Environmental Volunteers

What Environmental Volunteers does

Environmental Volunteers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1972 and headquartered at the EcoCenter within the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto, California. Its mission is to promote understanding of and responsibility for the environment through hands-on science education, delivered primarily by trained volunteers. The organization operates a portfolio of programs targeted at K-6 students in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, including Nature Scientists (school-based science programs), Sprout Up (early childhood environmental education), Homeschool Programs, Public Programs at the EcoCenter, Group Programs for organizations, and the "Let's Go!" Field Trip Fund that subsidizes school access to the nature center. A supplementary digital resource — the Sprout Up Explores video collection — extends programming into at-home and distance learning contexts.

The core operating model is volunteer-facilitated, in-person delivery: volunteers, after training, lead classroom visits, field trips, public events, and corporate team-building activities focused on marshland habitat protection. The EcoCenter itself functions as both headquarters and a public-facing nature center, hosting scheduled open hours, hikes, lectures, and workshops. There is no proprietary software platform; the technology stack is effectively a website (environmentalvolunteers.org), social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), email newsletter, and event-management infrastructure (Nonprofit Soapbox for volunteer login). No APIs, SDKs, MCP integrations, or AI capabilities are disclosed.

Revenue is donation-driven rather than fee-based. The organization accepts individual outright gifts, bequests and legacy gifts, donor advised funds (DAFs), stock and IRA charitable contributions, and corporate matching gifts. Programs are delivered to schools and the public at low or no cost. The organization holds a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and a 2024 Gold Candid Seal, signaling strong transparency and accountability posture. Headcount is in the 11-50 range, with operations sustained by a mix of staff and an extensive trained volunteer corps.

Name

Environmental Volunteers

Legal name

Environmental Volunteers

Website

https://evols.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Environmental Volunteers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1972 that delivers volunteer-led, hands-on environmental science programs to K-6 students, families, and community groups across San Mateo and Santa Clara counties from its Palo Alto Baylands EcoCenter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD), Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK), Nature-Based / Forest School Early Learning Programs (EDACADAD)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Hands-on science programs
• Nature field trips
• K-6 school programs
• Volunteer-led education

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: General donations from individuals supporting environmental education programs. Includes outright gifts, bequests, legacy gifts, and stock/IRA charitable contributions.
2. Donor Advised Funds (DAFs): Contributions through donor advised funds as a giving vehicle for supporters.
3. Corporate Matching Gifts: Workplace giving programs where employers match employee charitable contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Environmental Volunteers delivers hands-on, volunteer-led science and nature education programs for K-6 students, homeschool families, the general public, and corporate groups in the San Francisco Bay Area. Programs are anchored at the EcoCenter in the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve and include school field trips, classroom visits, homeschool curricula, public events, and corporate team-building habitat restoration activities.

Product overview

Environmental Volunteers offers a unified portfolio of hands-on science and nature education programs centered around the EcoCenter in the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve. The organization operates multiple program streams including School Programs (Nature Scientists and Sprout Up for K-6 students), Homeschool Programs, Public Programs, and Group Programs, all delivered through trained volunteer facilitators. Supplementary offerings include the 'Let's Go!' Field Trip Fund for school access, the Sprout Up Explores video collection for distance learning, and Corporate Volunteering opportunities for team-building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nature Scientists: School program focusing on nature-based science education for students
• Sprout Up
• EcoCenter

Products and services

• Nature Scientists (School Programs) Hands-on science education program for K-6 students delivered in schools, connecting students to the outdoors and developing environmental awareness.
• Sprout Up (School Programs) School-based environmental education program for young K-6 students focused on early environmental awareness, part of the Nature Scientists initiative.
• Homeschool Programs Hands-on science and nature programs designed specifically for homeschool families, delivered by trained volunteers.
• Public Programs Community-oriented science and nature programs open to the general public, including EcoCenter events, hikes, lectures, and workshops.
• Group Programs Customizable group nature experiences for organizations, teams, and community groups.
• "Let's Go!" Field Trip Fund Financial assistance program enabling schools to access field trip experiences at the EcoCenter.
• EcoCenter The organization's nature center located in the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve, hosting public open hours, programs, and community events.
• Corporate Volunteering Opportunities Team-building volunteer programs for corporate groups focused on hands-on marshland habitat protection activities.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• NatureBridge: National nonprofit providing immersive, field-based environmental science education for youth at multiple residential and day program sites. Closely comparable to Environmental Volunteers' hands-on, nature-immersed science curriculum and school-program orientation, though it operates at greater geographic scale.
• Walden West Outdoor School: Santa Clara County outdoor education provider offering residential science and nature programs primarily for 5th and 6th grade students. Closely overlaps Environmental Volunteers in target grade band, Bay Area geography, and outdoor science education delivery.
• Slide Ranch: Bay Area nonprofit operating a coastal farm and nature center that delivers hands-on environmental education programs for schoolchildren and families. Highly comparable to Environmental Volunteers in mission, audience (K-6), volunteer-supported delivery model, and regional Bay Area footprint.
• Earthwatch Institute: International nonprofit engaging volunteers and students in hands-on environmental and conservation field experiences. Comparable to Environmental Volunteers in volunteer-facilitated science learning, though operating at a much larger international scale.
• Grassroots Ecology: Bay Area nonprofit combining habitat restoration with environmental education and volunteer engagement. Comparable to Environmental Volunteers in volunteer-powered delivery, Bay Area focus, and intersection of habitat work and community education.
• Bay Nature Institute: Bay Area nonprofit publisher and educator focused on local natural history and environmental education programs. Comparable to Environmental Volunteers in Bay Area geography and environmental education mission, though more publishing-oriented.
• Acterra: Bay Area environmental action organization offering volunteer programs, corporate sustainability engagement, and community education. Comparable to Environmental Volunteers in regional focus, volunteer-powered model, and corporate volunteering stream.
• Marine Science Institute: Bay Area nonprofit delivering hands-on marine and environmental science programs aboard vessels and at a Redwood City facility, serving schools and the public. Directly comparable to Environmental Volunteers' Bay Area footprint, K-6 school partnerships, and hands-on science mission.
• Santa Cruz Outdoor Science School: Residential outdoor science program serving Bay Area elementary schools with hands-on field science, similar in target audience and program model to Environmental Volunteers' school-based offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Children & Nature Network: National nonprofit advancing the movement to connect children and families with nature through research, policy, and program support. Comparable mission to Environmental Volunteers' K-6 outdoor engagement work but operating at a broader advocacy and convening scale rather than direct program delivery.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/envirovolun
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAGWeVSFCa7KfSyfbl4LwQQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/environmentalvolunteers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/environmental-volunteers
• Instagraminstagram.com/environmentalvolunteers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Environmental Volunteers