Highlands Center for Natural History

What Highlands Center for Natural History does

Highlands Center for Natural History is a nonprofit nature center operating an 80-acre campus within the Prescott National Forest in Arizona under a Special Use Permit. Founded in 1973 as the Community Nature Center of Prescott, the organization was incorporated as a 501c3 in 1995-1996 and moved to its current Lynx Creek site, where it delivers place-based outdoor education through structured programs for children and adults. Core offerings include summer nature camps for ages 3.5-13 (30 years of operation), school field trips aligned to K-5 science standards (serving over 2,000 students annually), adult naturalist courses and guided walks (e.g., the Sense of Place 8-week course), signature events such as Shakespeare in the Pines and the Juniper Jamz concert series, and venue rentals across the Kieckhefer Ramada, Kiwanis Amphitheater, Kieckhefer Classroom, and Margaret T. Morris Patio. Supporting facilities include three miles of hiking trails and the five-acre James Family Discovery Gardens, an ArbNet Level I accredited ADA-accessible arboretum.

The business model is membership- and donation-driven: memberships and donations constitute 75% of the operating budget, supplemented by program fees (school field trips at $200-$450 per class, camps at $185-$300/week, adult courses at $650-$700), venue rentals, and nature-store sales. Nine annual membership tiers span $60 (Individual) to $5,000 (Juniper), with a $155 dual-membership bundle offered with Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary. Distribution is direct-to-consumer and community-based: on-site program delivery at the Prescott campus, off-site delivery via the Schoolyard Habitat partnership program to local elementary schools, community presentations through the Arizona Master Naturalists partnership, and online registration through a NeonCRM-powered website.

The organization serves five primary customer segments: children and youth (ages 3-17), adult lifelong learners, event organizers, local schools and districts in the Prescott/Chino Valley/Prescott Valley/Dewey area, and general community members who access trails and Discovery Gardens free of charge 365 days a year. Sarah Vincent became the third Executive Director in May 2024, succeeding Dave Irvine, and oversees a staff of 11-50 supported by a Board of Directors chaired by Tim Jordheim. The organization holds a LEED Gold certification for the James Learning Center (2007), ArbNet Level I Arboretum Accreditation, and a 2026 Platinum Transparency seal from Candid.

Name

Highlands Center for Natural History

Legal name

Highlands Center for Natural History

Website

https://highlandscenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nonprofit nature center on an 80-acre campus in Prescott National Forest, Arizona, delivering outdoor education programs for children, families, schools, and adult learners through nature camps, field trips, naturalist courses, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Environmental Education

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Community-Based & Indigenous-Owned Nature Lodges (THAAAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mountain & Wilderness Lodges (THAAAHAE), Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG), Mountain & Alpine Lodges (THAGAIAE), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Outdoor education programs
• Nature summer camps
• Environmental education
• School field trips
• Nature center trails

Headquarters

HQ city

Prescott

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Memberships and Donations: The organization is funded primarily through memberships, donations and grants. Memberships and donations make up 75% of the operating budget. Individual memberships start at $60/year, with various tiers up to $5,000 for Juniper level.
2. Program Fees - Field Trips: School field trips generate revenue at $200 per class or $450 for two classes (max 60 students). Additional chaperones are $15 each.
3. Nature Camp Fees: Summer nature camps for ages 6-13 are $250 for members and $300 for non-members. Seedlings camps (ages 3.5-5) are $185 for members and $225 for non-members.
4. Adult Education Programs: Adult programs such as Sense of Place in the Highlands are priced at $650 for members and $700 for non-members for the 8-week course.
5. Venue Rentals: Event venue rentals including Kieckhefer Ramada (seats 85), Kiwanis Amphitheater (seats 120), Kieckhefer Classroom, and Margaret T. Morris Patio provide rental revenue that funds educational programs.
6. Nature Store Sales: The Benson Family Nature Store sells nature-related books, guides, apparel, and gifts, with members receiving discounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Highlands Center for Natural History is a 501c3 nonprofit nature center operating an 80-acre campus within the Prescott National Forest. It delivers place-based outdoor science education to children and adults through summer nature camps, school field trips, adult naturalist courses, and community events, and supports these programs with memberships, donations, grants, nature store sales, and event venue rentals. Trails and Discovery Gardens are open to the public free of charge 365 days a year.

