What Urban Green Lab does

Urban Green Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, that serves as the city's dedicated hub for sustainability education, community engagement, and local advocacy. Founded in 2011 and operating with a team of 14, the organization delivers a portfolio of educational programs targeting four primary audiences: K-12 educators and MNPS school staff (Sustainable Classrooms), workplace and business sustainability professionals (Nashville Sustainability Roundtable, fee-based Working Sustainably and Green Team workshops), Nashville residents (free Living Sustainably workshops), and frontline or climate-vulnerable communities (Voices of Resilience environmental-justice initiative).

The core product surface is a portfolio of in-person workshops, professional convenings, and public-facing campaigns rather than a unified software platform. Signature programs include the Sustainable Classrooms curriculum (nearly 50% of MNPS schools reached to date, with a 75% target by 2030), the bi-monthly Nashville Sustainability Roundtable (cumulative ~150 participating organizations since launch), the annual Climate Week Cook-Off with associated Sustainable Nashville Awards, the Waste Less™ trademarked mural program (now a national cohort across Nashville, Greensboro, Cincinnati, and Seattle), the B Tennessee B Corp advisory resource, and the Sustainable Nashville Directory. The organization operates a single headquarters at 1305 Clinton St., Suite 230 in Nashville and has no proprietary software, app, or API product.

UGL's revenue model is a diversified nonprofit mix: individual donations via the website, Roundtable annual memberships ($500 for-profit, $250 nonprofit/government), Climate Week Cook-Off ticket and sponsorship revenue, fee-based workplace training with segment-specific pricing, foundation and government grants (e.g., a $10,000 NEA Challenge America Award in 2025), and in-kind corporate support such as Nissan North America's donation of a 2023 LEAF. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on events, workshops, the LabNotes newsletter, the UGL blog, social media, and peer-network convening rather than paid acquisition.

Name

Urban Green Lab

Legal name

Urban Green Lab

Website

https://urbangreenlab.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Urban Green Lab is a Nashville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers sustainability education and community programming for K-12 educators, workplace sustainability professionals, local residents, and frontline communities through workshops, peer networks, public art, and signature events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Education and Community Engagement

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD), Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL)

Keywords

• Sustainability education
• Community engagement programs
• Environmental training services
• Workplace sustainability consulting
• Nonprofit program management

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual contributions through the donation portal on the website, supporting the general mission of sustainability education in Nashville.
2. Business Memberships: Nashville Sustainability Roundtable annual memberships: $500/year for for-profit organizations, $250/year for nonprofit/government organizations. Provides access to six meetings per year, networking, and best practice sharing.
3. Event Revenue: Climate Week Cook-Off ticket sales including VIP tickets with premium benefits. Single event tickets available at $25 for individuals, $9 for students.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Business sponsorship opportunities for events and programs, including presenting sponsorships for the Climate Week Cook-Off.
5. Foundation and Government Grants: Grant funding from organizations such as National Endowment for the Arts ($10,000 Challenge America Award in 2025), and in-kind support from corporate partners.
6. Workplace Training Fees: Fee-based sustainability training programs for businesses and organizations, with separate pricing for for-profit and nonprofit/government entities.
7. Sustainable Changemakers Collective: Monthly membership program offering exclusive benefits including discounts to local businesses and VIP experiences at events, with multiple giving levels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Urban Green Lab is a Nashville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers sustainability education and community engagement programming. Its core offerings include free K-12 teacher professional development (Sustainable Classrooms), community workshops on sustainable living, fee-based workplace sustainability trainings, and a membership-based professional networking roundtable for sustainability champions across Nashville-area organizations. The organization also runs public-facing initiatives such as the annual Climate Week Cook-Off event, Sustainable Nashville Awards, the Waste Less Murals public art campaign, and the Voices of Resilience oral history archive.

