Vilda
Vilda is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2008 that delivers nature connection, wilderness skills, and ecological stewardship programs to ~2,000 children (ages 4½-16), families, and adults annually across 8+ California locations through summer camps, school-year programs, and backpacking trips.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersFairfax, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Vilda does
Vilda is a California-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2008 that delivers nature connection, wilderness skills, and ecological stewardship programming primarily to children ages 4½-16, with additional offerings for families and adults. Headquartered in Fairfax, CA, Vilda operates across 8+ outdoor locations spanning Marin County, Sonoma County, Point Reyes, and the Tahoe/Truckee region, delivering approximately 2,000 program registrations per year through summer camps, school-year Nature Days and Nature Afternoons, break camps, multi-day backpacking trips, and specialty workshops (Tracks & Tides, Plant Wizards, Stealth Craft, Wilderness Skills Levels 1-2).
The organization's core technology is a proprietary nature-based curriculum built over 15+ years, supported by an instructor-verified Badge System recognizing competencies in fire-making, tracking, archery, knife skills, and naturalist knowledge. Programs are delivered at a 1:7 instructor-to-student ratio or better. Underlying operational infrastructure is light: a Squarespace-hosted website, Ultracamp for registration, and Zoom for select adult virtual classes. There is no proprietary software platform; the moat resides in curriculum content, instructor expertise, and location partnerships.
Vilda's business model combines programmatic revenue (per-session tuition at published Rate A/B/C tiers, e.g., Truckee Summer Camp at $534-$740/week, Sierra backpacking at $878-$1,200), recurring membership fees (Acorn $150, Branch $450, Oak $975 annually with priority registration and perks), and tax-deductible donations. The organization maintains a three-tiered Rate A/B/C pricing structure plus a scholarship program delivering over $125,000 annually to low-income families, and accepts charter school purchase orders from Heartwood, Pathways, and Cal Pacific as alternative funding channels. Founder and Executive Director Mia Andler remains actively involved, and the organization is independently operated with no parent company, venture funding, or institutional investors.
Vilda firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vilda
- Legal name
- Vilda
- Website
- https://vildanature.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Vilda is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2008 that delivers nature connection, wilderness skills, and ecological stewardship programs to ~2,000 children (ages 4½-16), families, and adults annually across 8+ California locations through summer camps, school-year programs, and backpacking trips.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vilda industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outdoor Nature Education
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO), Outdoor & Survival Skills Lessons (Bushcraft, Navigation, Foraging) (THAJAKAM)
Keywords
Where Vilda is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fairfax
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices12 records
Markets served
Vilda business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Program Tuition: Fees for summer camps, school year programs, break camps, and family/adult programs. Tiered pricing (Rate A/B/C) based on family financial ability.
- Membership Fees: Annual membership tiers (Acorn $150, Branch $450, Oak $975) providing early registration access, free classes, and coaching calls
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations supporting scholarship fund and staff quality of life fund. Organization is 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Per session | Rate A - Full cost tier |
| Subscription | Per session | Rate B - Basic cost tier |
| Subscription | Per session | Rate C - Subsidized tier |
| Subscription | Annual | Acorn Membership - $150/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Branch Membership - $450/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Oak Membership - $975/year |
| Unit Pricing | Per session | Backpacking in the Sierra |
| Unit Pricing | Per session | Tracking & Backpacking |
| Unit Pricing | Per session | Truckee Summer Camp |
| Subscription | Monthly | School Year Programs |
| Unit Pricing | Per event | Custom Programs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Vilda product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vilda is a 501(c)(3) non-profit nature education organization that delivers outdoor, hands-on programs centered on wilderness skills, nature connection, and ecological stewardship. Core offerings include summer day camps, recurring school year Nature Days and Nature Afternoons, school break camps, multi-day wilderness skills and backpacking trips, specialty camps (Plant Wizards, Stealth Craft, Tracks & Tides, Wild Creatures), a Counselor-in-Training leadership program for teens, and family/adult workshops, all delivered at outdoor locations across Marin, Sonoma, and Tahoe regions of Northern California.
