CELF
CELF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers K-12 Education for Sustainability curricula, professional development, and the Civic Science: Inquiry to Action program to schools, educators, and districts across New York, Texas, and beyond.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersValhalla, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CELF does
CELF (Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization founded in 2003 that builds and delivers the Education for Sustainability (EfS) framework for K-12 schools. Its core product is a set of standards-aligned pedagogical methodologies, including the Big Ideas of Sustainability framework, the Civic Science: Inquiry to Action student-led inquiry process, the Whole School Transformation model, and the Young Voices for the Planet film series (13+ short films with curriculum, whose copyrights and trademarks were assigned to CELF in April 2023). Programs are delivered through Annual Summer Institutes held at university campuses, fee-based professional learning cohorts (the March 2021 launch cohort enrolled 70+ teachers across CT, NJ, NY, and TX), Custom Curriculum Design services, and Student Symposium events, supported by technology partnerships with Plume Labs and McMac Cx for air quality monitoring devices.
The organization serves K-12 educators, students, and school district administrators, with named district engagements including Houston ISD (Zero-Waste pilot), Scarsdale Public Schools, Warwick Valley Central School District, Putnam Valley Central School District, and numerous individual schools across New York and Texas. Corporate customers include The Bear Factory (Plush for the Planet curriculum, April 2023) and Tricon Energy (sustainability education collaboration, May 2022), plus grant support from the National Geographic Society, Heinz Endowments, and NYS Pollution Prevention Institute. CELF also holds CTLE sponsor approval from the New York State Education Department, enabling its professional development hours to count toward New York teacher certification renewal.
CELF's business model is a hybrid of donations, grants, and fee-based professional development and program fees, with no public pricing disclosed and contracts negotiated directly with school districts. The organization operates from a Valhalla, NY headquarters and a Houston, TX regional hub (launched 2019) led by educators Lisa Gianukos and Amanda Brown, with Tara Stafford Ocansey serving as Executive Director following founder Katie Isaak Ginsberg's retirement in February 2022.
CELF firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CELF
- Legal name
- Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation
- Website
- https://celfeducation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CELF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers K-12 Education for Sustainability curricula, professional development, and the Civic Science: Inquiry to Action program to schools, educators, and districts across New York, Texas, and beyond.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CELF industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Sustainability Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led) (EDAJAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)
Keywords
Where CELF is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Valhalla
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
CELF business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, CELF relies on donations from individuals and institutional donors to fund programming. The website features a prominent donate button and donor acknowledgment.
- Professional Development and Program Fees: CELF generates revenue through fee-based professional learning programs for educators, including Summer Institutes, Civic Science programs, and Custom Curriculum Design services for school districts.
- Grants and Foundation Support: CELF receives grant funding from organizations including National Geographic Society (Explorer Grant), Heinz Endowments, and NYS Pollution Prevention Institute to support specific programs.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
CELF product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CELF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that integrates Education for Sustainability (EfS) into K-12 schools through professional development, custom curriculum design, whole-school transformation, and program offerings including its annual Summer Institute, Civic Science: Inquiry to Action, Young Voices for the Planet, Green Careers, and Field Experiences. Its deliverables are sold or granted to schools, districts, and educators seeking to embed sustainability across curricula, operations, and culture.
Product overview
CELF (Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that provides a suite of programs and resources to make Education for Sustainability (EfS) an integral part of K-12 learning. The core offerings include: the Civic Science: Inquiry to Action program, which engages students in hands-on place-based learning to investigate local environmental challenges; the Annual Summer Institute and Professional Learning programs for educator development; Whole School Transformation services for comprehensive sustainability integration; Custom Curriculum Design for tailored educational materials; and the Young Voices for the Planet (YVFP) film series featuring youth environmental action documentaries. Supporting programs include Green Careers, Field Experiences, and Student Symposium events. Resources span Big Ideas of Sustainability frameworks, lesson activities, and partner-developed materials like the Plush for the Planet educational kit. CELF operates nationally with offices in Valhalla, NY and Houston, TX.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- CELF has reached over 1.5 million students, 15,000 educators, and over 5,000 schools across the country
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use CELF
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CELF technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
CELF partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, supporting and minor.
- Young Voices for the Planet (YVFP)coreCELF announced full adoption of the Young Voices for the Planet film series (13+ films) and associated curricula. All copyrights and trademarks were assigned to CELF. Lynne Cherry continues as Young Voices Ambassador at CELF. YVFP films are now integrated into CELF's Civic Science and professional learning programs.
- The Bear Factory (Plush for the Planet)flagshipCELF partnered with The Bear Factory to develop educational resources and curriculum for families connected to the Plush for the Planet sustainable plush toy line. Resources include product life cycle activities, ecosystem scavenger hunts, and circular economy explorations for children and families. The Bear Factory is a Michigan-based, family-owned company making plush toys from 100% recycled fabrics.
- Tricon EnergycoreTricon Energy and CELF are collaborating to improve environmental education and equip students with skills to build a zero-waste future. The collaboration brings together CELF's proven support for sustainability education in school communities with Tricon's commitments to social inclusion and circular economy.
- Air Champions – Social Change Scientists (ACSCS)coreCELF partnered with ACSCS (powered by McMac Cx and Plume Labs) to expand the Civic Science: Inquiry to Action Air Quality program nationally. The partnership provides Flow Personal Pollution Monitoring (PPM) devices to equip teachers and students with tools to observe, assess, and advocate for clean air in school communities.
