Children & Nature Network
Children & Nature Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aggregates research on nature and child development, builds practitioner tools, and runs place-based programs through 73 Nature Everywhere Communities to increase equitable children's access to nature across 24 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSaint Paul, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Children & Nature Network does
Children & Nature Network (C&NN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 and headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, by Richard Louv, author of "Last Child in the Woods" and originator of the trademarked term "Nature-Deficit Disorder." Its mission is to increase equitable access to nature for children by mobilizing practitioners, communities, and policymakers through research aggregation, capacity-building tools, and place-based programs.
C&NN's core products and platforms are built around a curated research and resource infrastructure: a Research Library of more than 1,500 peer-reviewed studies on nature and child development (grown from 60 in 2005), a Resource Hub of 1,000+ practitioner tools used by 186,639 people, an online practitioner community called the Trailhead (2,200+ active users, hosted on Hivebrite), and an annual Nature Everywhere Conference. Programmatic delivery centers on the Nature Everywhere Communities model — a municipal engagement framework co-developed with the National League of Cities and KABOOM! — which now spans 73 communities covering 52M+ residents, alongside newer initiatives including the Nature as Healer program with Casey Family Programs, the Nature-Smart Libraries program, and the Green Schoolyards for Healthy Communities initiative aimed at a 2050 national goal.
The business model is a nonprofit revenue mix anchored by foundation grants and contributions ($2.57M, 69.5% of FY2024 revenue), supplemented by program income ($926K, 25%) and other income ($203K, 5.5%), for total FY2024 revenue of $3.7M against $6.8M in total assets. Distribution is multi-channel — direct memberships (569 individuals/organizations across 24 countries), foundation partnerships with major funders including Pisces Foundation, PlayCore, JPB, Kresge, REI Foundation, W.K. Kellogg, Disney Conservation Fund, Turner, and the National Science Foundation, and ecosystem alliances with AZA (232 zoos/aquariums), IUCN, Aspen Institute, and NAAEE. C&NN also operates as a re-grantor, distributing $1.5M in 2024 with a stated 5:1 leverage ratio on grants over the past decade.
Children & Nature Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Children & Nature Network
- Legal name
- Children & Nature Network
- Website
- https://childrenandnature.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Children & Nature Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aggregates research on nature and child development, builds practitioner tools, and runs place-based programs through 73 Nature Everywhere Communities to increase equitable children's access to nature across 24 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Children & Nature Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Education and Movement-Building Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)
Keywords
Where Children & Nature Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Children & Nature Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Grants and Contributions: Primary revenue stream. The organization receives major support from foundations including Pisces Foundation, PlayCore, JPB Foundation, Kresge Foundation, REI Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and others. In 2024, grants and contributions totaled $2,572,068.
- Program Income: Revenue from conference registrations, membership fees, and program-related services. In 2024, program income was $925,568.
- Membership Dues: Organizational and individual memberships providing benefits such as access to resources, peer networks, grant opportunities, conference discounts, and newsletters. Nearly 600 members support the organization.
- Special Events: Revenue from the annual Nature Everywhere Conference and other events. In 2024, other income including special events was $203,186.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Organizational Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Membership |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Conference Registration |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
Children & Nature Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Children & Nature Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides research, programs, and resources to advance the children-and-nature movement. It operates a national resource hub, a research library, an online community, and conferences that connect educators, health professionals, conservation groups, and families around connecting children with the natural world.
Product overview
Children & Nature Network is a non-profit organization (not a technology company) offering a portfolio of research, community programs, and resource platforms rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the Research Library (world's largest collection of peer-reviewed studies on nature benefits, 1,500+ studies), the Resource Hub (1,000+ tools and resources), and The Trailhead (online community on Hivebrite platform with 2,200+ active users). Major programs include Nature Everywhere Communities (73 communities), Green Schoolyards (national initiative toward 2050 goal), Natural Leaders Network (youth leadership), Family Nature Clubs, and the annual Nature Everywhere Conference. Supplementary offerings include the Vitamin N Challenge, Youth Outdoor Policy Playbook, Fresh Tracks Leadership Expeditions, and the recently launched Benefits of Nature Toolkit.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Children & Nature Network Resource Hub Online platform aggregating articles, curricula, case studies, and tools for educators, health professionals, and families working to connect children with nature.
- Research Library Searchable collection of research studies, reports, and publications on the relationship between children, nature, and health, used by practitioners and researchers.
- Children & Nature Network Online Community Online community where educators, health professionals, and movement leaders connect, share resources, and collaborate on children-and-nature initiatives.
- Children & Nature Network Conferences and Events Periodic national and regional conferences and events that convene the children-and-nature movement for learning, networking, and movement building.
- Programs and Initiatives Cross-cutting programs and initiatives that advance the organization’s mission, including practitioner training, movement-building campaigns, and targeted initiatives in education and health.
