Ten Strands
Ten Strands is a California nonprofit that advances environmental literacy across the state's TK-12 public school system by providing free standards-aligned curriculum, professional learning, technical assistance, and advocacy, serving approximately 10,000 campuses and 5.8 million students through coalitions with state agencies and county offices of education.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ten Strands does
Ten Strands is a California-based nonprofit organization founded in 2012 that advances environmental literacy across the state's TK-12 public education system. It serves more than 5.8 million students across approximately 10,000 campuses and 1,000+ districts, functioning as a backbone organization that builds coalitions among state government, county offices of education, school districts, community-based organizations, environmental education providers, and funders. Its mission is centered on ensuring every California K-12 student has access to high-quality environment-based learning experiences.
The organization's core products include the Seeds to Solutions curriculum (a free, solutions-oriented K-12 instructional resource developed through a community-driven process with CBOs, climate scientists, and teacher leaders) and the legacy Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum consisting of 85 standards-aligned units. Supporting offerings include the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) network, Outdoor Learning Initiatives, the California Schoolyard Forest System, the Data Initiative for environmental and climate action tracking, Youth Engagement Programs, and fee-based Technical Assistance Services delivered to districts and county offices. Technology infrastructure consists of online platforms (seedstosolutions.org), interactive data dashboards, and microsites, with no proprietary AI/ML components disclosed.
Ten Strands operates a hybrid nonprofit revenue model. The primary funding stream is foundation and government grants, with over $10 million in cumulative public funding secured through state budget allocations (including $3.6M in 2016, $4M in 2017, $780K in 2016, and $6M in 2021). Secondary revenue comes from fee-based customized technical assistance services to districts such as LAUSD, LBUSD, SRVUSD, and SCUSD, plus individual donations and corporate giving campaigns. Distribution occurs through California's 58 county offices of education, the California Department of Education, direct district contracts, the CAELI network, and self-serve online curriculum access. GTM is community-led and event-driven, anchored by statewide advocacy, quarterly CAELI meetings, and legislative engagement including successful efforts behind SB 720.
Ten Strands firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ten Strands
- Legal name
- Ten Strands
- Website
- https://tenstrands.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ten Strands is a California nonprofit that advances environmental literacy across the state's TK-12 public school system by providing free standards-aligned curriculum, professional learning, technical assistance, and advocacy, serving approximately 10,000 campuses and 5.8 million students through coalitions with state agencies and county offices of education.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ten Strands industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Environmental Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Curriculum, Lesson Planning & Instructional Content Platforms (EDAJAMAD), Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD)
Keywords
Where Ten Strands is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ten Strands business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation and Government Grants: Primary revenue source from foundation grants and government funding. Secured over $10 million in public funding for teaching and learning focused on environmental literacy concepts. Received $6 million budget request for Climate Change and Environmental Justice Program.
- Technical Assistance Services: Fee-based customized technical assistance services to schools, districts, county offices, nonprofits, and public agencies for environmental literacy and climate action initiatives. Fee structure based on frequency and expertise level.
- Individual Donations: Accepting individual donations through website with suggested amounts ($100, $500, $1000, $5000) and other options.
- Corporate Giving Campaigns: Participating in corporate charitable giving programs such as Target Circle campaign.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Seeds to Solutions Curriculum - Free Access |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Technical Assistance Services - Fee-based |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Ten Strands product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ten Strands develops and distributes free, standards-aligned K-12 environmental literacy curriculum (Seeds to Solutions, EEI Curriculum), delivers professional learning and fee-based technical assistance to California school districts and county offices of education, and operates statewide programs (CAELI, Outdoor Learning, Sustainable and Climate-Ready Schools, Data Initiative, Youth Engagement) that integrate environment-based learning into the TK-12 system. The organization functions as a backbone nonprofit that builds coalitions, drives state policy, and provides curriculum, training, and data tools to advance environmental and climate literacy across California's public schools.
Product overview
Ten Strands is a nonprofit organization focused on environmental literacy for California TK-12 students, offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and resources. The core offerings include the Seeds to Solutions™ K-12 curriculum and the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum for standards-based environmental instruction. Supporting initiatives include the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) for statewide coordination, Outdoor Learning Initiatives for green schoolyards and outdoor education, Sustainable and Climate-Ready Schools for facility resilience, a Data Initiative for tracking environmental action, Youth Engagement Programs for student leadership, and Technical Assistance Services for district support. The organization acts as an integrator, weaving together people and strategies to advance environmental literacy throughout California's public education system.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI): A collective action network led by Ten Strands to ensure access to high-quality environment-based learning for all California TK-12 students.
- Seeds to Solutions
- California Schoolyard Forest System
Products and services
- Seeds to Solutions Curriculum A set of free, solutions-oriented, age-appropriate instructional resources on California environmental issues for grades K-12 that empowers students to be environmentally literate and engaged community members prepared to act for environmental well-being. Built through a community-driven process involving community-based organizations, climate scientists, and teacher leaders, and freely available to all California teachers.
- Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum
- California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) A collective action network led by Ten Strands that supports efforts to increase awareness, build capacity, and strengthen the statewide ecosystem for prioritizing and implementing high-quality environmental education in California's TK-12 schools through quarterly meetings, affinity groups, and communities of practice.
- Outdoor Learning Initiatives
- Sustainable and Climate-Ready Schools Initiative
- Data Initiative for Environmental and Climate Action
- Youth Engagement Programs
- Technical Assistance Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% of teachers plan to continue using EEI Curriculum
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ten Strands
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ten Strands technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Ten Strands partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- California Department of EducationcoreFormal partnership for statewide environmental literacy initiatives, curriculum alignment, and policy development. CDE provides state-level support and alignment with academic standards and frameworks.