Product overview

Urban Green Lab is Nashville's hub for sustainability education, community, and local advocacy. Rather than a unified software product, the organization offers a portfolio of educational programs, community networks, and awareness campaigns. Core offerings include Sustainable Classrooms (K-12 teacher training) and Living Sustainably in Nashville workshops for community members; the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable membership network for professionals; the annual Climate Week Cook-Off event and Sustainable Nashville Awards; Waste Less Murals public art initiative; Voices of Resilience oral history archive; B Tennessee B Corp certification support; and the Sustainable Nashville Directory listing local sustainable businesses. These programs are delivered through in-person trainings, workshops, events, online resources, and community gatherings—not through a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sustainable Changemakers Collective: A membership program movement of people committed to transforming Nashville into a culture that values sustainability
• Nashville Sustainability Roundtable
• Climate Week Cook-Off
• Sustainable Nashville Awards
• B Tennessee
• Voices of Resilience
• Waste Less Murals
• Sustainable Classrooms
• Living Sustainably in Nashville
• Nashville Sustainable Sports Alliance

Products and services

• Sustainable Classrooms A free K-12 teacher training program that equips educators with standards-aligned curriculum to integrate sustainability into any subject through experiential, hands-on lessons. Free for Metro Nashville Public Schools educators and homeschool educators.
• Living Sustainably in Nashville A free 1.5-hour interactive workshop for beginners covering practical sustainable habits for shopping, cooking, and daily routines, with connections to local tools and resources. Held quarterly at the UGL Nashville office.
• Working Sustainably in Nashville A 1.5-hour workplace workshop teaching employees practical sustainability actions including energy conservation and waste reduction for organizational benefit. Delivered on-site at client workplaces.
• Building a Green Team in Nashville A 1.5-hour workshop for workplace or community leaders on planning, launching, and maintaining effective Green Teams to drive sustainability initiatives. Delivered on-site at client workplaces.
• Teaching Sustainability in Nashville A 1.5-hour professional development workshop for educators and school staff to build confidence, tools, and inspiration for sustainability education.
• Youth Training – The Secret Life of Food A 1-hour interactive lesson for K-12 students exploring food's journey from farm to tray and practical solutions to reduce food waste, with optional cafeteria food waste audits.
• Nashville Sustainability Roundtable A membership-based professional network convening sustainability champions from Nashville businesses and organizations six times yearly for networking, best practice exchange, and facility tours at rotating host locations. $500/year for for-profit organizations, $250/year for nonprofit/government.
• Climate Week Cook-Off An annual zero-waste cooking competition event featuring Nashville's sustainable chefs during Climate Week, celebrating local culinary talent and raising funds for Urban Green Lab. Ticketed with general and VIP options.
• Sustainable Nashville Awards Annual awards program recognizing local sustainability champions in categories including Educational Leadership, Organizational Practices, and Equitable Change, presented at the Climate Week Cook-Off.
• Waste Less Murals A public art initiative pairing local artists with neighborhoods to create food waste reduction murals, now expanded as a national cohort campaign with partner cities including Greensboro, Cincinnati, and Seattle.
• Voices of Resilience An oral history archive and environmental justice initiative documenting Nashville community members' experiences with climate change through audio interviews and interactive storymaps. Sponsored by the Tennessee Titans' ONE Community program.
• B Tennessee A resource program connecting Tennessee businesses to B Corp certification support through education, workshops, networking events, and consultant referrals.
• Sustainable Changemakers Collective A monthly membership program providing exclusive benefits including local business discounts and VIP event access for individuals committed to sustainability culture change in Nashville.
• Workplace Sustainability Training Fee-based sustainability workshops for businesses and organizations, delivered on-site at client workplaces with separate rates for for-profit and nonprofit/government organizations. Covers Working Sustainably, Building Green Teams, and custom programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 50% of MNPS schools have participated in Sustainable Classrooms training; goal is 75% by 2030
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 1 Hotel NashvillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 September 20251 Hotel Nashville co-hosts the annual Climate Week Cook-Off with Urban Green Lab to showcase the connection between food waste and climate. The luxury hotel also serves as a past and recurring host for Nashville Sustainability Roundtable meetings.
• National Resources Defense Council (NRDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban Green Lab partners with NRDC through the Nashville Food Waste Initiative to commission a series of food waste murals across Nashville neighborhoods as public education on reducing waste.
• PatagoniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatagonia Nashville partnered with UGL to place Waste Less murals on their store windows celebrating food as energy and encouraging Nashvillians to waste less food. Patagonia also hosts Roundtable meetings.
• Tennessee Titans (ONE Community)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTennessee Titans ONE Community is the sponsor of Voices of Resilience, UGL's environmental justice initiative story archive documenting Nashville community members' experiences with climate change.
• Tennessee State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between Urban Green Lab and Tennessee State University on Voices of Resilience, a unique archive of oral histories addressing climate change impacts in Nashville.
