Project Learning Tree

What Project Learning Tree does

Project Learning Tree (PLT) is a 501(c)(3) environmental education initiative operated under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), headquartered in Washington, DC and founded in 1976. PLT develops and distributes standards-aligned environmental education curriculum and trains educators to deliver it across preschool through grade 12. Since 1976 the program has reached a cumulative 145 million students and in 2023 trained more than 15,000 educators through 600+ workshops.

The organization's core offering is a curriculum library spanning early childhood (Trees & Me, Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood), K-8 (Explore Your Environment flagship with 50 hands-on activities, PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide with 96 activities), and high school (Focus on Forests, Green Jobs, Southeastern Forests and Climate Change, Places We Live, Forests of the World, Biodiversity, Focus on Risk, Municipal Solid Waste, Biotechnology). Curriculum materials are aligned to Common Core, NGSS, C3, and Head Start standards. Technology layers include self-paced online courses, a web resource hub (plt.org/myk8guide), digital student pages, the GreenSchools Investigations program, E-Units (Treemendous Science, Energy in Ecosystems, Carbon & Climate), and the Forest Literacy Framework. The flagship K-8 curriculum has been translated into Spanish (Explora tu Ambiente, 2024), and select digital tools integrate with third-party services like i-Tree.

PLT distributes curriculum primarily through a network of state coordinators operating in all 50 U.S. states, DC, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Japan — running 600-1,200+ in-person workshops annually (typical fee $25-$50). Online self-paced courses are priced $25-$40. Auxiliary revenue comes from direct material sales via shop.plt.org, Amazon, bulk school and district licensing (eligible for federal Title I/II funds), an annual conference ($650-$800 per attendee, 40th edition scheduled March 2026 at Lied Lodge, Nebraska), and tax-deductible donations including the "50 Years Forward" campaign celebrating PLT's 50th anniversary. Educational outreach is supported by a multi-channel marketing stack (The Branch newsletter, organic social, webinars) and a strategic partner ecosystem that includes USDA Forest Service, Texas A&M Forest Service, MANRRS, Corazón Latino, Project WET, Project WILD, PBS Cyberchase, and Oregon State University Extension. PLT holds Charity Navigator 4-star and Candid Gold transparency ratings.

Name

Project Learning Tree

Legal name

Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc.

Website

https://plt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Project Learning Tree (PLT) is a 501(c)(3) environmental education initiative under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative that develops standards-aligned K-12 and early childhood curriculum, trains educators through a nationwide state coordinator network, and operates the GreenSchools student-investigation program across all 50 U.S. states and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Curriculum

NAICS

Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Instructional Design & Curriculum Development Services (EDAGAKAA), Teacher-Led Digital Lesson Packages & Instructional Resources (EDAFACAL), Digital/Interactive Curriculum Content (Apps, Games, Multimedia Lessons) (EDACAJAK)

Keywords

• Environmental education curriculum
• Professional development workshops
• K-12 curriculum guides
• GreenSchools investigations
• Forest literacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Development Workshops: PLT generates revenue through fee-based professional development workshops. In-person day-long workshops typically cost $25–50, while online self-paced courses range from $25–40. Participants receive curriculum guides and materials as part of workshop registration.
2. Curriculum Materials Sales: Most PLT curriculum materials are distributed through professional development workshops, but some select materials are available for direct purchase via the PLT shop (shop.plt.org), Amazon, and other book retailers. Bulk pricing is available for schools and districts.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, PLT relies on donations and campaign contributions (e.g., the '50 Years Forward' campaign) to fund operations, free resources, and program delivery. Donations are tax-deductible.
4. Conference Registration: PLT holds an annual conference with registration fees ranging from $650–$800 (early bird to standard) for general attendees and coordinators, plus companion passes and optional add-ons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Project Learning Tree develops and distributes standards-aligned environmental education curriculum guides, activity collections, and digital E-Units for educators working with youth from preschool through grade 12. Its flagship offerings include the Explore Your Environment K-8 Activity Guide, Trees & Me for ages 1-6, GreenSchools Investigations, and the Forest Literacy Framework. Most materials are delivered through fee-based in-person and online professional development workshops ($25-$50), with select materials sold directly via shop.plt.org, Amazon, and through school bulk pricing.

