The Everglades Foundation

What The Everglades Foundation does

The Everglades Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1993 by Paul Tudor Jones II and the late George Barley, headquartered in Palmetto Bay, Florida. It operates three integrated program pillars — Education, Science, and Advocacy — aimed at restoring and protecting the Greater Everglades ecosystem, which provides the water supply for more than 9 million south Floridians and is valued as a roughly $1 trillion economic asset generating $9.2 billion in annual real estate value alone. Education delivery centers on the Everglades Literacy Program, a PreK-12 initiative launched in 2014 that has reached a cumulative 9,535 teachers, impacted more than 56,200 students across 119 Champion Schools in 14 counties (now spanning 32 counties statewide), and operates Everglades EcoQuest — a free online learning platform with educational games built in partnership with Florida Power & Light. Adjacent products include EF TV (an Emmy Award-winning documentary platform), the Swamped educational board game, Everglades Challenge Coins, and an IMAX/Giant Screen film in production with Grizzly Creek Films.

On the science side, the Foundation conducts peer-reviewed research on environmental knowledge and ecosystem health, and — in partnership with ECCO Scientific — developed a Red Tide Early-Warning System that forecasts red tide conditions along Florida's west coast with up to 84% accuracy. The Foundation also stewards the $10 Million George Barley Water Prize for water-phosphorus technology innovation. The advocacy program is built around bipartisan engagement with federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District, anchored by an annual America's Everglades Dinner at the National Archives and a Hill Day advocacy event in Washington, D.C.

The Foundation's revenue model is donation-driven and diversified across individual giving (one-time and recurring, with leadership gifts at $10,000–$100,000+), corporate partnerships and event sponsorships (LACOSTE since 2013, J.McLaughlin for 8 consecutive years, plus Bass Pro Shops, Busch Gardens, Knight Foundation, NextEra, Amazon, TECO, Orvis, Ducks Unlimited, and the National Wildlife Federation), co-branded retail merchandise, foundation grants (Knight Foundation, Crawford Taylor Foundation), and an endowment. All programs are delivered free of charge; pricing is effectively "Freemium" with voluntary donations underwriting operations. GTM motion is community-led and event-driven, combining grassroots coalition-building, annual D.C. advocacy events, the Everglades Teacher Symposium (now in its 10th year, 200+ teachers), and a multi-channel content and email marketing operation run through Salesforce Marketing Cloud. The 11–50 person organization is led by CEO Eric Eikenberg (since 2012) and a senior team that includes a Chief Science Officer, Chief Economist, and VP of Education.

Name

The Everglades Foundation

Legal name

The Everglades Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://evergladesfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Everglades Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that restores and protects America's Everglades through K-12 education, peer-reviewed science, and bipartisan federal and state advocacy, serving Florida teachers, students, policymakers, donors, and the more than 9 million south Floridians who depend on the ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation & Restoration

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Environmental restoration
• Conservation advocacy
• Environmental education
• Wetland preservation
• Ecosystem science

Headquarters

HQ city

Palmetto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The Foundation relies on individual donors who contribute through its website and direct mail campaigns. Donors can make one-time or recurring gifts, with some contributing at leadership levels of $10,000-$100,000+ annually.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partners like Lacoste, J.McLaughlin, Bass Pro Shops, and others sponsor events, co-brand products, and provide event support in exchange for association with the Foundation's mission.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals and organizations supporting Everglades restoration, processed through the Foundation's website and offline channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Everglades Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers science, education, and advocacy programs aimed at restoring and protecting America's Everglades ecosystem. Its offerings include the PreK-12 Everglades Literacy Program (with the EcoQuest online learning platform, Champion Schools network, and Teacher Symposium), peer-reviewed scientific research (including a red tide early-warning forecast system), and bipartisan policy advocacy to secure federal and state restoration funding.

Product overview

The Everglades Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on restoring and protecting America's Everglades ecosystem through three core program areas: Education (featuring the Everglades Literacy Program with its online EcoQuest platform, Everglades Champion Schools network, Everglades Teacher Symposium, and Everglades Challenge Coins), Science (peer-reviewed research and environmental analysis), and Advocacy (bipartisan policy work for restoration funding). The organization also produces media content including EF TV documentaries, the Swamped educational board game, and an IMAX/Giant Screen film in production with Grizzly Creek Films.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Everglades Literacy Program: A PreK-12 education initiative that equips teachers and students with resources to learn about the Everglades ecosystem.
• Everglades Champion Schools
• Everglades EcoQuest
• EF TV

Products and services

• Everglades Literacy Program A PreK-12 educational program equipping Florida teachers and students with free standards-aligned curriculum, teacher resources, mini-grants, and the Champion Schools network to learn about the Everglades ecosystem.
• Everglades Champion Schools

