The Wildwoods Foundation

What The Wildwoods Foundation does

The Wildwoods Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization operating as a project of Community Partners, founded in 2000 by Dwain Wilson in Los Angeles. The organization delivers nature-based educational programs integrating outdoor education, environmental science, and social-emotional learning to K-12 schools, families, and corporate/community groups in the greater Los Angeles area. Core products include the flagship 8-week Full Circle program, the LADWP-funded A Drop in the Bucket water conservation curriculum, Wildwoods LIVE virtual field trips delivered via IRL backpack streaming technology, Seeds of STEM (early childhood), Common Ground (human relations retreat), Systems Thinking Workshops, Service Learning Project Coordination, and Teambuilding and First Peoples Skills modules. For organizations, Wildwoods sells customized Wilderness Skills training, Paseo family excursions, and Natural Progression business sustainability programming. The technology layer is digital content and streaming video — not AI-driven — covering online interactive games (water/energy footprint) and an NGSS Crosscutting Concepts video series.

Revenue is diversified across five streams: charitable donations and fundraising, tiered sustaining memberships ($10-$500/month), grants and sponsorships (including an LADWP contract and LA STEM Collective partnership), program fees (for schools outside the LADWP service area and for organizational clients), and annual fundraising events such as Into the Wild and the 25th Anniversary Celebration. The go-to-market motion is community-led and partnership-driven: direct delivery to K-12 schools, backbone convening of the LA STEM Collective (40+ STEM organizations), and custom programming for civic and corporate groups. Wildwoods' competitive position is reinforced by 25 years of curriculum development, the 2012 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) for the Full Circle program, and an advisory board chaired by a senior entertainment industry executive (Greg Mooradian). The organization is currently navigating an executive transition: Founder Dwain Wilson announced plans to step down from the Executive Director role one year from March 2026, with the board retaining Executive Service Corps for strategic planning and the Coro Foundation NExT Program for transition support.

Name

The Wildwoods Foundation

Legal name

The Wildwoods Foundation

Website

https://wildwoodsla.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Wildwoods Foundation is a Los Angeles-based 501c3 nonprofit that delivers nature-based educational programs integrating outdoor education, science, and social-emotional learning to K-12 schools, families, and organizations in the greater LA area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor Education & Adventure Programs (School-Run) (EDAJAJAJ), Cultural & Environmental Education Expeditions (Citizen Science, Conservation Volunteering) (THAAAOAH)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Nature-based programs
• Outdoor education
• K-12 STEM programs
• Social-emotional learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Wildwoods operates as a 501c3 nonprofit organization relying primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund operations and programs
2. Membership Program: Sustaining member program with monthly donations ranging from $10 to $500 per month, with tiered benefits including newsletters, merchandise, and event access
3. Program Fees: Fee-based programs for schools outside LADWP service area; programs for organizations including corporate team-building, wilderness skills training, and custom programming
4. Grants and Sponsorships: Funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporate sponsors including LA Department of Water & Power contracts and LA STEM Collective partnerships
5. Event Revenue: Annual fundraising events like 'Into the Wild' and 'Wildwoods 25th Anniversary' generating revenue through ticket sales and sponsorships

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Wildwoods Foundation delivers nature-based educational programs that integrate outdoor education, environmental science, and social-emotional learning for K-12 schools, community organizations, and families in the Los Angeles area. Programs are delivered on-site, in the field, or virtually, including flagship offerings such as Full Circle (8-week outdoor program), A Drop in the Bucket (water conservation education), Virtual Field Trips, Common Ground (human relations retreat), and corporate team-building experiences.

Product overview

The Wildwoods Foundation operates as a single, unified program portfolio of nature-based educational offerings rather than a platform-plus-modules software product. The organization provides in-person, hybrid, and virtual nature-based programs integrating outdoor education, science, and social-emotional learning. Core school programs include A Drop in the Bucket (water conservation), Full Circle (flagship 8-week outdoor exploration program), Virtual Field Trips, Common Ground (human relations retreat), Systems Thinking Workshop, Service Learning Project Coordination, Teambuilding, and First Peoples Skills. For organizations, offerings include Wilderness Skills & Specialized Training, Paseo (family excursions), and Natural Progression (business sustainability program). Additional programs include SeedLinks (urban gardening network), Wildwoods LIVE (virtual field trips), Seeds of STEM (early childhood), and Oakgrove (retreat program). Programs span K-12 education and serve corporate, civic, and community groups. Delivery formats include on-campus, in-field, and online interactive formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A Drop in the Bucket A standards-based water conservation education program for grades 2-8, exploring the water cycle, global water access, and practical conservation methods. Available in-person, hybrid, and fully virtual formats.
• Full Circle An 8-part weekly program combining outdoor exploration with team building, technology, visual arts, and community service. Focuses on communication skills and social-emotional development for grades 4-6. Award-winning program recognized with the 2012 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award.
• Virtual Field Trips Interactive digital technology streaming high-definition video and audio to classrooms, with destinations including the LA River, Santa Monica Mountains, and Malibu tide pools. For grades 4-12.
• Common Ground A full-day on-campus human relations retreat using ecology as a framework for discussing diversity. Trauma-informed social-emotional learning program for grades 4-12.
• Systems Thinking Workshop Full-day workshop introducing systems thinking concepts including interdependence, cause and effect, feedback loops, and NGSS Crosscutting Concepts. For grades 4-12.
• Service Learning Project Coordination Multi-session program helping students conduct community needs assessments, identify learning objectives, and connect with resources to execute service projects. For grades 4-12.
• Teambuilding Activities developing group trust and innovative thinking through physical challenges and group problem-solving. For grades 4-12.
• First Peoples Skills Activities including tracking, fire-making with wooden hand drill, and cordage-making from plant fibers. Includes classroom discussion comparing modern life to native Californians. For grades 4-6.
• Eco-Literacy and Systems Thinking Teacher Training Professional development program helping teachers apply ecological principles to academic inquiry and classroom management. Includes 4 classroom sessions plus 2 optional field trips.
• Wilderness Skills & Specialized Training Customized programs for corporate and civic groups including animal tracking, wilderness survival skills, edible and medicinal plants, adventure challenges, low and high ropes courses, and team-building.
• Paseo Full-day excursion to Santa Monica mountains including nature hike, awareness activities, and unstructured park exploration for families.
• Natural Progression Two-day program (or intensive one-day seminar) modeling business practices on natural systems for companies seeking to maximize profit while reducing costs and waste.
• SeedLinks Urban home gardener support network with a Plant it Forward mission, serving South LA families with container gardening.
• Seeds of STEM Early childhood STEM education program introducing basic scientific principles to young students.
• Oakgrove Weekend retreat program at Venice High School focused on nature-based activities and community building, active since 1972 and joined Wildwoods in 2008.

