Environmental Learning Center

What Environmental Learning Center does

The Environmental Learning Center (ELC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental education organization founded in 1988 and headquartered in Vero Beach, Florida. It operates a 64-acre lagoon-island campus on the Indian River Lagoon, providing hands-on nature education, conservation programming, and public access to coastal ecosystems for schoolchildren, families, and regional visitors. The organization serves approximately 40,000+ visitors annually and runs educational programs in partnership with the School District of Indian River County, county government, and the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program.

The ELC's core offering is physical access to a unique protected ecosystem combined with structured educational programming — including school field trips, summer camps, guided kayak and nature tours, and signature events such as Lagoonapalooza, which drew a record 2,500+ attendees in 2026. The organization employs 26 staff and relies on a mix of paid programming, membership, event revenue, and philanthropic contributions. There is no underlying technology platform; the primary "product" is the campus itself and the educational experience delivered on-site.

The ELC operates on an annual budget of approximately $1.6M, with roughly one-third derived from earned revenue (program fees, events, memberships) and $1M+ from philanthropic sources including foundation grants, individual giving, and government funding. The organization is governed by a board of directors and as of February 2026 has established an Advisory Council to support strategic guidance. Its business model is characteristic of small-to-mid-sized educational nonprofits: diversified earned revenue anchored by institutional partnerships, supplemented by fundraising and seasonal tourism-driven visitation.

Name

Environmental Learning Center

Legal name

Environmental Learning Center Inc.

Website

https://discoverelc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Environmental Learning Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that operates a 64-acre lagoon-island campus in Vero Beach, Florida, delivering hands-on environmental education and conservation programming to 40,000+ schoolchildren, families, and regional visitors annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nature Center and Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG), Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Nature center programs
• Outdoor eco-tours
• Youth summer camps
• Wildlife conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Vero Beach

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: Daily admission fees charged to non-members visiting the 64-acre campus, with tiered pricing by age category. Free admission for members, children under 2, and SNAP/WIC cardholders.
2. Memberships: Annual membership program providing unlimited admission, member-only events, 10% discounts on programs and retail, advance camp registration, and reciprocal benefits with other nature centers.
3. Programs and Eco-Tours: Revenue from pontoon boat eco-tours, kayak rentals and guided excursions, bird walks, nature immersion wellness programs, birthday party packages, and venue rentals. The fundraiser generated $344,680 net proceeds.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Annual impact sponsorships (Osprey, Panther, Dolphin, Mangrove, Gopher Tortoise, Manatee, Atala tiers) and event sponsorships providing brand visibility, logo placement, social media mentions, and membership benefits in exchange for cash support.
5. Donations and Grants: Individual donations, memorial/tribute gifts, scholarship fund contributions, vehicle donations, legacy/planned giving, and grant funding from organizations like Indian River National Estuary Program. The organization raises over $1 million annually through philanthropy.
6. Retail Sales: Nature Nook Eco-Boutique selling nature-inspired gifts, sustainable products, and native plants from the nursery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Environmental Learning Center is a 64-acre nonprofit nature center that delivers environmental education, hands-on conservation experiences, and outdoor recreation on a lagoon-island campus in Vero Beach, Florida. It sells admissions, memberships, eco-tours (pontoon and kayak), living lagoon exhibits and touch tank experiences, K-12 field trips, summer and spring break camps, wellness activities, art exhibits, birthday party packages, venue rentals, native plants, and boutique retail. It is supported by donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

