Enviroschools
Enviroschools is a free, nationwide New Zealand environmental education programme operated by Toimata Foundation that empowers students and tamariki at 1,683 schools and ECE centres to design and lead sustainability projects, supported by 129 facilitators and 15 regional coordinators across all 16 regions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersHamilton East, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Enviroschools does
Enviroschools is a nationwide environmental action programme in Aotearoa New Zealand that empowers young people to design and lead sustainability projects in schools, early learning centres, and their communities. The programme is operated by Toimata Foundation, a charitable trust headquartered in Hamilton, New Zealand, in partnership with Te Mauri Tau (a foundational partner of more than 20 years). Delivery is structured across three tiers: a national team of 10 that sets programme direction and develops resources; 15 Regional Coordinators who direct regional implementation; and 129 Facilitators who work directly with schools and centres. The programme is governed by five Ngā Matapono (Guiding Principles) — Empowered Learners, Learning for Sustainability, Honouring Te Ao Māori, Respect for Diversity, and Sustainable Communities — and uses the Action Learning Cycle to guide projects from investigation through action and reflection.
The core product is the Enviroschools Programme itself, supported by the Enviroschools Kit and Theme Areas (Zero Waste, Living Landscapes, Energy, Wai/Water, Ecological Building) and tools such as Me in My Environment (MiME) for place-based assessment and the refreshed Holistic Reflection process (updated 2024). Supplementary offerings include He Kākano wānanga (Māori-medium learning), the Tūpuna Maunga restoration programme, Kūmara Wānanga, Envirogroups, and teacher professional development through events like the Enviroleaders Summit and Secondary Teachers PD Hui. The programme is free to participating schools and centres, which contribute staff time and project costs.
The revenue model is grant-and-sponsorship-based rather than commercial. The Ministry for the Environment is the primary national funder, with regional councils (e.g., Environment Canterbury, Auckland Council, Waikato Regional Council, Otago Regional Council), territorial authorities, and kindergarten associations (e.g., Auckland Kindergarten Association, Kindergartens South) providing regional co-funding and facilitator support. Corporate sponsorship (notably Mother Earth / Arnott's New Zealand) and donations collected via Givealittle.co.nz supplement funding. The programme currently reaches 1,683 schools and ECE centres (47% of all NZ schools and 17% of ECE centres), serving over 400,300 tamariki and students, with 20,000 teachers and staff involved nationwide.
Enviroschools firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Enviroschools
- Legal name
- Toimata Foundation
- Website
- https://enviroschools.org.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Enviroschools is a free, nationwide New Zealand environmental education programme operated by Toimata Foundation that empowers students and tamariki at 1,683 schools and ECE centres to design and lead sustainability projects, supported by 129 facilitators and 15 regional coordinators across all 16 regions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Enviroschools industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Education Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor Education & Adventure Programs (School-Run) (EDAJAJAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), School, University & NGO Outdoor Programs (Curriculum/Program Delivery) (THAAAOAD), Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG), Cultural & Environmental Education Expeditions (Citizen Science, Conservation Volunteering) (THAAAOAH), Outdoor, Adventure & Recreational Wellness Education (Hiking, Breathwork in Nature) (EDAAAHAO)
Keywords
Where Enviroschools is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamilton East
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Enviroschools business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Funding: The Ministry for the Environment is the national funder supporting Toimata Foundation and the Enviroschools programme. This provides the primary funding for programme development, resources, facilitator training, mentoring and professional development.
- Regional Partner Contributions: Regional councils, territorial authorities, and kindergarten associations provide support for regional implementation through facilitator funding, resources, and local programme delivery.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors like Mother Earth (Arnott's New Zealand Ltd) and other supporters provide financial sponsorship for regional events and programme activities.
- Donations: The programme accepts donations through Givealittle.co.nz to support programme activities.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Enviroschools product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Enviroschools is a nationwide environmental action programme that empowers young people to design and lead sustainability projects in schools and early learning centres. It is delivered through the Enviroschools Kit and Theme Areas, guided by the Action Learning Cycle and five Ngā Matapono (Guiding Principles), and supported by a network of facilitators, regional coordinators, and partner organisations. The programme is free for participating schools and centres and operates across all 16 regions of New Zealand.
Product overview
Enviroschools is a nationwide environmental action programme delivered through a partnership between Toimata Foundation (national hub), regional councils, and local facilitators. The programme operates through the Enviroschools Kit and Theme Areas (Zero Waste, Living Landscapes, Energy, Wai/Water, Ecological Building), supported by the Action Learning Cycle framework and five Ngā Matapono guiding principles. Services include facilitator support, regional coordinator networks, teacher professional development (including Secondary PD Hui and Enviroleaders Summits), and tools like Me in My Environment (MiME) for school assessment. Key programmes include He Kākano wānanga (Māori-medium learning), Tūpuna Maunga restoration, Kūmara Wānanga, and the refreshed Holistic Reflection process. Student-led Envirogroups drive participatory decision-making across 1,683 participating schools and early learning centres serving 400,300 students.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Enviroschools Programme
Companies that use Enviroschools
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Enviroschools technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Enviroschools partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Mother Earth (Arnott's New Zealand Ltd)minorProud sponsor of Enviroschools and supporter of regional events. Provides corporate sponsorship for programme activities.