Quantifiable outcome

• Full Circle program demonstrated positive impact on students' science test scores at serving schools
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Executive Service CorpsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2026Nonprofit consulting organization helping Wildwoods develop a new strategic plan during the executive transition period as Founder Dwain Wilson prepares to transition from Executive Director role.
• Coro Foundation NExT Program / Nonprofit Sustainability InitiativeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2026Cohort model working with organizations and transitioning executives to support leadership transition. Helping Wildwoods navigate executive succession planning.
• LA STEM CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership of 40+ STEM education organizations, museums, and parks providing STEM education programs to LA schools. Wildwoods serves as the backbone organization for this collective, managing and coordinating initiatives across the network.
• Children & Nature NetworkflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Wildwoods represents the LA STEM Collective in managing the Los Angeles Cities Connecting Children to Nature project, part of a nationwide initiative from the Children & Nature Network focused on connecting children to nature access.
• California Environmental Education FoundationminorOthers · 1 January 2022Dwain Wilson, Wildwoods Founder and Executive Director, serves on the Board of Directors of the California Environmental Education Foundation. Wildwoods is also a past member of the Environmental Literacy Committee for the California Association of Science Educators.
• Seeds of Hope (Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021During COVID-19 pandemic, Wildwoods connected families in need (particularly foster youth families) to Seeds of Hope's food security program and even delivered fresh vegetables to participating families.
• Expand LA / California Science Center / Natural History Museum / Friends of the Los Angeles River / TreePeoplecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020COVID-era partnership providing online STEM and environmental education programs to LAUSD students. The collective provided school-day and after-school programs to thousands of students during the pandemic.
• Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011LADWP has contracted with Wildwoods to deliver A Drop in the Bucket water conservation education program. The program is free to schools within LADWP service area. LADWP also supports online activity development and Wildwoods' conservation education initiatives.
• Community PartnerscoreOthers · 1 January 2000Wildwoods Foundation is a project of Community Partners, a 501c3 public benefit organization that provides fiscal sponsorship and administrative support. Community Partners' Board of Directors serves as the legal board of record for all 180+ projects under its umbrella.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Eco-Schools USA:
• REI Co-op (REI): Outdoor recreation retailer that runs outdoor education programs and stewardship initiatives. Adjacent rather than directly competing, but shares the audience of families seeking outdoor experiences and education.

Direct peers

• Outward Bound USA: National outdoor education nonprofit delivering wilderness-based character development and team-building programs for youth. Directly comparable mission and methodology (experiential outdoor learning with social-emotional outcomes), though at much larger national scale.
• Project Learning Tree: National environmental education program providing NGSS-aligned curriculum and teacher training for K-12 schools. Comparable as an environmental education curriculum and professional development provider, though operating at broader national scale.
• Friends of the LA River (FoLAR): LA-based nonprofit focused on the Los Angeles River ecosystem, education, and advocacy. They are explicitly listed as a Wildwoods COVID-era partner, and both organizations run nature-based outdoor education programs in the same LA geography.
• Children & Nature Network: National nonprofit leading the Cities Connecting Children to Nature initiative, of which Wildwoods manages the LA chapter. Closely aligned mission (connecting children to nature) with comparable programmatic and policy focus on equitable outdoor access.
• TreePeople: Los Angeles-based environmental education nonprofit focused on urban forestry, sustainability, and youth engagement. Highly comparable as a regional nonprofit delivering nature-based programming to LA schools and communities, with similar reliance on donations, grants, and government contracts.

Emerging players

• Earthwatch Institute: Nonprofit offering citizen science and environmental education experiences. Overlaps with Wildwoods' citizen science and conservation education elements, though more focused on adult and research-oriented expeditions.

Broad incumbents

• Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: Large LA-based cultural and educational institution offering nature programming, school field trips, and exhibits. A broader incumbent in nature/STEM education that competes for the same school district contracts and student attention, with greater resources.
• California Science Center: State-operated science center in Los Angeles providing STEM education to schools through field trips and programs. A listed Wildwoods partner via the LA STEM Collective, but operates as a larger institution with broader programming across STEM disciplines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBhv8l3hi82RBvXgKN8MKYA
• Facebookfacebook.com/WildwoodsLA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-wildwoods-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/wildwoodsla
• Xx.com/wildwoodsla

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 The Wildwoods Foundation