Quantifiable outcome
- $3 return for every $1 invested in green schoolyards
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Children & Nature Network
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Children & Nature Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Children & Nature Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- National League of CitiescoreLong-standing partnership with National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education & Families for the Cities Connecting Children to Nature initiative (now Nature Everywhere Communities). Provides training, technical assistance, and peer learning for municipal leaders. This partnership has engaged 18+ cities and is considered a flagship initiative.
- KABOOM!corePartnership in the Nature Everywhere Communities initiative to build local programs, policies, and infrastructure advancing equitable, sustainable access to nature.
- Aspen Institute Center for Native American YouthcorePartnership for the Fresh Tracks initiative using the healing power of nature as a platform for youth leadership development, cross-cultural sharing, and youth power building.
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)majorPartnership delivering webinars, technical assistance, and grants to a network of 232 zoos and aquariums supporting Family Nature Clubs and nature play initiatives.
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)majorC&NN served as lead author of report for the #NatureForAll campaign. Co-authored 'Home to Us All: How Connecting with Nature Helps Us Care for Ourselves and the Earth.' Recommendations shared at UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
- Casey Family ProgramsmajorDeepened partnership launching CFP Leadership Cohort - 20 leaders from field offices to shape 'Nature as Healer' initiative for nature-based therapeutic practices with children and families.
- 8 80 CitiesminorPartnership for Wintermission project supporting three northern U.S. cities with community engagement for winter outdoor activities.
- North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)majorCollaboration connecting NAAEE's EEPro environmental education resources with C&NN's research library, providing broader knowledge base for both networks.
- Science of Nature-Based Learning Collaborative Research NetworkmajorPartnership with University of Minnesota, University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana, and NAAEE to advance research agenda and publish collaborative work in key journals.
- Great Lakes Stewardship InitiativemajorPartnership to launch Michigan Children & Nature Coalition increasing access to nature-based programming across Michigan schools and communities.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Children & Nature Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE): National professional association for environmental educators that, like C&NN, curates research, convenes practitioners, and certifies educators. C&NN has a formal content-sharing partnership with NAAEE, underscoring their overlap in EE research and capacity-building.
- Green Schoolyards America: Nonprofit specifically advancing the green schoolyards movement in the U.S., directly overlapping with C&NN's Green Schoolyards for Healthy Communities initiative and serving a similar K-12 and municipal audience.
Broad incumbents
- National Wildlife Federation: One of the largest U.S. conservation nonprofits with deep education, Great American Outdoors, and certified wildlife habitat programs that overlap with C&NN's family and school-based nature work, but at vastly greater scale.
- The Nature Conservancy: Global environmental nonprofit with growing nature-and-health and urban greening programs, including schoolyard and community-based initiatives that directly intersect with C&NN's municipal and equity-focused work.
- Sierra Club: Major environmental advocacy organization with family-oriented outdoor programs (e.g., Outdoors for All, Inner City Outings) that overlap with C&NN's equity-focused access-to-nature mission but at much larger scale and broader scope.
- Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit focused on creating parks and protecting land for people, including urban schoolyard and playground initiatives that mirror C&NN's green schoolyards and Nature Everywhere Communities agendas.
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation organization with education and youth programs (e.g., WWF Wild Classroom) that overlap thematically with C&NN's research library, school programs, and family engagement work at a much larger international scale.
Emerging players
- Natural Learning Initiative (NC State University): Research and design initiative that creates and disseminates evidence-based guidance on outdoor learning environments, with a narrower but technically deep overlap with C&NN's early-childhood and schoolyard work.
- National Park Trust: Nonprofit focused on protecting parks and connecting kids to nature through schoolyard and youth programs, with comparable Kids to Parks Day and grantmaking activity to C&NN's school and youth initiatives.
Others
- Island Press: Nonprofit publisher specializing in environmental and sustainability books, including Richard Louv titles, providing adjacent content-distribution and thought-leadership infrastructure relevant to C&NN's research and advocacy mission.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Children & Nature Network social profiles
Digital presenceChildren & Nature Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Children & Nature Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Children & Nature Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Children & Nature Network 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 Children & Nature Network
What does Children & Nature Network do?
Children & Nature Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides research, programs, and resources to advance the children-and-nature movement. It operates a national resource hub, a research library, an online community, and conferences that connect educators, health professionals, conservation groups, and families around connecting children with the natural world.
Is Children & Nature Network a public or private company?
Children & Nature Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Children & Nature Network founded?
Children & Nature Network was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Children & Nature Network based?
Children & Nature Network is headquartered in Saint Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does Children & Nature Network make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Grants and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are program Income, membership Dues and special Events.
Who are Children & Nature Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) and Green Schoolyards America. Broad incumbents are National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Trust for Public Land and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Emerging players are Natural Learning Initiative (NC State University) and National Park Trust. Island Press is listed as an others.
Does Children & Nature Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Children & Nature Network.
What industry is Children & Nature Network in?
Children & Nature Network's product category is Nonprofit Education and Movement-Building Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAH, Environmental Education & Outreach, with a secondary code of THAAAOAA, Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning). Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8300.