Product overview

Project Learning Tree provides a comprehensive environmental education portfolio centered on curriculum guides, professional development, and grant programs. The core offerings include flagship guides (Explore Your Environment K-8, Trees & Me for ages 1-6, PreK-8 Environmental Education), the GreenSchools Investigations program for K-12 students, and specialized E-Units for grades K-8 (Treemendous Science, Energy in Ecosystems, Carbon & Climate). High school offerings include Focus on Forests, Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers, Teaching with i-Tree, Southeastern Forests and Climate Change, Places We Live, Forests of the World, Biodiversity, Focus on Risk, Municipal Solid Waste, and Biotechnology. Supporting offerings include the Forest Literacy Framework, Theme-based Activity Collections, Professional Development Workshops (in-person and online), GreenWorks Grants, and STEM Strategies supplements. Materials are aligned to Common Core, NGSS, C3, Head Start, and state standards. Most curriculum materials are provided through professional development workshops, with some available for direct purchase. The organization operates in all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Japan, and other countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GreenSchools: Student-driven environmental investigation and action program for K-12 schools focusing on energy, water, waste, school site, and environmental quality.
• Forest Literacy Framework

Products and services

• Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide Flagship curriculum guide for K-8 educators with 50 hands-on, multidisciplinary activities connecting children to nature and integrating environmental education across science, math, ELA, and social studies. Available in English and Spanish (Explora tu Ambiente).
• Trees & Me: Activities for Exploring Nature with Young Children Guide for families and teachers of children ages 1-6 with 12 activities and more than 250 learning experiences connecting young children to nature with a focus on trees, supported by a free online toolkit at plt.org/treesandme.
• GreenSchools Investigations K-12 program engaging students in STEM as they investigate school site, energy use, water, waste and recycling practices, and environmental quality, including Adult Leader Guide and five Investigations.
• PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide Popular resource for educators of elementary and middle school students containing 96 hands-on, multidisciplinary activities with emphasis on science, reading, writing, mathematics, and social studies.
• Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood Over 130 hands-on experiences engaging children ages 3-6 in outdoor exploration and play.
• Focus on Forests High school curriculum where students develop critical-thinking skills and learn scientific analysis as they investigate forest management issues and discover benefits of forests.
• Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers Curriculum for ages 12-25 engaging learners in exploring green careers in forestry and conservation with four activities suitable for schools or community youth programs.
• Teaching with i-Tree Curriculum for middle and high school students using the free i-Tree online tool to discover and analyze ecosystem services trees provide and calculate their dollar value.
• Treemendous Science! (E-Unit) E-Unit for K-2 teachers helping young children explore, experience, and collect data to understand how trees grow, the roles trees play in ecological systems, and human-tree interactions.
• Energy in Ecosystems (E-Unit) E-Unit for grades 3-5 teachers using the forest as a lens to help students explore and understand interactions and energy flows present in all ecosystems.
• Carbon & Climate (E-Unit) E-Unit for grades 6-8 teachers introducing students to complex issues involved in climate change.
• Forest Literacy Framework Framework translating complex forest, tree, and sustainable forest management concepts into essential knowledge students should know by high school graduation, accompanied by a free online training course.
• The Journeys of Black Professionals in Green Careers Guide featuring diverse career paths of over 20 Black professionals in green careers, co-developed with SFI and MANRRS to share how professionals found their way into green careers through a love of nature and the outdoors.
• Professional Development Workshops Interactive professional development trainings customized for specific grade levels, topics, and teaching situations, offered in-person across all 50 states and online as self-paced courses. In-person workshops range from $25-$50 and online courses from $25-$40, with attendees receiving curriculum guides and materials as part of registration.
• Theme-based Activity Collections Downloadable collections of multidisciplinary activities connecting youth in grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 to nature and outdoors, including Nature of Fire, Trillions of Trees, Forests Water & People, Together for Birds, and Connecting for Health and Planet.
• Southeastern Forests and Climate Change Secondary module teaching about climate change impacts on forest ecosystems, carbon sequestration, strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and adapting to changing climatic conditions.
• Places We Live High school curriculum where students investigate their own community to understand environmental, social, and economic impacts of decisions connected to community growth and change.
• Forests of the World High school curriculum where students conduct research and apply critical thinking skills exploring how humans around the world interact with and depend upon diverse forests.
• Energy & Society Kit Curriculum for grades 4-8 developing students' critical thinking skills for making decisions about personal energy use.
• Biodiversity High school curriculum where students discuss perspectives about biodiversity and impacts related to decisions about growth, development, energy use, water quality, and human health.
• Focus on Risk Curriculum exploring environmental and human health risks encountered daily, where students analyze risk assessment, communication, perception, and management.
• Municipal Solid Waste High school curriculum where students learn through hands-on experiences about waste management strategies, solutions, and interrelationships of natural resource use, waste generation, and disposal.
• Biotechnology Designed for high school and college, this module increases interest in science and technology as students discover how much biotechnology is part of everyday life.
• GreenSchools for Early Childhood Program teaching young children about their environment and how they can make a difference while developing skills in language, mathematics, and science. Includes Educator Guide and five Investigations.
• Explora tu Ambiente: Guía de Actividades K-8 (Spanish Translation) Spanish-language translation of the flagship K-8 Activity Guide, providing 50 activities organized by grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8) for Spanish-speaking and multilingual learners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9 in 10 educators report moderate to significant gains in student knowledge about the environment
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, strategic, core and minor.