Product overview
Vilda is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit nature education organization offering a diverse portfolio of outdoor programs centered on wilderness skills, nature connection, and ecological stewardship for children, families, and adults. The core offerings consist of Summer Camps (seasonal day camps across Marin, Sonoma, and Tahoe regions), School Year Programs (weekly Nature Days and Nature Afternoons during the academic year), and Break Camps (Thanksgiving, Holiday, Spring, February). Specialty programs include Wilderness Skills (with overnight campouts), Backpacking trips (Point Reyes and Sierra Nevada), Tracks & Tides (water-based camp), Plant Wizards, Stealth Craft/Archery, and Wild Creatures programs. The organization also offers a Counselor in Training (CIT) leadership program for teens, Family & Adult skill-building workshops, an optional Badge System for skill recognition, and scholarship/financial assistance. Vilda operates a three-tiered annual membership program (Oak, Branch, Acorn) providing priority registration and perks. Programs are available at 8+ locations across California including Fairfax, San Rafael, Marinwood, Novato, Petaluma, Point Reyes, Truckee, and Tahoe City. The organization was founded in 2008 and serves approximately 2,000 registrations annually with 37 staff members.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Summer Camps Seasonal day camps running through summer months offering wilderness skills, nature connection activities, archery, tracking, gardening, and ecological stewardship for children ages 4½-16 across multiple locations in Marin, Sonoma, and Tahoe regions.
- School Year Programs (Nature Days and Nature Afternoons) Recurring outdoor nature connection programs during the academic year including weekly Nature Days (full-day outdoor education) and Nature Afternoons (after-school programs) for ages 4½-15 in Fairfax, Mill Valley, Petaluma, Sebastopol, and Sonoma.
- Break Camps Specialized camps offered during school breaks including Thanksgiving Break Camp, Holiday Break Camp, Spring Break Camp, and February Break Camp at various Bay Area locations with activities like tracking, fire-making, wild edible crafts, and seasonal nature exploration.
- Wilderness Skills Programs Multi-day programs teaching wilderness survival skills including shelter building, fire-by-friction, carving, cordage, knife skills, and overnight campouts. Offered at Level 1 (ages 9-12) and Level 2 (ages 13-15) with prerequisites for advanced levels.
- Backpacking Programs Multi-day backpacking trips for tweens and teens. Tracking & Backpacking (ages 10-13) offers 3-day/2-night Point Reyes trips; Backpacking in the Sierra (ages 13-16) offers 5-day/4-night Tahoe National Forest expeditions with van pick-up options from San Rafael or Emigrant Gap.
- Tracks & Tides Beach and water-based adventure camp at China Camp State Park combining swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, beach tracking, fishing, and wilderness skills for ages 6½-12.
- Plant Wizards Plant-focused camp teaching foraging, natural dyes, plant identification, outdoor cooking, and arts projects using local plants. Available for ages 8-12 in Fairfax and Truckee locations.
- Stealth Craft, Archery & Camouflage Van-based stealth and awareness camp teaching natural camouflage, archery games, bird language, movement practice, and nature awareness routines for ages 8-12.
- Wild Creatures, Bows & Skills Animal-focused camp at Stafford Lake Novato featuring animal ambassador visits, archery, fishing, wild edible plants, carving, and stealth games for ages 6½-12.
- Counselor in Training (CIT) Program Leadership development internship for teens ages 13-16 to gain nature education and mentoring experience while helping younger campers. Includes Earth Skills & Leadership Intensive certification course.
- Family & Adult Programs Nature skills workshops for adults and families including archery basics, tracking, fire-by-friction, carving, wilderness survival, mushroom walks, bird language, natural dye techniques, and the Nurtured Heart Approach parenting classes delivered both on-site and via Zoom.
- Vilda Membership Annual membership program with three tiers: Oak ($975/year) includes priority camp registration for 2 children, 1-hour coaching call with founder, and free family/adult classes for the year; Branch ($450/year) includes priority registration for 1 child; Acorn ($150/year) giftable membership with transferable benefits.
- Custom Programs Custom event and program design for parties, groups, or organizations. Pricing starts at $400 for up to 12 people for a 2-hour event, with discounts available for nonprofits and schools. Includes naturalist treasure hunts, stealth games, and animal tracking activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% positive feedback about children growing in their connection to nature
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Vilda
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Vilda technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature2 records
Vilda partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Friends of Tahoe Truckee WaldorfcoreCollaboration for Truckee-based programs. Families associated with FOTTW, Little Gems, or GVTS receive 10% discount on Truckee camps. Programs held at Waldorf-affiliated 40-acre property near Truckee.
- Heartwood Charter SchoolcoreExclusive partnership for Heartwood Campus students. Vilda runs Nature Afternoons programs at Heartwood's Bothin campus in Fairfax for TK through 8th grade.