The Environmental Learning Center (ELC) is a 64-acre nonprofit lagoon-island nature center offering a diverse portfolio of environmental education experiences, outdoor recreational activities, and community programs. The organization operates as a unified nature center rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, with offerings spanning eco-tours (pontoon boats, kayaks), living exhibits (aquariums, touch tank), educational programming (field trips, camps for various ages, Y-ELC teen program), wellness activities (yoga, meditation, nature walks), art exhibitions, signature fundraising events (Lagoonapalooza, WinterGreen, Mangroves & Moonlight), venue rentals, and retail operations (Nature Nook boutique, native plant nursery). Membership programs provide ongoing access and benefits, while scholarship programs ensure financial accessibility. The ELC integrates technology through FareHarbor for booking and Volgistics for volunteer management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pontoon Boat Eco-Tours Award-winning guided pontoon boat tours exploring the Indian River Lagoon, Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge, Sebastian Inlet, and St. Sebastian River, with three daily departures featuring wildlife viewing of dolphins, manatees, ospreys, and bird rookeries. Intended for tourists, families, school groups, and private charters.
• Kayak Excursions & Rentals Self-guided and guided kayak and paddleboard rentals with direct Indian River Lagoon access, including sunrise, sunset, and full moon guided kayak excursions for groups of five or more. Intended for individuals, families, and private groups.
• Living Lagoon Exhibits (Aquarium & Touch Tank) Interactive aquarium exhibits featuring over 2,000 gallons of displays with native fish, crabs, and marine creatures, plus the only touch tank in Indian River County where visitors can handle horseshoe crabs, sea urchins, and sea stars. Included with campus admission for visitors and families.
• Nature Playscape Unstructured outdoor play area for children to climb, balance, dig, and explore in a natural setting, hosting weekly Wild Wednesdays for homeschoolers and Unplug + Play Saturdays. Included with campus admission.
• School Field Trips Educational field trips for school groups featuring squid dissections, water sampling, seine netting, canoeing through mangrove tunnels, and wildlife encounters. Sold to K-12 schools, homeschool groups, and youth organizations.
• Deep Dive Into the Lagoon Immersive multi-visit field experience for fifth-grade students from Title I schools, featuring hands-on activities about seagrasses, mangroves, wildlife habitats, water quality, and stormwater runoff, with students planting mangrove propagules for restoration projects. Served 182 fifth-grade students from three local Title I schools.
• Summer Camps Week-long adventure camps for children from incoming 1st graders to rising 8th graders, featuring canoeing, touch tanks, seining, and outdoor field trips across nine weeks of programming serving approximately 400 children. Scholarships available through the Maggy Bowman Scholarship Fund.
• Spring Break Camps Single-day camps during school spring break for ages 6-8 (Junior Naturalists) and ages 9-12 (Senior Naturalists), with outdoor exploration and lagoon discovery activities.
• Art Exhibits and Galleries Two on-site art galleries showcasing rotating exhibits from local and regional artists, with artist meet-and-greet receptions featuring live music and refreshments. Included with campus admission.
• Nature Immersion Program Saturday morning 90-minute wellness experience combining a guided nature walk (forest bathing-inspired), restorative yoga in the Art Gallery, and sound meditation, led by certified instructor Laura Shaffer, priced at $25 per person.
• Family Paddle Pro Class Classroom-based paddling safety class taught in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, priced at $35 per adult. Children under 18 attend free with a participating adult and receive a 10% discount coupon for paddlecraft rental.
• Beginners Bird Walk Monthly 90-minute guided birding walk teaching identification techniques and best birding times, priced at $15 per person with a 10% member discount.
• Guided Nature Walks Private group nature and ethnobotany walks through habitats featuring swamp hickory, bromeliad-laden oaks, and Florida wild olive trees, with educational insights about epiphytes.
• Birthday Party Packages Four themed outdoor birthday party packages: Sea Horses & Sea Stars (ages 4-8, $400), Turtles, Tortoises and Terrapins (ages 4-12), The Wild Lagoon (ages 8-12), and Spoil Island (all ages, $800 with pontoon boat excursion). Includes venue access, admission, and activities.
• Venue Rentals & Weddings Event venue rental of campus facilities including the Schidel Education & Event Pavilion, for corporate retreats, nonprofit strategic planning sessions, showers, weddings, and meetings with Indian River Lagoon views.
• Lagoonapalooza Annual signature nature and music festival featuring live bands, pontoon boat eco-trips, hands-on environmental exhibits, kayak activities, and community partner engagement. Drew over 2,500 attendees in 2026 (the most well-attended event in ELC history) and over 2,000 in 2025.
• WinterGreen Night Lights Holiday celebration with thousands of lights, campfires, and Magical Mangrove Encounter canoe trips through illuminated mangrove tunnels at night.
• Mangroves, Moonlight & Mykonos Annual fundraising gala held at the Schidel Education & Event Pavilion, featuring Greek-inspired cuisine, live music, and paddle raise for conservation programs. The 2025 event raised $344,680 gross ($305,148 net) and attracted more than 200 guests.
• Nature Nook Eco-Boutique On-site retail gift shop offering sustainable, locally made products, reusable goods, handmade jewelry, and nature-themed gifts. Open during regular campus hours.
• Native Plant Nursery On-site nursery selling Florida-native plants for home gardens, supported by the McCabe Foundation and Florida Native Plant Society, with plants used for ecosystem restoration and to reduce home water usage.
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership providing unlimited campus admission, member-only events, 10% discounts on programs and retail, advance camp registration, and reciprocal benefits with other nature centers.
• Youth Environmental Leaders Corps (Y-ELC) Teen program for grades 6-12 focused on environmental education, leadership skills, community service projects, and environmental advocacy. Classes meet twice monthly with off-campus field trips. Supported by the Indian River Community Foundation.
• Little Wonders Program Early childhood environmental education program for toddlers and young children featuring nature-based learning activities.
• Adult Programs Educational programming for adults including workshops, lectures, and hands-on activities focused on environmental topics and conservation.
• Maggy Bowman Scholarship Financial assistance program providing camp and program scholarships to children in Indian River County based on financial need, honoring the memory of ELC co-founder Maggy Bowman.
• Outdoor Wild Living Skills (OWLS) Outdoor skills program teaching wild living and survival skills in a nature setting.
• Annual Corporate Sponsorships Multi-tiered annual corporate sponsorships ranging from Atala ($500) to Osprey ($15,000+), with two-year commitment. Includes logo placement, social media promotion, event signage, and family membership benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ annual visitors served
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Indian River Lagoon CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026Executive Director Dr. Duane DeFreese serves on ELC Advisory Council; organizations collaborate on science-based education and lagoon stewardship efforts.
• Indian River National Estuary ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides grant funding and programmatic support for lagoon conservation education and restoration initiatives including the Deep Dive Into the Lagoon program serving local schools.
• Florida Dept. of Environmental ProtectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState environmental agency partner supporting conservation efforts and environmental education programming at the nature center.
• Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory partner supporting wildlife education, habitat protection, and species conservation programs on campus.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner associated with Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, supporting wildlife conservation and environmental education.
• Pelican Island Audubon SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirding and conservation organization supporting wildlife education and habitat protection efforts in the Indian River Lagoon area.
• U.S. Coast Guard AuxiliaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with ELC to present Family Paddle Pro Class, providing paddling safety education and instruction in classroom setting.
• Indian River County Chamber of CommerceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal chamber promoting ELC programs and events to business community and visitors in Indian River County.
• School District of Indian River CountycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary educational partner providing field trip coordination, curriculum alignment, and student access to environmental education programs.
• Florida Master Naturalist ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides naturalist training and certification programming in partnership with University of Florida IFAS Extension.
• Harbor Branch Oceanographic InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner supporting marine science education and conservation programming at the nature center.
• Smithsonian Marine StationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institution partner providing scientific expertise and educational content for marine ecosystem programming.
• Indian River Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand conservation organization working to preserve natural areas in Indian River County.
• Clean Water Coalition of Indian River CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition focused on water quality protection supporting ELC's lagoon conservation mission.
• Alex MacWilliam Real EstateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEvent sponsor serving as Eco Harmony Sponsor for Lagoonapalooza 2026, providing community visibility and event support.
• GHO HomesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLagoonapalooza 2026 event sponsor supporting annual nature and music festival.
• Cox Pinson EnvironmentalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLagoonapalooza 2026 event sponsor supporting annual nature and music festival.
• White Glove Moving & StorageminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate sponsor and Advisory Council member (Anna Valencia-Tillery, VP of Marketing) supporting ELC events and programs.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Gumbo Limbo Nature Center: Coastal Florida nature center in Boca Raton operating aquariums, boardwalk trails, and sea-turtle rehabilitation with similar hands-on environmental education programming for schools and families.
• Conservancy of Southwest Florida: Naples-based nature conservancy combining a nature center, aquarium, and educational programming with strong membership and donor-supported revenue model — a directly comparable Florida nonprofit nature experience.
• McKee Botanical Garden: 64-acre botanical garden and nature attraction in Vero Beach, FL — the closest geographic and functional peer, combining gardens, trails, education, and events on a similarly sized campus serving the same Indian River County visitors.