• Texas A&M Forest ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2025SFI/PLT partnered with Texas A&M Forest Service to increase forest literacy through a free online learning course. The partnership expands access to PLT's Forest Literacy Framework across Texas and beyond.
• Corazón LatinostrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 September 2024PLT and Corazón Latino co-hosted a free webinar to equip educators with strategies and resources for engaging Latino and multilingual learners in environmental education, supporting PLT's Spanish-language expansion.
• MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2023SFI-PLT-MANRRS partnered to produce the 'Black Faces in Green Spaces: The Journeys of Black Professionals in Green Careers' guide, highlighting 22 Black Americans in forest and conservation careers to broaden representation and career pathways.
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLT is an initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. SFI provides organizational oversight, funding, and strategic direction. PLT's address and EIN (80-0030060) are shared with SFI. The partnership is the foundational relationship underpinning PLT's operations.
• Protección de la Fauna Mexicana A.C. (Profauna)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfauna, led by Cecilia Blackallar in Mexico, partnered with PLT to translate Explore Your Environment Student Pages into Spanish, improving access to nature-based education for multilingual learners.
• USDA Forest ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe USDA Forest Service has collaborated with PLT on multiple initiatives including the Reverbations sound experience, Moon Trees video series, and U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree activities. A longstanding federal partner supporting PLT's mission.
• Project WET and Project WILDmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLT, Project WET, and Project WILD co-hosted a landmark joint conference in San Antonio (2024) after 25 years and collaborate on climate change teaching resources (Teaching About Climate Change guide).
• The Nature of CitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with USDA Forest Service and PLT to produce 'Reverberations,' an immersive sound experience exploring acoustic ecology of forests and urban environments for educational use.
• Oregon State University ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon State University's Trauma-Informed Toolkit, developed by Oregon PLT State Coordinator Yasmeen Hossain, supports educators in implementing trauma-informed approaches in environmental education settings.
• PBS (Cyberchase)GTM or Marketing PartnerPLT collaborated with PBS's Cyberchase on a Facebook Live workshop demonstrating nature-inspired activities adapted from the Explore Your Environment K-8 Activity Guide.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Project WET Foundation: Project WET is a sibling nonprofit environmental education program focused on water resources, delivering K-12 curriculum and a state-coordinator-based professional development network almost structurally identical to PLT. The two organizations co-host joint conferences and co-develop climate education resources, making them the closest direct peer in scope, model, and target audience.
• National Wildlife Federation Eco-Schools USA: Eco-Schools USA is the U.S. branch of the international Eco-Schools program operated by NWF, offering K-12 pathways, school certification, and student-driven environmental action projects. It directly overlaps with PLT's GreenSchools Investigations program in both audience and value proposition.
• Earth Force: Earth Force is a nonprofit that equips young people with civic engagement and environmental action skills through K-12 curricula and educator training. Its community-based environmental action focus closely parallels PLT's GreenSchools action-project model and student-driven investigation approach.
• Audubon Adventures (National Audubon Society): Audubon Adventures delivers classroom-ready environmental education kits for K-8 with a focus on birds and ecosystems, distributed via a school subscription model. It competes with PLT for the same elementary classroom curriculum dollars and shares the nonprofit, mission-driven distribution ethos.
• Project WILD: Project WILD is a K-12 wildlife and conservation education program with a parallel state-coordinator workshop model and curriculum guide portfolio. Operated under the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, it competes for the same educator workshop dollars and often co-presents with PLT at joint conferences.

Emerging players

• EcoRise: EcoRise offers K-12 sustainability curriculum, teacher professional development, and student-led green building/eco-audit programming with a more digital-native delivery model. It is an emerging challenger with a thinner brand but stronger product-led growth mechanics than PLT's workshop-bound model.
• iNaturalist / California Academy of Sciences: iNaturalist is a citizen-science platform widely adopted by K-12 environmental educators for biodiversity and outdoor observation projects. It represents the digital-native species of environmental education that competes for instructional time and student engagement against PLT's print- and workshop-centric model.
• Green Schoolyards America: Green Schoolyards America is a nonprofit advancing outdoor learning and nature-rich school grounds, including the Living Schoolyard Activity Guide. It overlaps with PLT's nature-based curriculum and outdoor-teaching professional development segments, particularly in early childhood.

Others

• Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI): SFI is PLT's parent organization and the largest single-source funder of PLT operations. As the parent 501(c)(3), SFI sets strategic direction and underwrites program delivery; comparing the two illustrates PLT's structural and capital dependency on SFI's broader forestry sector mandate.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Forest Service Conservation Education: The USDA Forest Service runs a large Conservation Education program that develops and disseminates free K-12 environmental education resources in partnership with PLT and other nonprofits. As a federal agency it competes with PLT primarily in the free-resource tier rather than paid workshops, but its scale and free positioning shape category dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/plt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ProjectLearningTree
• Facebookfacebook.com/projectlearningtree
• Pinterestpinterest.com/nationalplt

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Project Learning Tree