National Environmental Education Foundation

What National Environmental Education Foundation does

The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is a congressionally chartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established by the National Environmental Education Act of 1990 and headquartered in Washington, DC. With 11-50 employees, NEEF operates a portfolio of programs organized across three pillars — K-12 Education (Greening STEM, Climate Emotions Toolkit, Environmental Education Week), Conservation (National Public Lands Day, Veterans Health and Nature), and Health (Pediatric Asthma management, SunWise, EMPOWER multimedia campaign) — supplemented by a multi-pronged grants program and public awareness campaigns.

NEEF's technology stack consists of digital platforms including a public website (neefusa.org), online self-paced courses (e.g., Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma), downloadable toolkits and curricula, and multimedia content (eight original EMPOWER songs/videos, Climate Emotions Toolkit video assets). The organization does not develop proprietary software; instead it builds content frameworks and distributes them free of charge through self-serve digital channels, federal/state agency partners, and grant-funded community organizations.

NEEF's revenue model is diversified across federal appropriations through NEEA, corporate sponsorships (Toyota Motor North America as flagship), private foundation grants (Albemarle, PPG, Arconic, Danaher, Samsung, DoD Legacy), and individual donations. The organization leverages NEEA appropriations at a reported 3:1 ratio (2.40:1 in 2025), meaning every federal dollar generates roughly $2.40-$3.00 in private funding. All programs, resources, grants, and educational materials are provided free of charge. NEEF serves K-12 students and educators, public lands volunteers, healthcare professionals, veterans, people with disabilities, corporate partners, and local community organizations, with programmatic reach spanning all 50 states and DC.

Name

National Environmental Education Foundation

Legal name

The National Environmental Education Foundation

Website

https://neefusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NEEF is a congressionally chartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Washington, DC, delivering free environmental education programs across K-12, conservation, and health pillars. It serves educators, public lands volunteers, healthcare professionals, and community organizations nationwide, funded through federal appropriations, corporate sponsors, and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Appropriations (NEEA): NEEF receives congressional appropriations through the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA), which it leverages to raise additional private funding at a 3:1 ratio.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Major corporate sponsors including Toyota Motor North America provide funding for grants, events, and programs. Partnership includes multi-year commitments for National Public Lands Day and community impact projects.
3. Foundation Grants: Private foundations including Albemarle Foundation, PPG Foundation, Arconic Foundation, Danaher Foundation, and others fund specific programs like Greening STEM projects.
4. Individual Donations: NEEF accepts donations from individuals through its website to support environmental education and conservation programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NEEF is a congressionally chartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free lifelong environmental education, conservation, and health programs to the U.S. public. Its core offerings span K-12 STEM-based environmental curricula (Greening STEM, Climate Emotions Toolkit), the nation's largest single-day public lands volunteer event (National Public Lands Day), pediatric asthma and sun-safety training, and a multi-pronged grants program distributing funds to community organizations implementing environmental projects.

Product overview

NEEF is a non-partisan, non-advocacy 501(c)(3) nonprofit organized as a program portfolio rather than a single unified product. Its offerings are organized across three program pillars — K-12 Education, Conservation, and Health — supplemented by Grants, Employee Engagement, and Public Campaigns. The core education products include Greening STEM (K-12 STEM + environmental learning) and the Climate Emotions Toolkit; conservation programs center on National Public Lands Day and the Veterans Health and Nature Program; health offerings include the Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma training, SunWise K-8 program, and the EMPOWER multimedia asthma campaign. NEEF also runs high-profile public campaigns including iHeartRadio Earth and the NEEF x Cumbre Kids initiative, and administers a multi-pronged grants program funding environmental projects nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• National Public Lands Day (NPLD): NEEF's signature annual event, the largest single-day volunteer effort for America's public lands, held on the fourth Saturday in September.
• Greening STEM
• EMPOWER
• SunWise
• iHeart Earth

Products and services

• Greening STEM K-12 education initiative combining place-based, project-based, and community-based STEM instruction with environmental learning to build student interest in STEM careers.
• Climate Emotions Toolkit Evidence-based, teacher-piloted resource helping educators address student emotional responses to climate change alongside environmental knowledge.
• National Public Lands Day (NPLD) Annual signature conservation event held the fourth Saturday in September, coordinating nationwide volunteer stewardship of public lands; NEEF holds the trademark.
• Veterans Health and Nature Program US Forest Service-funded grant program that connects veterans with kayaking, hiking, fishing, and wilderness experiences to support healing and reintegration.
• Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma Training, guidelines, and resources for healthcare providers and school health professionals on managing environmental asthma triggers; adopted by the National Association of School Nurses.
• SunWise Free K-8 educational program on sun safety and UV radiation for schools and families.
• EMPOWER Asthma Education Campaign Multimedia educational campaign co-created with Hip Hop Public Health, comprising eight original songs and animated videos teaching youth asthma self-management through the EMPOWER acronym.
• Nature Champion Course Self-paced online course helping healthcare and mental health professionals prescribe nature for children's health benefits.
• Community Impact Projects Multi-year Toyota Motor North America-funded projects investing in local parks and surrounding communities through pavilions, outdoor classrooms, prairie restorations, and youth programming.
• Grants Program Portfolio of grants including Greening STEM grants, conservation grants, and driving mobility and accessibility grants offered to community organizations and nonprofits for environmental projects (average grant ~$17,454).