Product overview

The Highlands Center for Natural History operates as a nonprofit nature center offering a integrated portfolio of outdoor education programs and community services. Core offerings include youth nature programs (summer camps, field trips, early childhood, teen internships), adult education (nature study series, guided walks, workshops, grief support), and signature events (Shakespeare in the Pines, Juniper Jamz concerts). The 80-acre campus features three miles of hiking trails, the five-acre James Family Discovery Gardens arboretum, and four rentable event venues. Additional services include a nature store, membership program with nine tiers, the Schoolyard Habitat school partnership, and planned giving through Legacy Circle. The center operates as a community-supported nonprofit with no admission fees for trails or gardens.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Nature Programs Outdoor science education programs for children including summer nature camps (ages 3-13), school field trips, early childhood education, day programs, and a teen internship program for ages 14-17, delivered on-site at the Prescott campus and through school partnerships.
• Adult & Community Programs Educational programs for adult learners including the Community Nature Study Series, Peace in the Pines grief support, Night Wings bat observation, Wonder at Nightfall astronomy walks, Natural History Book Club, Wednesday Wanderings guided hikes, and the Sense of Place naturalist course.
• Event Venue Rentals Rental of campus facilities for weddings, corporate retreats, and events including the Kieckhefer Ramada (seats 85), Kiwanis Amphitheater (seats 120), Kieckhefer Classroom, and Margaret T. Morris Patio.
• James Family Discovery Gardens A five-acre, ADA-accessible arboretum and native garden showcasing the botanical diversity of the Central Highlands through themed learning circles including riparian, montane forest, grassland, and ethnobotanical areas.
• Hiking Trails Three miles of hiking trails within Prescott National Forest including the Stretch-Pebble Loop (0.75-mile accessible trail) and Highlands Trail (1.5-mile loop), connecting to Lynx Lake Recreation Area. Open free to the public 365 days a year.
• Benson Family Nature Store Nature-themed gift shop offering books, guides, apparel, and nature-related gifts, open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm. Members receive discounts.
• Membership Programs Annual membership tiers including Individual ($60), Family ($70), Family+Zoo dual membership ($155), Manzanita ($100), Walnut ($250), Oak ($500), Pinyon ($1,000), Ponderosa ($2,500), and Juniper ($5,000), providing free trail access, discounts on programs and store purchases, and donor recognition.
• Schoolyard Habitat Program Partnership with local schools to create outdoor native habitats and nature classrooms on school grounds, with standards-based science lessons facilitated by Highlands Center staff.
• Shakespeare in the Pines Annual outdoor theater production at the Kiwanis Amphitheater, presented in partnership with LAARK Productions, featuring adapted Shakespeare plays with the pine forest as backdrop.
• Juniper Jamz Concert Series Summer concert series featuring local and regional musicians performed at the venue, with evening performances from June through August.
• Juniper Fund Scholarships Educational scholarship fund exclusively for children's programs, ensuring no child is turned away due to financial constraints.
• Legacy Circle Planned Giving Planned giving program for supporters who have included HCNH in their estate plans, offering bequests, charitable gift annuities, and trust arrangements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 kindergarten through 5th grade students served annually during school year field trips
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Prescott National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Highlands Center operates under a Special Use Permit with Prescott National Forest, allowing the 80-acre campus to exist within the forest. This partnership enables the organization to deliver nature education programs in a protected natural environment with direct trail connections to the broader forest and Lynx Lake Recreation Area.
• LAARK ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership presenting Shakespeare in the Pines at the Kiwanis Amphitheater. LAARK Productions creatively adapts Shakespeare plays to reflect unique aspects of the pine forest location, creating a beloved summer tradition.
• Heritage Park Zoological SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual membership partnership offering combined Family + Zoo membership at $155, providing full family benefits at both the Highlands Center and the zoo. This partnership expands member value and cross-promotes nature-based education.
• Arizona Master Naturalists (Central Highlands Chapter)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership bringing the Community Nature Study Series, a flagship adult education program covering diverse subjects about the Central Highlands natural world.
• KNAU (Northern Arizona Public Radio)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for community education programs such as Arizona Weather Wonders with KNAU meteorologist Lee Born.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wave Hill: 28-acre nonprofit public garden in New York City with trails, native plant gardens, youth and adult education, and venue rentals. Closely comparable in operating model, programming mix, and donor-supported nonprofit structure.
• Tucson Botanical Gardens: Nonprofit botanical garden in Tucson offering youth and adult education programs, seasonal events, venue rentals, and memberships. Direct comparable on product mix, scale, and reliance on donor-supported programming.
• Tyler Arboretum: Nonprofit arboretum in Pennsylvania with native plant collections, hiking trails, school field trip programs, summer camps, and memberships. Comparable as a multi-decade nonprofit nature education organization with similar programming mix.
• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: A nonprofit institution in Tucson that combines zoo, botanical garden, natural history museum, and outdoor education programs in a single site. Highly comparable as a place-based, multi-revenue-stream Arizona nature education organization with trails, gardens, and school programming.
• The Arboretum at Flagstaff: Northern Arizona nonprofit arboretum focused on high-elevation native plants, with youth and adult education programs. Comparable as an Arizona-based nonprofit arboretum offering Discovery Gardens-style plant education and outdoor programming.
• Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary: Nonprofit wildlife sanctuary in Prescott with a documented dual-membership partnership with Highlands Center. Comparable in size, region, and operating model as a community-supported nature education organization.
• Desert Botanical Garden: Phoenix-based nonprofit botanical garden with extensive trails, signature events, memberships, adult education, and youth programming. Comparable operating model: free or low-cost trail access monetized through memberships, events, and programming.

Broad incumbents

• The Morton Arboretum: Large-scale nonprofit tree-focused arboretum near Chicago with extensive trails, gardens, school programs, adult education, and venue rentals. Comparable operating model but at significantly greater scale and broader geographic reach.
• National Audubon Society: Large national nonprofit with nature centers, sanctuaries, and education programs across the U.S. Overlaps with Highlands Center's adult naturalist and youth environmental programming, but operates at vastly greater scale.

Regional players

• Sharlot Hall Museum: Prescott-area nonprofit museum and cultural site where Highlands Center's Education Director serves on the board. Comparable as a regional nonprofit educational institution in the same community serving overlapping visitor and donor audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@highlandscenterfornaturalh3244
• Xx.com/hcnhprescott
• Facebookfacebook.com/HighlandsCenterforNaturalHistory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highlands-center-for-natural-history

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Highlands Center for Natural History