Enviroschools

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.

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

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

• Environmental education programme
• Sustainability curriculum
• School sustainability programme
• Early childhood education
• Community environmental action

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton East

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Regional Partner Contributions: Regional councils, territorial authorities, and kindergarten associations provide support for regional implementation through facilitator funding, resources, and local programme delivery.
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors like Mother Earth (Arnott's New Zealand Ltd) and other supporters provide financial sponsorship for regional events and programme activities.
4. Donations: The programme accepts donations through Givealittle.co.nz to support programme activities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core 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

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Mother Earth (Arnott's New Zealand Ltd)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProud sponsor of Enviroschools and supporter of regional events. Provides corporate sponsorship for programme activities.
• Department of ConservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational collaborator providing expertise and support for conservation-related activities and projects within the Enviroschools programme.
• Environment CanterburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council coordinating Enviroschools in Canterbury region, providing facilitators and supporting regional events and activities.
• Auckland CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTerritorial authority supporting Enviroschools through environmental and sustainability education programmes in the Auckland region.
• Waikato Regional CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council providing Enviroschools funding opportunity and supporting regional events in the Waikato region.
• Auckland Kindergarten AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in the ECE sector supporting Enviroschools implementation in kindergartens across Auckland.
• Kindergartens SouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKindergarten association supporting Enviroschools in the Southland region for early childhood education.
• Otago Regional CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council coordinating Enviroschools in the Ōtākou region and supporting regional hui and activities.
• Tūpuna Maunga AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Recloaking Our Tūpuna Maunga project connecting ākonga to ancestral mountains of Tāmaki Makaurau through environmental restoration and cultural connection.
• Project JanzooncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nelson and Tasman secondary student immersive weekend hui in Abel Tasman National Park, providing conservation and monitoring activities.
• Te Mauri TaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundational partnership with Toimata Foundation for over two decades, working together on collaborative, empowering and action-focused programmes.
• Zero WasteminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWaste minimisation practitioner providing workshop support on worm farming and composting in schools.
• Hutt City Council Resource Recovery TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in zero waste initiatives providing waste audits and resource recovery support for schools.
• Toimata FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable 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

Direct 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

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/enviroschools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Enviroschools