KIDS for the BAY

What KIDS for the BAY does

KIDS for the BAY is a Berkeley, California-based nonprofit environmental education organization founded in 1993 that delivers hands-on science and environmental stewardship programming to children and educators in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its core offerings are split between fee-based summer day camps for youth ages 5–17 (organized into themed weeks such as Bay Science, Animal Habitats, Marine Science, and Zoology, plus Camp Rangers and Leaders in Training tracks) and school-based programs for K–12 institutions including Watershed Action, Storm Drain Rangers, Blue Watershed Classrooms, Schoolwide Science and Environmental Action, classroom workshops, and field trips to creeks, bays, and ocean sites. The organization also runs a supplementary at-home activities line with DIY experiments and a YouTube "Read With Us!" video series.\n\nThe business model combines three revenue streams: per-session summer camp fees (with early bird, multi-week, sibling, and scholarship discounts), school program fees paid by educational institutions, and tax-deductible donations accepted via the website under Tax ID 942889684. Teacher professional development is monetized through a partnership with California State University East Bay, enabling participating educators to earn up to 8 CEU credits. Camp registration is processed through the Earth Island Institute's Active Network platform, and the organization is small in scale with approximately 11 employees operating from a single Berkeley headquarters.\n\nGo-to-market is community-led and event-driven: summer camps rely on word-of-mouth, e-newsletter, and direct parent engagement, while school programs are sold through direct outreach to teachers and districts via a dedicated [email protected] channel. Marketing leverages a website, e-newsletter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The organization has accumulated 32 years of curriculum development and documented impact across Bay Area watersheds, serving as a localized hub for environmental science education rather than pursuing geographic expansion.

Name

KIDS for the BAY

Legal name

KIDS for the BAY

Website

https://kidsforthebay.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KIDS for the BAY is a Berkeley, California-based nonprofit founded in 1993 that delivers hands-on environmental science programming, summer camps for ages 5–17, and K–12 school programs across the San Francisco Bay Area, supplemented by teacher CEU credits and at-home digital activities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD)

Keywords

• Environmental education programs
• Summer camp programs
• Watershed science education
• School field trips
• Youth science programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Fees: Revenue generated from summer camp registrations for children ages 5-17, with fees per session. Early bird discounts, multi-week discounts, and sibling discounts available. Scholarships offered for families with financial need.
2. School Program Fees: Schools pay for Watershed Action Programs, Storm Drain Rangers Programs, and Classroom Workshops. Teachers can earn Continuing Education Units (CEU) through participation, providing additional value for educational institutions.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through the website. Tax ID: 942889684

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KIDS for the BAY is a Berkeley, California-based nonprofit that delivers hands-on environmental science education to youth ages 5-17 through two core programs: school-based programs (Watershed Action Program, Storm Drain Rangers Program, Watershed Rangers Program, Blue Watershed Classrooms, Schoolwide Science and Environmental Action Program, Classroom Workshops, and Field Trips) and a multi-week themed summer day camp operating across Bay Area field sites. Supplementary offerings include at-home family activities and a CEU credit program for teachers delivered in partnership with California State University East Bay.

Product overview

KIDS for the BAY offers environmental education programs centered around a unified mission to connect students with nature and inspire environmental action. The core offerings include Programs for Schools (featuring Watershed Action Program, Storm Drain Rangers Program, Blue Watershed Classrooms, Schoolwide Science and Environmental Action Program, Classroom Workshops, and Field Trips) and Summer Camp with themed sessions (Bay Science, Animal Habitats, Stream Science, Marine Science, Zoology, Science). Supplementary offerings include At-Home Activities and Academic Credit for Teachers programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programs for Schools Environmental education programs for K-12 schools, including the Watershed Action Program, Storm Drain Rangers Program, Watershed Rangers Program, Blue Watershed Classrooms, Schoolwide Science and Environmental Action Program, Classroom Workshops, and Field Trips to creeks, bays, and ocean locations. Designed for schools and districts seeking hands-on environmental science curriculum and action projects.
• Summer Camp Multi-week themed summer day camp for youth ages 5-17, with age groups Adventures (5-7), Explorers (8-11), Camp Rangers helpers (12-13), and Leaders in Training/Interns (14-17). Includes Nature Club After Care and is offered to families and parents across the Berkeley and Bay Area region.
• Academic Credit for Teachers Continuing Education Unit (CEU) program offering teachers up to 8 CEU credits from California State University East Bay for participation in the Watershed Action Program and up to 5 CEU credits for the Storm Drain Rangers Program. Targeted at K-12 teachers seeking professional development credit.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NatureBridge: NatureBridge is a national environmental education nonprofit that runs multi-day residential science programs for K-12 students in iconic landscapes. It is a direct peer in mission (hands-on environmental science for youth) and customer base (K-12 schools), with a larger geographic footprint than KIDS for the BAY.
• Camp EDMO: Camp EDMO is a Bay Area STEM and nature-focused summer camp serving K-8 children. It directly competes with KIDS for the BAY's summer camp offering for the same Bay Area families, with overlapping STEM/environmental content.
• CuriOdyssey: CuriOdyssey is a Bay Area science and wildlife education center serving children and families through camps, school programs, and exhibits. It overlaps with KIDS for the BAY in audience (children, families, schools) and in summer-camp and environmental science programming.
• Audubon Canyon Ranch: Audubon Canyon Ranch is a Bay Area conservation nonprofit offering nature education programs and field experiences for school groups. It is a direct peer in environmental education for K-12 audiences in the same Northern California geography.
• Save The Bay: Save The Bay is a Bay Area nonprofit focused on protecting the San Francisco Bay, with extensive K-12 environmental education and restoration programming. It is a direct peer in mission (Bay-focused environmental education for schools) and in geographic focus.
• Environmental Volunteers: Environmental Volunteers is a Bay Area nonprofit that delivers hands-on environmental science programs to local schools. It directly competes with KIDS for the BAY for the same school district customers in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Science Center: Pacific Science Center is a larger, established science education organization offering school programs, camps, and exhibits across the Pacific Northwest. It is comparable in mission (hands-on science for youth) but operates as a broader institution rather than a niche outdoor/environmental nonprofit.
• Outward Bound: Outward Bound is a national outdoor experiential education nonprofit running wilderness programs for youth and adults. It overlaps with KIDS for the BAY on outdoor, hands-on, nature-based youth programming but serves a broader age range and more diverse course catalog.
• YMCA of the East Bay: YMCA of the East Bay operates summer camps and after-school programs across the Bay Area, overlapping with KIDS for the BAY on family-facing summer programming and child supervision, though it is a broader youth-services organization rather than an environmental specialist.

Emerging players

• Mountain Kids: Mountain Kids is a Santa Fe-based outdoor and nature-based education program for youth. It is comparable in mission (outdoor nature programs for children) but serves a different region and a younger primary age range.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/61553985426593
• Instagraminstagram.com/kidsforthebay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kids-for-the-bay

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 KIDS for the BAY