Quantifiable outcome

• More than $2 billion in federal funding secured to accelerate the EAA Reservoir completion by five years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• Grizzly Creek FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Everglades Foundation and Grizzly Creek Films announced production of a Giant Screen and IMAX film to showcase the Everglades ecosystem and conservation efforts, featuring stunning photography and immersive visuals.
• LACOSTEflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLACOSTE has partnered with The Everglades Foundation since 2013, supporting education and promotion of the Everglades ecosystem through co-branded merchandise including polo shirts, gallery exhibitions, and golf tournaments with proceeds supporting the Everglades Literacy Program.
• J.McLaughlinflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerFor 8 consecutive years, J.McLaughlin has partnered with The Everglades Foundation for an exclusive Everglades Collection and related events to raise awareness and support.
• Urban League of Greater MiamicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Everglades Foundation partnered with the Urban League of Greater Miami to launch the 'Power of Water' educational initiative in Liberty City, teaching kids and families about the value of Everglades water as a natural resource.
• Florida Power & LightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida Power & Light partnered with the Foundation to create Everglades EcoQuest, the first free online learning platform with educational games about the Everglades for PreK-12 students.
• Miami WaterkeeperminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Everglades Foundation and Miami Waterkeeper partnered to launch a new video series called 'Miami's Water and The Everglades' to educate residents about water issues.
• BrightlineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrightline partnered with The Everglades Foundation to restore and protect the Everglades and South Florida's freshwater through awareness campaigns.
• Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent sponsor and tribal partner in Western Everglades Restoration Project, working collaboratively on restoration efforts and land transfer initiatives.
• Seminole Tribe of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner in Western Everglades Restoration Project, participating in groundbreaking ceremonies and collaborative restoration efforts.
• Florida International UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue sponsor for the Everglades Teacher Symposium at Kovens Conference Center; educational partner.
• Ducks UnlimitedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for America's Everglades advocacy events.
• OrvisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for America's Everglades advocacy events.
• National Wildlife FederationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor and conservation partner for America's Everglades advocacy events.
• LightHawk Conservation FlyingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit providing conservation flights that the Foundation uses for aerial documentation and assessment of the Everglades ecosystem.
• Bass Pro ShopsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner supporting Everglades restoration efforts and Foundation initiatives through promotional content on EF TV.
• Busch GardensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPromotional partnership featuring Foundation content on EF TV and collaborative events.
• ECCO ScientificcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership to develop an early-warning red tide forecast system that can predict red tide conditions along Florida's west coast with up to 84% accuracy.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Defense Council: Major environmental advocacy and litigation nonprofit; overlaps on Florida water and Everglades policy work, and shares a science-plus-advocacy programmatic model, though with broader national and global scope.
• Sierra Club: One of the largest U.S. environmental advocacy organizations; comparable in advocacy, education, and grassroots mobilization, but with a national scope across multiple issue areas rather than single-ecosystem focus.
• Conservation International: Global conservation organization pairing science, policy, and partnerships; comparable in funding model and science-driven advocacy but with international ecosystem focus rather than single-region restoration.
• National Wildlife Federation: One of the largest U.S. private conservation nonprofits; overlaps with the Foundation on Everglades advocacy (event sponsorship partner) and on broad environmental education and policy work, but operates nationally rather than ecosystem-focused.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation nonprofit with significant Florida program work, comparable science-based restoration approach, large donor base, and land protection focus — a closely analogous high-impact conservation nonprofit.
• World Wildlife Fund: Global conservation nonprofit with significant freshwater and wetlands programs; comparable science-based and donor-supported model, plus branded corporate partnerships (e.g., LACOSTE), but operates internationally rather than ecosystem-locked.

Direct peers

• Ducks Unlimited: Wetland conservation nonprofit focused on waterfowl habitat. Direct overlap with Everglades wetland restoration, advocacy on water policy, and event-based fundraising; actively partners with the Foundation on America's Everglades events.
• Environmental Defense Fund: Science-driven environmental nonprofit using market-based approaches and policy advocacy; highly comparable operating model of pairing peer-reviewed science with bipartisan policy work and donor-funded programs.
• Audubon Society: Bird and habitat conservation nonprofit with strong Florida chapter presence and Everglades-focused restoration work; comparable in centering advocacy and education around a specific ecosystem while operating nationally.
• Defenders of Wildlife: Wildlife and habitat-focused nonprofit with active Florida program work on Everglades species and policy; comparable science-based advocacy and donor-supported education model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/evergfoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSOxA-CPaTmxtXwfyEB4-ew
• Facebookfacebook.com/evergladesfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/evergladesfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/evergladesfoundation/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Everglades Foundation