- China Camp State ParkminorLocation partner for Tracks & Tides, Wilderness Skills, and Nature Afternoons programs in San Rafael.
- Marin Waldorf SchoolminorLocation partner for Marinwood Summer Camp held at Marin Waldorf Campus.
- Helen Putnam Regional ParkminorLocation partner for Petaluma programs including Ranch Camp and Nature Afternoons.
- Rusty Hinges RanchminorLocation partner for Petaluma Ranch Camp and Nature Days for ages 4½-6½.
- Stafford LakeminorLocation partner for Wild Creatures, Bows & Skills and Nature Afternoons Novato programs.
- Alliance for Felix CoveminorIndigenous advocacy organization supported by Vilda. Advocates for protection of Coast Miwok Tomales Bay historical site.
- Museum of the American IndianminorNovato-based museum supported by Vilda. Uplifts and makes visible Indigenous Peoples of the Americas through educational programs.
- Coast Miwok Tribal Council of MarinminorIndigenous tribal organization acknowledged by Vilda. Vilda operates on ancestral Coast Miwok, Pomo and Washo lands.
- Marin American Indian AllianceminorOrganization supported by Vilda providing venue for tribal cultural and spiritual gatherings in Marin County.
- Indigenous Healing CenterminorOrganization supported by Vilda focusing on supporting Indigenous Medicine practitioners and community health workers.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Vilda competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Steve & Kate's Camp: Alternative-style day camp with multiple Bay Area locations serving families seeking non-traditional summer programming; overlapping audience and pricing tier though with different pedagogical focus.
- Avid4 Adventure: Outdoor adventure summer camp operator serving children ages 6–17 with multi-sport and wilderness skills programming; comparable mission around outdoor experiential learning, though with broader geographic reach.
- Trackers Earth: Bay Area-based nature and wilderness summer camps offering archery, tracking, and earth skills for kids ages 4+ across multiple locations — directly comparable program mix, geography, and target family demographic to Vilda.
Emerging players
- Bay Area Wilderness Training: Bay Area nonprofit that trains educators and youth workers to lead wilderness trips; comparable regional focus on youth outdoor access and a potential feeder/partner network for Vilda's instructor pipeline.
- Hike it Baby: National nonprofit community of families engaging in outdoor activities with young children; complementary audience and shared mission around nature connection, though Hike it Baby focuses on guided group hikes rather than skill-based camps.
Broad incumbents
- Outward Bound California: Established national wilderness education nonprofit offering backpacking, survival, and leadership expeditions for youth — overlaps with Vilda's Wilderness Skills, Backpacking in the Sierra, and CIT Leadership programs.
- NatureBridge: National nonprofit delivering residential and day outdoor science and nature education programs for school-aged children; comparable audience and mission in environmental stewardship education.
- REI Outdoor School: REI's outdoor education classes covering navigation, wilderness skills, and family programs — overlapping curriculum topics (archery, navigation, nature skills) for adult and family segments.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Vilda social profiles
Digital presenceVilda financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vilda leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Vilda funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vilda 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 Vilda
What does Vilda do?
Vilda is a 501(c)(3) non-profit nature education organization that delivers outdoor, hands-on programs centered on wilderness skills, nature connection, and ecological stewardship. Core offerings include summer day camps, recurring school year Nature Days and Nature Afternoons, school break camps, multi-day wilderness skills and backpacking trips, specialty camps (Plant Wizards, Stealth Craft, Tracks & Tides, Wild Creatures), a Counselor-in-Training leadership program for teens, and family/adult workshops, all delivered at outdoor locations across Marin, Sonoma, and Tahoe regions of Northern California.
Is Vilda a public or private company?
Vilda is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Vilda founded?
Vilda was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Vilda based?
Vilda is headquartered in Fairfax, United States, in the North America region.
How does Vilda make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Program Tuition is the primary driver. The others are membership Fees and donations.
Who are Vilda's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Steve & Kate's Camp, Avid4 Adventure and Trackers Earth. Emerging players are Bay Area Wilderness Training and Hike it Baby. Broad incumbents are Outward Bound California, NatureBridge and REI Outdoor School.
Does Vilda have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vilda.
What industry is Vilda in?
Vilda's product category is Outdoor Nature Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAOAA, Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning), with a secondary code of EDAMALAO, Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills). Its NAICS code is 611620 and its SIC code is 8200.