Dodge Nature Center

What Dodge Nature Center does

Dodge Nature Center (legal name: Thomas Irvine Dodge Nature Center) is a community-funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental education organization founded in 1967 by Olivia Irvine Dodge and headquartered in West Saint Paul, Minnesota. It operates four distinct properties spanning more than 460 acres across West St. Paul, Mendota Heights, and Cottage Grove, including 9 miles of public trails open year-round at no charge, a working apiary of 450,000 honeybees, a working farm, a raptor enclosure, and habitat-diverse classrooms across prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. The organization delivers 60,000+ nature-based experiences annually.

Its core product set comprises five revenue-generating program lines: (1) school field trips and outreach programs (naturalists travel to client sites) at $6 per student or $175/hour; (2) seasonal day camps for grades K-8 across spring, summer, and fall breaks; (3) the Dodge Nature Preschool, a NAEYC-accredited, 4-Star Parent Aware nature-based preschool for ages 3-5 with annual tuition ranging from $3,411 to $16,803 and scholarship/CCAP acceptance; (4) community garden plot and beekeeping space rentals plus an Intro to Beekeeping course at Shepard Farm; and (5) private event rentals and photography/filming permits. Contributed revenue (donations through SEED Circle monthly giving and Egret Society planned giving, corporate gifts, and foundation grants from Beim, Granite, Xcel Energy, Marathon Petroleum, Minnesota DNR, and Minnesota NOW) supplies a material share of funding, with 83 cents of every donated dollar directed to environmental education.

The organization holds NAEYC accreditation, Nature Explore Classroom certification, Parent Aware 4-Star rating, Minnesota DHS licensing, Charity Navigator transparency rating, and the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency. Leadership comprises Executive Director Missi Arens, Preschool Director Amy Warzybok (MA, Sonoma State), and a tenured operations team. Volunteers contributed 5,192 hours and $188,522 in social return during FY2024. The organization's distribution is concentrated in the Greater Twin Cities metro and Minnesota, with no online or global delivery model and no app, AI/ML capabilities, or proprietary software product.

Name

Dodge Nature Center

Legal name

Thomas Irvine Dodge Nature Center

Website

https://dodgenaturecenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dodge Nature Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1967 that delivers environmental education across 460+ acres of Twin Cities-area nature preserves, serving schools, families with young children, and youth through field trips, a NAEYC-accredited nature preschool, seasonal camps, and community programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Interpretation & Ranger-Led Education Programs (Visitor Education) (THAAAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB)

Keywords

• Environmental education programs
• Nature-based preschool
• School field trips
• Summer day camps
• Community garden plots

Headquarters

HQ city

West Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: As a community-funded 501c3 nonprofit, Dodge relies heavily on individual donations, monthly giving (SEED Circle), planned giving (Egret Society), corporate giving, and stock/IRA rollover gifts. 83 cents of every donated dollar goes to environmental education programs.
2. Preschool Tuition: Nature preschool programs for children ages 3-5 with part-day and full-day options. School year runs September-June with tuition ranging from $3,411-$16,803 annually. Summer program runs late June through early August with tuition from $628-$1,505.
3. Camp Fees: Seasonal day camps for grades K-8 including spring break ($70/day), summer ($280/week), and fall break ($65/day) camps with scholarship availability.
4. Field Trip and Program Fees: School and group programs at $6 per student per program with $90 minimum for groups of 10 or fewer. Outreach programs at client sites at $175/hour plus travel fees.
5. Event Rentals: Rental of Dodge facilities for private events including family gatherings, community events, birthday parties, and team retreats.
6. Community Garden and Beekeeping Rentals: Garden plot rentals at $140/plot and beekeeping space at $115/space at Shepard Farm. Intro to Beekeeping program at $280/person.
7. Foundation and Government Grants: Support from foundations including Beim Foundation, Granite Foundation, Minnesota DNR No Child Left Inside, Minnesota NOW Foundation, and Xcel Energy Foundation for scholarships and environmental education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Dodge Nature Center is a community-funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers nature-based environmental education across four properties totaling 460+ acres in the Twin Cities area. Its primary offerings are school and group field trip programs, on-site and outreach naturalist-led classes, nature preschool for ages 3-5, seasonal day camps for grades K-8, community garden and beekeeping plots, facility rentals, and free self-guided trail access, supported by donations, grants, and program fees.