- California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE)corePartnership for Climate Adaptation and Resilience Toolkit development, professional development webinars, and district support services.
- San Mateo County Office of EducationcoreOver 8-year partnership for Environmental Solutionary Teacher Fellowship and co-development of Seeds to Solutions curriculum. SMCOE is a key implementation partner.
- UndauntedK12coreCo-lead of Climate Ready Schools Coalition and partnership for virtual policy forums on sustainability and climate-resilient schools.
- Green Schoolyards AmericacoreFounding partner of California Schoolyard Forest System and National Outdoor Learning Initiative. Partnership for school ground greening and outdoor learning.
- Lawrence Hall of SciencecorePartner in National Outdoor Learning Initiative and Environmental Literacy Task Force co-lead. Contributed to Blueprint for Environmental Literacy.
- Sierra ClubcorePartnership for California Youth Climate Policy Leadership Program, empowering high school students to drive climate action.
- CalRecycle (Office of Education and the Environment)corePartnership for EEI Curriculum distribution and Data Initiative expansion. CalRecycle provides ongoing support for environmental education.
- University of California (UC) SystemcorePartnership through Environmental and Climate Change Literacy Projects (ECCLPs) to advance PK-12 climate and environmental literacy.
- California State University (CSU) SystemcorePartnership through ECCLPs for climate change literacy and environmental justice initiatives in PK-12 education.
- California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) NetworkminorNetwork connecting community environmental education providers with teachers and administrators for hands-on outdoor experiences.
- California Mathematics, Science, and Computer Science Partnership (CAL-MSCS)minorProfessional learning partnership for environmental literacy integration in STEM education.
- California State PTAminorPartner in advocacy for Seal of Climate Literacy legislation.
- BSCS Science LearningminorCurriculum development expert partner with experience in open education resources focused on climate change and environmental justice.
- Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF)minorCommunity partner contributing to Seeds to Solutions topic and direction for grade level units.
- Center for EcoliteracyminorCommunity partner supporting Seeds to Solutions development and farm to school advocacy.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ten Strands competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- WestEd: Large nonprofit education research and development organization where Director of Curriculum Dr. Roni Jones previously worked. Comparable in serving California K-12 districts with curriculum, professional learning, and system-support services—though broader in scope.
- National Geographic Education: Major publisher of K-12 educational content (including environmental and science curriculum). Overlaps with Ten Strands in free standards-aligned curriculum distribution but operates nationally and across all subjects.
Direct peers
- BSCS Science Learning: Curriculum development expert partner with experience in open education resources focused on climate change and environmental justice. Comparable as a STEM/environmental curriculum developer serving K-12 systems.
- Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF): Community partner contributing to Seeds to Solutions content. Operates in the same sustainability education space for K-12 schools with professional development and curriculum support—closely comparable mission and target audience.
- Green Schoolyards America: Co-founding partner of the California Schoolyard Forest System and National Outdoor Learning Initiative. Both organizations work on greening school grounds and outdoor learning in California K-12 schools, with overlapping program scope and shared funders/partners.
- Lawrence Hall of Science: UC Berkeley-based science education organization that co-leads the National Outdoor Learning Initiative and Environmental Literacy Task Force with Ten Strands. Comparable in delivering standards-aligned environmental STEM curriculum and professional learning for California K-12 educators.
- Center for Ecoliteracy: Bay Area nonprofit focused on education for sustainable living, supporting Seeds to Solutions development and farm-to-school advocacy. Directly comparable in mission (ecological literacy in K-12) and California-based K-12 support services.
- UndauntedK12: Co-leads the Climate Ready Schools Coalition with Ten Strands. Focuses on climate-resilient school infrastructure and policy advocacy—sharing the same coalition-building model and California K-12 climate education mandate.
Emerging players
- EcoRise: National nonprofit bringing environmental literacy and sustainability education into K-12 schools through teacher resources, student programs, and grants. Comparable mission with broader (multi-state) reach but smaller California presence.
Regional players
- Pacific Education Institute: Regional nonprofit focused on environmental and STEM education in the Pacific Northwest. Comparable model of K-12 teacher professional learning and field-based environmental education but operates in Washington state rather than California.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ten Strands social profiles
Digital presenceTen Strands financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ten Strands leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Ten Strands funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ten Strands M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ten Strands
What does Ten Strands do?
Ten Strands develops and distributes free, standards-aligned K-12 environmental literacy curriculum (Seeds to Solutions, EEI Curriculum), delivers professional learning and fee-based technical assistance to California school districts and county offices of education, and operates statewide programs (CAELI, Outdoor Learning, Sustainable and Climate-Ready Schools, Data Initiative, Youth Engagement) that integrate environment-based learning into the TK-12 system. The organization functions as a backbone nonprofit that builds coalitions, drives state policy, and provides curriculum, training, and data tools to advance environmental and climate literacy across California's public schools.
Is Ten Strands a public or private company?
Ten Strands is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ten Strands founded?
Ten Strands was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ten Strands based?
Ten Strands is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ten Strands make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Foundation and Government Grants are the primary driver. The others are technical Assistance Services, individual Donations and corporate Giving Campaigns.
Who are Ten Strands's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are WestEd and National Geographic Education. Direct peers are BSCS Science Learning, Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF), Green Schoolyards America, Lawrence Hall of Science, Center for Ecoliteracy and UndauntedK12. EcoRise is listed as an emerging player. Pacific Education Institute is listed as a regional player.
Does Ten Strands have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ten Strands.
What industry is Ten Strands in?
Ten Strands's product category is K-12 Environmental Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAH, Environmental Education & Outreach, with a secondary code of EDAJAMAD, Curriculum, Lesson Planning & Instructional Content Platforms. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.