- Department of ConservationcoreNational collaborator providing expertise and support for conservation-related activities and projects within the Enviroschools programme.
- Environment CanterburycoreRegional council coordinating Enviroschools in Canterbury region, providing facilitators and supporting regional events and activities.
- Auckland CouncilcoreTerritorial authority supporting Enviroschools through environmental and sustainability education programmes in the Auckland region.
- Waikato Regional CouncilcoreRegional council providing Enviroschools funding opportunity and supporting regional events in the Waikato region.
- Auckland Kindergarten AssociationcoreKey partner in the ECE sector supporting Enviroschools implementation in kindergartens across Auckland.
- Kindergartens SouthcoreKindergarten association supporting Enviroschools in the Southland region for early childhood education.
- Otago Regional CouncilcoreRegional council coordinating Enviroschools in the Ōtākou region and supporting regional hui and activities.
- Tūpuna Maunga AuthoritycorePartner in the Recloaking Our Tūpuna Maunga project connecting ākonga to ancestral mountains of Tāmaki Makaurau through environmental restoration and cultural connection.
- Project JanzooncorePartner in Nelson and Tasman secondary student immersive weekend hui in Abel Tasman National Park, providing conservation and monitoring activities.
- Te Mauri TaucoreFoundational partnership with Toimata Foundation for over two decades, working together on collaborative, empowering and action-focused programmes.
- Zero WasteminorWaste minimisation practitioner providing workshop support on worm farming and composting in schools.
- Hutt City Council Resource Recovery TeamminorPartner in zero waste initiatives providing waste audits and resource recovery support for schools.
- Toimata FoundationcoreCharitable trust holding overall programme development for Enviroschools nationwide, spearheading innovation and direction, providing resources, facilitator training, mentoring and professional development.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Enviroschools competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kiwi Conservation Club (Forest & Bird): New Zealand's longest-running youth nature club affiliated with Forest & Bird, engaging school-aged children in biodiversity and conservation learning — shares target audience and educational mission with Enviroschools.
- International School Grounds Alliance: A global network promoting outdoor learning and school-grounds environmental design, already listed as an Enviroschools collaborator; comparable in mission to integrate outdoor, place-based environmental learning into school operations.
- Life Education Trust: A New Zealand charitable trust delivering health and wellbeing education to school-aged children via mobile classrooms and facilitators, comparable in operating model, regional-coordinator structure, and government funding relationships.
- Eco-Schools (Foundation for Environmental Education): Eco-Schools is the leading global environmental education programme operating in 70+ countries, following a similar school-based sustainability framework with guiding principles and an action cycle — the closest international analogue to Enviroschools.
- Sustainable Coastlines: A New Zealand nonprofit running school-based environmental education and coastal restoration programmes; comparable in engaging students in hands-on sustainability projects and partnering with corporate sponsors.
- New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE): National umbrella body for environmental education in NZ, already listed as an Enviroschools collaborator; comparable as a sector professional body delivering teacher professional development and advocacy for sustainability curricula.
- Garden to Table: A New Zealand charitable trust that runs a school-based hands-on programme teaching children to grow, harvest, prepare, and share food; overlaps with Enviroschools on school delivery model, charitable trust funding structure, and curriculum-linked sustainability outcomes.
Regional players
- Keep New Zealand Beautiful: A New Zealand nonprofit running environmental education, school programmes (e.g., Young EnviroLeaders), and community clean-up campaigns; directly overlaps with Enviroschools on youth environmental education and citizen-action orientation.
- Trees That Count: A New Zealand conservation nonprofit coordinating native tree planting, with strong school-programme ties (similar native planting activities to Enviroschools' Tūpuna Maunga restoration); comparable audience and partner-driven delivery model.
Others
- Predator Free New Zealand: A national predator-eradication initiative that partners with Enviroschools on student conservation activities; comparable as a national environmental programme engaging schools, but primarily biodiversity-focused rather than education-platform-focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Enviroschools social profiles
Digital presenceEnviroschools financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Enviroschools leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Enviroschools funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Enviroschools 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 Enviroschools
What does Enviroschools do?
Enviroschools is a nationwide environmental action programme that empowers young people to design and lead sustainability projects in schools and early learning centres. It is delivered through the Enviroschools Kit and Theme Areas, guided by the Action Learning Cycle and five Ngā Matapono (Guiding Principles), and supported by a network of facilitators, regional coordinators, and partner organisations. The programme is free for participating schools and centres and operates across all 16 regions of New Zealand.
Is Enviroschools a public or private company?
Enviroschools is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Enviroschools founded?
Enviroschools was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Enviroschools based?
Enviroschools is headquartered in Hamilton East, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Enviroschools make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are regional Partner Contributions, corporate Sponsorship and donations.
Who are Enviroschools's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kiwi Conservation Club (Forest & Bird), International School Grounds Alliance, Life Education Trust, Eco-Schools (Foundation for Environmental Education), Sustainable Coastlines, New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE) and Garden to Table. Regional players are Keep New Zealand Beautiful and Trees That Count. Predator Free New Zealand is listed as an others.
Does Enviroschools have an API?
No public API is recorded for Enviroschools.
What industry is Enviroschools in?
Enviroschools's product category is Environmental Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAJAJ, Outdoor Education & Adventure Programs (School-Run), with a secondary code of BPAGAGAH, Environmental Education & Outreach. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8300.