Product overview

Dodge Nature Center operates as a community-funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit nature center providing environmental education experiences across four properties spanning 460+ acres in the greater Twin Cities area of Minnesota. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including Environmental Education Programs (field trips and outreach), Seasonal Camps (spring, summer, fall break for Grades K-8), Dodge Nature Preschool (nature-based early childhood education for ages 3-5), Community Gardens & Beekeeping, Event Rentals & Birthday Parties, Volunteer Programs, and Donation/Planned Giving opportunities. The Main Property in West St. Paul houses the preschool and main office, while additional properties include Lilly Property in Mendota Heights and Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove. Trails are free and open to the public year-round.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental Education Programs (Field Trips and Outreach) Nature-based educational programs including on-site school field trips ($6/student with $90 minimum) at Main Property and Shepard Farm, plus outreach programs where Dodge naturalists travel to client sites ($175/hour plus travel). Programs cover 40+ curriculum topics across prairies, woodlands, wetlands, and farm environments and are designed for K-12 schools, homeschool groups, scouts, and other organizations.
• Dodge Nature Preschool Nationally recognized nature-based preschool program for children ages 3-5 with mixed-age classes and emphasis on outdoor learning in all seasons, located at 1715 Charlton Street, West St. Paul. Offers part-day and full-day school-year tuition ranging $3,411-$16,803 per year plus summer programs at $628-$1,505. Accepts Pathway 1 Early Learning Scholarships and Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). NAEYC accredited, Parent Aware 4-Star rated, and Nature Explore Classroom certified.
• Seasonal Day Camps (Spring, Summer, Fall)

Quantifiable outcome

• Provides 60,000+ nature-based experiences each year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Como Park Zoo & Conservatory: Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is a Saint Paul zoo and conservatory offering school field trips, summer camps, public programs, and free public access — directly comparable to Dodge's mix of free public nature access and structured educational programming for schools and families.
• Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center: Eagle Bluff is a residential environmental learning center in southeastern Minnesota that runs K–12 environmental education programs, summer camps, and naturalist-led experiences — highly comparable to Dodge's field trip, outreach, and seasonal camp model, though residential rather than day-use.
• Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center: Wolf Ridge is a northern Minnesota environmental learning center providing school group programming, summer camps, and outdoor education aligned to curriculum standards — comparable to Dodge's curriculum-aligned field trip and camp offerings at a different scale and geography.
• Tamarack Nature Center: Tamarack Nature Center, part of Three Rivers Park District, is a Minnesota nature center offering environmental education programs, seasonal camps, preschool-age programming, and trails — directly comparable to Dodge's mix of field trips, camps, nature preschool, and free public trail access.
• Belwin Conservancy: Belwin Conservancy is a Twin Cities-area nature preserve offering K–12 outdoor education, field trips, summer camps, and community programs across prairie, woodland, and wetland habitats — overlapping Dodge's environmental education and habitat-based programming model.

Broad incumbents

• Three Rivers Park District: Three Rivers Park District is a public park agency operating multiple nature centers (including Tamarack), regional parks, trails, and nature-preschool programming across the Twin Cities — a larger, publicly funded incumbent that offers overlapping environmental education, camps, and trails at scale.
• Minnesota Zoo: Minnesota Zoo is a large zoo and conservation attraction offering school field trips, summer camps, family programming, and public exhibits — a broader, larger-scale incumbent in the Twin Cities family nature education and recreation space.
• Morton Arboretum: The Morton Arboretum is a large suburban Chicago tree-focused nature institution offering K–12 environmental education, camps, family programs, and extensive public grounds — a broader incumbent with overlapping nature-education, camps, and school programming business lines.

Regional players

• Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is a federal refuge in the Twin Cities offering environmental education, field trips, and public trails across prairie, wetland, and forest habitats — directly comparable to Dodge's habitat-based programming and free public trail access, but federally operated.

Emerging players

• The Raptor Center (University of Minnesota): The Raptor Center is a University of Minnesota wildlife education and rehabilitation program offering school outreach and public programs on raptors — a focused, partially overlapping peer that mirrors Dodge's raptor enclosure programming and naturalist-led outreach to schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dodgenaturecenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dodge-nature-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/dodgenaturecenter
• Xx.com/DodgeNatureCtr

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dodge Nature Center