- Plume LabscorePlume Labs provides its Flow Personal Pollution Monitoring (PPM) devices for CELF's Civic Science air quality program, enabling students to collect hyper-local particulate matter data. Plume Labs is a Paris-based environmental tech company founded in 2014.
- National Geographic SocietyflagshipNational Geographic Society awarded CELF a National Geographic Explorer Grant and Geo-Inquiry Process partnership to expand the CELF Citizen Science: Connecting Classroom to Community program to K-12 schools nationally. The program engages students (grades 5-8) as environmental health researchers collecting and analyzing air quality data.
- Mount Sinai Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty UnitsupportingMount Sinai's Region 2 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit collaborates with CELF on the Citizen Science program, contributing pediatric environmental health expertise and supporting the program's health focus in NYC school communities.
- NYC Department of HealthsupportingThe NYC Department of Health is a program partner in CELF's Citizen Science initiative, providing public health data and policy context for student air quality research projects in NYC schools.
- CUNY Law School Center for Urban Environmental ReformsupportingThe CUNY Law School Center for Urban Environmental Reform partners with CELF on the Citizen Science program, hosting the annual Student Symposium and contributing legal and environmental policy expertise.
- New York Hall of SciencesupportingThe New York Hall of Science is a program partner in CELF's Citizen Science initiative, contributing informal science education expertise and facilities for student learning activities.
- New York Botanical GardensupportingIn July 2024, the New York Botanical Garden's Teacher Professional Learning team partnered with CELF to offer a free three-day Civic Science Summer Institute: Narrating Our Place in Nature, extending CELF's reach through NYBG's educator network.
- Teacher Center of Central WestchestersupportingCELF partnered with the Teacher Center of Central Westchester in 2021 to conduct a 2-part workshop series on engaging students through inquiry, place, and action in the blended classroom, reaching their network of regional educators.
- Jesse Jones ParkminorJesse Jones Park is used as an outdoor demonstration site for CELF Summer Institute activities, where educators learn field-based environmental literacy strategies they can replicate in their own schools.
- Moonflower Farms (Houston)minorMoonflower Farms in Houston is a field trip destination for CELF Texas team and educators, offering hands-on urban farming education aligned with sustainability and local food systems curriculum.
- Houston Independent School District (HISD)coreCELF is working with HISD on a Zero-Waste School Program pilot, with Stephanie Walker (Analyst II, Energy and Sustainability) leading the initiative. The program aims to bring sustainability practices to one of the largest school districts in the nation.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CELF competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Facing the Future: A nonprofit that creates K-12 sustainability curriculum and professional development resources for educators. Directly comparable to CELF in serving the same educator and district buyer with standards-aligned sustainability instructional materials.
- Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education: K-12 sustainability education organization that trains educators and school leaders to integrate EfS into curricula and school culture. Closely comparable to CELF's Whole School Transformation and Civic Science offerings.
- Eco-Schools USA (National Wildlife Federation): National K-12 environmental education program offering a school-wide framework for sustainability and green school recognition. Comparable to CELF's Whole School Transformation model and educator certification pathway.
- Project Learning Tree: Environmental education program offering K-12 curriculum and educator professional development, with strong place-based and outdoor learning emphasis. Comparable to CELF's place-based, project-based EfS methodology.
- EarthEcho International: Youth environmental education nonprofit founded by Philippe Cousteau Jr., focused on mobilizing young people around ocean conservation and climate issues. Comparable to CELF in its youth-led Civic Science and student symposium approaches.
- Green Education Foundation: Nonprofit that provides K-12 sustainability curriculum, lesson plans, and school green initiatives. Directly competes with CELF for sustainability-focused PD and curriculum design at the district level.
- Captain Planet Foundation: Environmental education nonprofit funding and supporting K-12 hands-on, project-based environmental learning. Comparable to CELF in its funding of student-led environmental action projects and educator grants.
Broad incumbents
- National Geographic Education: The education arm of the National Geographic Society, offering free K-12 resources, grant programs, and educator networks in geography, environmental science, and civic science. Functions as both a CELF partner (Explorer Grant) and a broader incumbent with overlapping curriculum.
Emerging players
- iEarn (International Education and Resource Network): Nonprofit global network enabling K-12 teachers and students to collaborate on sustainability and social impact projects. Comparable to CELF in its project-based, action-oriented sustainability pedagogy.
- SubjectToClimate: K-12 climate education curriculum hub that curates and aligns standards-based climate resources for teachers. Addresses an adjacent but overlapping niche of sustainability PD and curriculum access.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CELF social profiles
Digital presenceCELF financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CELF leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
CELF funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CELF 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 CELF
What does CELF do?
CELF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that integrates Education for Sustainability (EfS) into K-12 schools through professional development, custom curriculum design, whole-school transformation, and program offerings including its annual Summer Institute, Civic Science: Inquiry to Action, Young Voices for the Planet, Green Careers, and Field Experiences. Its deliverables are sold or granted to schools, districts, and educators seeking to embed sustainability across curricula, operations, and culture.
Is CELF a public or private company?
CELF is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was CELF founded?
CELF was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CELF based?
CELF is headquartered in Valhalla, United States, in the North America region.
How does CELF make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are professional Development and Program Fees and grants and Foundation Support.
Who are CELF's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Facing the Future, Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education, Eco-Schools USA (National Wildlife Federation), Project Learning Tree, EarthEcho International, Green Education Foundation and Captain Planet Foundation. National Geographic Education is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are iEarn (International Education and Resource Network) and SubjectToClimate.
Does CELF have an API?
No public API is recorded for CELF.
What industry is CELF in?
CELF's product category is K-12 Sustainability Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAFAB, Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led), with a secondary code of EDAAALAE, Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.