• Greensboro, NC (A Simple Gesture)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreensboro, NC is part of the Waste Less Mural Cohort, a multi-city initiative led by Urban Green Lab in partnership with Greensboro, Cincinnatti, OH, and Seattle, WA to reduce food waste through public art.
• Cincinnati, OH (La Soupe)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCincinnati is part of the Waste Less Mural Cohort, with Hamilton County's waste experts and La Soupe leading local design contests and public art initiatives for food waste reduction.
• Seattle, WA (City Solid Waste Division)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle is part of the Waste Less Mural Cohort, with Seattle Public Utilities exploring partnerships to foster community connection to food and prevent waste through creative public art campaigns.
• Compost CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerZero Waste Champion sponsor of the Climate Week Cook-Off. Provides composting services supporting zero-waste goals for UGL events.
• HCA Healthcare/TriStarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Fork Friend sponsor of the Climate Week Cook-Off 2026.
• SherrardRoeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Fork Friend sponsor of the Climate Week Cook-Off 2026.
• REED Public RelationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Fork Friend sponsor of the Climate Week Cook-Off 2026.
• Justice IndustriesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIn-kind sponsor of the Climate Week Cook-Off 2026. Justice Industries creates job opportunities for people experiencing barriers to employment while providing glass recycling services.
• Belle Meade BourbonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIn-kind sponsor of the Climate Week Cook-Off 2026.
• Bongo Roasting CominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast host of the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable, sharing their sustainability journey with fellow Roundtable members.
• Crema Coffee RoastersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast host of the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable. 2025 Organizational Practices Award winner at the Sustainable Nashville Awards.
• Cumberland River CompactminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast host of the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable, sharing sustainability practices with fellow members.
• Mars PetcareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast host of the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable, showcasing corporate sustainability initiatives.
• Nashville ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast host of the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable.
• Soles 4 SoulsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast host of the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable, sharing sustainability journey with peer organizations.
• Walk Bike NashvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast host of the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable, contributing to peer learning on sustainable transportation.
• LEO EventsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast host of the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable. LEO Events provides live, virtual, and hybrid event solutions.
• Nashville Sustainable Sports AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance including Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Nashville Sounds, and Nashville SC—with Vanderbilt University joining soon. Unites Nashville sports organizations to make sustainability visible and normal for fans, students, and the broader community.
• Metro Nashville Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary educational partner for the Sustainable Classrooms program, with nearly 50% of MNPS schools having participated. Goal is 75% participation by 2030.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Green America: National nonprofit focused on green business certification, consumer education, and community engagement. Comparable in offering sustainability education programs and operating a curated green business directory (analogous to UGL's Sustainable Nashville Directory).
• Tennessee Environmental Council: Statewide Tennessee nonprofit focused on environmental education, policy, and community engagement. Operates in the same geography and shares mission alignment around sustainability awareness and K-12 outreach.
• B Lab US & Canada: The non-profit behind the B Corp Certification standard. UGL's B Tennessee program supports Tennessee businesses pursuing B Corp certification, positioning B Lab as both a strategic partner and a comparable mission-aligned entity.
• Net Impact: Membership-based professional network for sustainability and ESG leaders. Directly comparable to the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable, with chapter-based convening and corporate membership revenue model.
• Cumberland River Compact: Nashville-based nonprofit addressing watershed conservation and sustainability education. Already a Roundtable host and peer collaborator, making it both a direct competitor for local sustainability attention and a frequent partner.

Broad incumbents

• Earthday.org: Coordinator of Earth Day and related environmental campaigns globally. Comparable in campaign-driven education and awareness programming; operates the Climate Week framework that UGL's Cook-Off is timed against.
• National Wildlife Federation: Largest US-based conservation organization with extensive environmental education programming, including K-12 curriculum and Eco-Schools USA. Operates nationally with comparable mission scope but at vastly larger scale.
• EarthShare: Federated workplace-giving platform for environmental nonprofits. Comparable in connecting sustainability causes to corporate giving and employee engagement, similar to UGL's Roundtable membership model.
• Keep America Beautiful: National nonprofit focused on litter prevention, recycling, and community beautification. Operates a similar education/community-engagement model at scale, including K-12 programs and local affiliate networks.

Regional players

• Nashville Zoo: Nashville-based institution that also runs sustainability education programming and serves as a community convening site. A Roundtable host and informal partner, sharing both geography and the K-12/sustainability education audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urbangreenlab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Urban Green Lab