GREEN Program industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Experiential Education / Study Abroad
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAE)
Keywords
Where The GREEN Program is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The GREEN Program business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Program Fees: Primary revenue stream from program fees charged to participants. Fees vary by program destination and season, covering accommodations, meals, local transportation, activities, site visits, expert faculty and guides, program materials, academic credit or certificates, and alumni benefits.
- Travel Insurance: Recommended travel health insurance partnerships (e.g., World Nomads, StudentUniverse) that participants must purchase as a requirement for participation.
- Donations and Scholarships: Tax-deductible contributions through fiscal sponsor Sustainability Nexus (501(c)(3)) fund scholarships for underrepresented students and expand access to programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Standard Program Fee |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Deposit to Secure Spot |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
The GREEN Program product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The GREEN Program provides short-term (7-10 day) immersive experiential education programs abroad focused on sustainability themes such as renewable energy, climate finance, water resource management, microgrid systems, and urban resilience. Programs are delivered in destinations including Peru, Iceland, Nepal, Senegal, Jamaica, Belize, and New Orleans, combining sustainability coursework, expert faculty instruction, site visits, adventure activities, and UN Sustainable Development Goal-aligned capstone projects. Pricing is delivered through per-program fees with options for scholarships, deposits, payment plans, and digital credentialing upon completion.
Product overview
The GREEN Program is an award-winning experiential education platform offering a portfolio of short-term sustainability-focused programs abroad. The core offering consists of immersive 7-10 day programs in destinations including Peru, Iceland, Nepal, Senegal, Jamaica, Belize, and New Orleans, each focused on specific sustainability topics such as renewable energy, water management, climate finance, and urban resilience. Programs combine academic coursework with hands-on site visits, expert mentorship, adventure activities, and collaborative capstone projects aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals. The platform is supplemented by the GREEN Program Portal for participant management, alumni network benefits providing lifelong career resources, scholarship programs for financial accessibility, and an AI-powered travel assistant named Atlas. The company operates as a woman- and minority-owned public benefit corporation serving university students and professionals from 470+ universities across 70 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Experiential Education Programs in Peru Immersive 7-10 day sustainability programs in Peru covering Water Resource Management & Indigenous Practices and Regenerative Career Retreat, focused on sustainability coursework, site visits, and capstone projects. Targets university students and professionals.
- Experiential Education Programs in Iceland Hands-on sustainability programs in Iceland focusing on Renewable Energy Innovation & Sustainability, utilizing geothermal energy and hydro power technologies in the circular economy. Targets university students and professionals.
- Experiential Education Programs in Nepal Programs in Nepal focused on Microgrid Systems for Rural Development and Ethics of Sustainable Development, addressing post-earthquake energy infrastructure challenges. Targets university students and professionals.
- Experiential Education Programs in Senegal Hybrid climate finance program in Senegal combining a 3-week online course with a 7-day immersion, teaching sustainable investment and real-world climate action. Targets university students and professionals.
- Experiential Education Programs in Jamaica Hybrid program in Jamaica focused on Climate Finance & Investing For a Sustainable Environment. Targets university students and professionals.
- Experiential Education Programs in Belize 10-day sustainability and ocean conservation program in Belize featuring experiential education, service-learning, professional development, and intercultural learning. Targets university students and professionals.
- Experiential Education Programs in New Orleans Domestic US program in New Orleans, Louisiana focused on Urban Resilience, Recovery, & Adaptation, exploring urban climate resilience through local history and case studies. Targets university students and professionals.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of TGP students experience sustainability-related shift with increased awareness of personal impacts
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The GREEN Program
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The GREEN Program technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The GREEN Program partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Uppsala UniversitycoreResearch partnership with Uppsala University for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) study investigating impacts of experiential education abroad. Leonie Paul's Master's thesis research used TGP as a case study to examine learning outcomes and career impacts.
- Reykjavik UniversitycoreAcademic partnership for Iceland programs. Faculty members including Dr. Ágúst Valfells (Department Head, School of Science & Engineering), Juliet Newson (Director, Iceland School of Energy), and Jacob Kaminski (Project Manager) contribute to program curriculum and instruction.
- Kathmandu UniversitycoreAcademic partnership for Nepal programs. Dr. Sagar Sharma, Professor of Development Economics at Kathmandu University, serves as faculty contributing to curriculum and program delivery.
- Beast PhilanthropycorePartnership to bring clean energy to communities in need. Together with Beast Philanthropy, TGP helped bring clean energy to 16,000 people in Nepal, demonstrating commitment to local community impact.
- GBCI Inc.minorContinuing Education (CE) credit provider for TGP courses. Alumni can earn CE credits through GBCI for Sustainability Excellence Associate (SEA) and Sustainability Excellence Professional (SEP) credentials.