Regional players

• Brevard Zoo: Florida Space Coast zoo offering animal encounters, kayaking, and education programs — comparable wildlife-adjacent experiences and family programming for Central Florida visitors.
• Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (FAU): Fort Pierce-based marine research and education institution partnering with ELC; both serve the Indian River Lagoon audience with overlapping marine science education and public engagement missions.
• Pelican Island Audubon Society: Indian River County Audubon chapter focused on birding, conservation, and habitat protection adjacent to Pelican Island NWR — an overlapping conservation audience with shared programming and donor base.
• Indian River Land Trust: Local land conservation nonprofit in Indian River County focused on preserving natural areas — overlapping donor base and conservation audience with ELC in the same county.

Broad incumbents

• National Audubon Society: National environmental nonprofit operating nature centers, sanctuaries, and education programs across the U.S. — a broader incumbent in the same environmental-education and conservation space.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global environmental nonprofit managing preserves and conservation education at scale — a broad incumbent covering habitat protection and stewardship adjacent to ELC's mission.

Emerging players

• Archbold Biological Station: Florida-based research station and nature destination in Highlands County combining ecological research, education, and visitor programs — comparable nonprofit conservation-education hybrid in the Florida market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DiscoverELC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFebL8il8Yxo0GBcrOnP_zA
• Facebookfacebook.com/discoverelc
• Instagraminstagram.com/discoverelc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/discoverelc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Environmental Learning Center