Quantifiable outcome

• 3:1 funding leverage - raises $3 for every dollar of NEEA funding
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Hip Hop Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-created EMPOWER multimedia asthma education campaign with eight original songs and animated videos. Campaign won Telly Award and Communicator Award of Excellence. Hip Hop Public Health co-founded by hip hop icon Doug E. Fresh and neurologist Dr. Olajide Williams.
• Toyota Motor North AmericaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor corporate sponsor of National Public Lands Day and multiple-year partner funding community impact projects, conservation grants, and accessibility initiatives. Partnership includes $150,000 three-year projects at Fish Trap Lake Park (Dallas), Harvest Square (Alabama), and other locations. Also sponsors Driving Mobility and Accessibility grants and Community Impact Projects.
• iHeartMediaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing partnership creating iHeartRadio Earth public engagement campaign with Public Service Announcements and sustainability website. Generated 100+ million impressions and $2+ million in media value annually. Now in sixth year of partnership.
• National Hockey League (NHL)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership through NHL Green initiative focusing on Play it Forward campaign for Earth Month. Educational activities designed around topics building healthy communities. Collaboration started in 2018.
• National Basketball Association (NBA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership on NBA Green Energy All-Star campaign including NBA Hall of Famers Bill Walton and Dikembe Mutombo, NBA Legends Jason Collins and Felipe Lopez, and WNBA Legends Swin Cash and Ruth Riley. Campaign rallied fans around saving energy.
• US Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey federal partner supporting Veterans and Nature Grant Program and multiple conservation initiatives. Provides funding and programmatic support for connecting veterans with nature for health benefits.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner for National Public Lands Day and Greening STEM programs. Collaborated on 21st Century Community Learning Center partnerships connecting students to national parks.
• Discovery EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Environmental Education Initiative awarding Greening STEM projects serving Discovery Education Network educators in South Carolina and Georgia.
• Trinity Park ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner overseeing environmental education with youth and community volunteer events at Fish Trap Lake Park in West Dallas.
• Builders of HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner in West Dallas Fish Trap Lake project, responsible for community input and park events coordination.
• Climate Mental Health NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create tools and resources supporting teachers in helping students process emotions related to climate change. Received grant from Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global.
• National Association of School NursescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdopted NEEF's Pediatric Asthma Guidelines training in 2019 to improve asthma care for school-age children. Training was most accessed course in 2019.
• Bureau of Land ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner for Greening STEM grants engaging youth in environmental monitoring while supplying data to land managers.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Discovery Education: Major K-12 digital content provider and NEEF partner on Environmental Education Initiative; comparable in delivering STEM and environmental content to schools, but operates as a commercial entity rather than a nonprofit.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest environmental nonprofits globally, with extensive land stewardship, science-based programs, and corporate engagement; comparable to NEEF in public-lands mission and partnership-driven model but with far greater resources and program breadth.
• National Wildlife Federation: Larger, established conservation and environmental education nonprofit with K-12 programs, federal advocacy, and corporate partnerships; overlaps with NEEF in education content and public-lands mission but operates at significantly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Project Learning Tree: Environmental education program for K-12 teachers and students offering curriculum, training, and grants; directly comparable to NEEF's Greening STEM and K-12 education portfolio.
• Student Conservation Association: National nonprofit engaging youth and young adults in conservation service on public lands; directly comparable to NEEF's NPLD and veterans programs in public-lands volunteer engagement and federal agency partnerships.
• Hip Hop Public Health: NEEF's direct collaborator on the EMPOWER asthma campaign; nonprofit delivering multimedia health education to underserved youth, directly comparable in mission, partnership model, and target population to NEEF's health programs.
• Justice Outside: Nonprofit advancing outdoor equity and environmental education for youth of color; directly comparable to NEEF's accessibility, veteran, and underserved community programs in mission and target population.
• North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE): Professional association advancing environmental education and literacy across North America; directly comparable to NEEF in K-12 environmental education focus, federal partnerships, and nonprofit governance structure.
• Earthday.org (Earth Day Network): National environmental education and civic engagement nonprofit that mobilizes millions of people around Earth Day and year-round climate action; directly comparable to NEEF in mission, programs, and federal partnership model.
• Leave No Trace: Nonprofit providing outdoor ethics education and training; directly comparable to NEEF in public-lands stewardship mission, free educational resources, and federal land-management agency partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NEEFUSA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NEEFUSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/NEEFUSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/neefusa

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Environmental Education Foundation