- Sustainability NexuscoreFiscal sponsor and nonprofit partner (501(c)(3)). Tax-deductible contributions are managed through Sustainability Nexus to support scholarships and increase diversity in global sustainability workforce.
- UN Sustainable Development Solutions NetworkcoreTGP founder Melissa Lee served as U.S. Global Schools Ambassador for the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. TGP is committed to UN SDGs framework with Partnership Platform since 2015.
- World NomadsminorRecommended travel insurance provider for program participants. Provides comprehensive travel health insurance that participants must have for program participation.
- StudentUniverseminorPartner for flight booking services. Participants can book flights through StudentUniverse and have option to purchase insurance through their platform.
- North Carolina State UniversitycoreUniversity partnership for program delivery and student recruitment. Featured as partnership highlight showcasing collaboration for sustainability education.
- Pennsylvania State UniversitycoreAcademic partnership. Professor Sarma Pisupati serves as Undergraduate Program Chair of Energy Engineering and Director of Online Education. TGP founder served as distinguished lecturer and visiting scholar.
- University of PittsburghminorAcademic institution where TGP founder Melissa Lee held distinguished lecturer and visiting scholar roles.
- Rutgers UniversityminorFounding university where TGP was established in 2009 by Melissa Lee and fellow Rutgers students in a dorm room.
- U.S. State Department (STEP Program)minorSmart Traveler Enrollment Program for safety monitoring and emergency communication in program destinations.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The GREEN Program competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): One of the largest U.S. study abroad providers offering multi-country, multi-discipline programs with academic credit. Closely comparable to TGP's model of credit-bearing experiential education abroad, but at much larger scale and without TGP's sustainability niche.
- IES Abroad: Major study abroad organization offering semester, short-term, and summer programs with academic credit and faculty-led models. Directly comparable short-term/summer program structure to TGP, though broader in academic scope.
- Rustic Pathways: Experiential education provider focused on service-learning trips for high school and college students in developing countries. Closely mirrors TGP's sustainability-and-community-impact thesis and short-duration cohort model.
- Where There Be Dragons: Experiential education company running multi-country, faculty-led programs combining cultural immersion, language, and social/environmental issues. Comparable in experiential pedagogy and short-format cohort trips with sustainability themes.
Broad incumbents
- Semester at Sea: Voyage-based multi-country study abroad program run through Colorado State University; broad incumbent in experiential education abroad. Comparable multi-country/global classroom model, though delivered at much larger scale and longer duration.
- EF Education First: Global education company offering study abroad, language travel, and cultural exchange programs. Comparable in the experiential education abroad space, with significantly greater scale, marketing budget, and destination footprint than TGP.
Emerging players
- Global Citizen Year: Gap-year and bridge-year program focused on social impact leadership for high school graduates. Comparable in mission-driven, sustainability-and-global-leadership positioning targeting a slightly younger cohort than TGP's primary university-student segment.
- Projects Abroad: Volunteer abroad and service-learning provider with programs in sustainability, conservation, and community development. Comparable short-format, destination-based experiential model with sustainability tracks that overlap with TGP's Peru, Nepal, and Belize offerings.
- Intern Abroad HQ: Provider of international internships and experiential learning programs, including sustainability-focused placements. Comparable in addressing the gap between traditional education and career experience that TGP also targets.
- Soliya: Organization running virtual and hybrid cross-cultural experiential learning programs with universities. Comparable in the hybrid online-plus-immersion format TGP has begun deploying in Senegal and Jamaica, and in serving university student populations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The GREEN Program social profiles
Digital presenceThe GREEN Program financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The GREEN Program leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
The GREEN Program funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The GREEN Program 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 The GREEN Program
What does The GREEN Program do?
The GREEN Program provides short-term (7-10 day) immersive experiential education programs abroad focused on sustainability themes such as renewable energy, climate finance, water resource management, microgrid systems, and urban resilience. Programs are delivered in destinations including Peru, Iceland, Nepal, Senegal, Jamaica, Belize, and New Orleans, combining sustainability coursework, expert faculty instruction, site visits, adventure activities, and UN Sustainable Development Goal-aligned capstone projects. Pricing is delivered through per-program fees with options for scholarships, deposits, payment plans, and digital credentialing upon completion.
Is The GREEN Program a public or private company?
The GREEN Program is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The GREEN Program founded?
The GREEN Program was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The GREEN Program based?
The GREEN Program is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does The GREEN Program make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are travel Insurance and donations and Scholarships.
Who are The GREEN Program's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), IES Abroad, Rustic Pathways and Where There Be Dragons. Broad incumbents are Semester at Sea and EF Education First. Emerging players are Global Citizen Year, Projects Abroad, Intern Abroad HQ and Soliya.
Does The GREEN Program have an API?
No public API is recorded for The GREEN Program.
What industry is The GREEN Program in?
The GREEN Program's product category is Experiential Education / Study Abroad. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAGAB, Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering, with a secondary code of EDAIAAAE, Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.