Nature Forward

What Nature Forward does

Nature Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1897 (originally as the Audubon Naturalist Society, rebranded in October 2022) that delivers nature education, conservation advocacy, and community science programs across the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. The organization operates from a 40-acre Woodend Nature Sanctuary headquarters in Chevy Chase, MD and a second sanctuary in Leesburg, VA managed in partnership with Nova Parks, serving an estimated 40,000 members, supporters, visitors, and program participants annually. Programming is organized across four pillars: education (Nature Preschool, Camp Woodend, Natural History Field Studies, school-based GreenKids), conservation advocacy (Human Health & Access to Nature, Biodiversity & Habitats, Climate Crisis, Sustainable Land Use), community science (Water Quality Monitoring, Creek Critters app, State of the Streams), and identity-focused convenings (Naturally Latinos Conference, Taking Nature Black Conference).

Core products span both physical and digital surfaces. The Creek Critters iOS/Android application, a registered trademark, provides visual identification keys for 30 freshwater macroinvertebrate species and generates stream health reports, with data flowing into the Izaak Walton League's Clean Water Hub and the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative's Chesapeake Data Explorer. The Water Quality Monitoring Program, active since the early 1990s, operates 25+ stream monitoring sites using standardized benthic macroinvertebrate protocols with QA/QC, publishes findings via an ArcGIS interactive map keyed to Index of Biotic Integrity scores, and serves as the data backbone for the 2024 State of the Streams report covering five DC-region watersheds. Woodend Nature Sanctuary is free and open to the public daily from dawn to dusk, with wheelchair-accessible trails and a Nature Shop on site.

Nature Forward funds operations through a diversified nonprofit revenue model: annual memberships and donations, tiered event sponsorships ($950 to $25,000 for Autumn Lights, Woodend After Dark, Birdathon, and conferences), program and class fees (e.g., stream science classes $15 members / $22 non-members; family programs $6-$12 members / $8-$16 non-members; introduction to ferns $210-$260), tree-planting campaign donations ($100 to $2,500 tiers), Nature Shop e-commerce via Square, garden consultations at $250, corporate partnerships, and the Crowder-Messersmith Conservation Fund which has awarded 160+ seed grants in 55+ countries since 1974. Reported single-event fundraiser totals include Birdathon $78,000 and Woodend After Dark $46,000+. Distribution is hybrid: physical sanctuaries, classroom and field-trip delivery for K-5 schools, community outreach sites in DC Ward 8, Long Branch, Fairfax County Route 1 Corridor, and Anacostia, alongside mobile apps, online classes, and annual conference programming. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Nature Forward

Legal name

Nature Forward, Inc.

Website

https://natureforward.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nature Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1897 that delivers nature education, conservation advocacy, and community science programs across the Washington DC metropolitan region, operating from a 40-acre Woodend Nature Sanctuary and serving approximately 40,000 members, students, and participants annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education & Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nature-Based / Forest School Early Learning Programs (EDACADAD), Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH), Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK), Sustainability Engagement, Training & Behavior Change Programs (On-site) (BPABALAK)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Conservation programs
• Nature sanctuaries
• Community science
• Wildlife advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Chevy Chase

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership and Donations: Annual membership fees and charitable donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission. EIN 53-0233715, 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
2. Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events including Autumn Lights, Woodend After Dark, Birdathon, and conference sponsorships (Naturally Latinos, Taking Nature Black). Sponsorship tiers range from $950 to $25,000.
3. Program and Class Fees: Fees for educational programs including nature classes, field trips, Natural History Field Studies courses, summer camps, and training workshops. Pricing varies by program with member discounts.
4. Plant a Tree Campaign: Donations for tree planting at Woodend Sanctuary with tiers from $100 (shrub sapling) to $2,500 (special ceremony).
5. Gift Shop Sales: Nature Shop selling native plants, seeds, gardening tools, books, optics, gifts, and nature-themed items through Square e-commerce platform.
6. Garden Consultations: On-site garden coaching visits at $250 for personalized native plant gardening advice within 15 miles of Woodend.
7. Crowder-Messersmith Fund Administration: Administers global conservation grants for small local projects in developing countries. Fund has provided 160+ projects in 55+ countries with start-up costs since 1974.
8. Corporate Partnerships: Strategic philanthropy through cash and in-kind contributions, employee-giving programs, and event sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Nature Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers environmental education, conservation advocacy and community science programming across the greater Washington, DC region. It runs nature-based preschool, summer and school-break camps, adult natural-history classes and field trips, K-5 school programs, water quality monitoring, the Creek Critters mobile app, annual conferences, and tree-planting/fundraising campaigns, all anchored at its 40-acre Woodend Nature Sanctuary headquarters and Rust Nature Sanctuary in Virginia.

Product overview

Nature Forward is a nonprofit nature education and conservation organization offering a diverse portfolio of programs and services centered on outdoor experiences, education, and advocacy for the greater Washington, DC region. The organization operates primarily as a service provider rather than a technology product company, with offerings spanning educational programs (Nature Preschool, Camp Woodend, Natural History Field Studies, Nature Classes & Field Trips), community science initiatives (Water Quality Monitoring Program, Creek Critters mobile app), conservation advocacy, and special events/conferences (Naturally Latinos, Taking Nature Black). Key programs include the Woodend Nature Sanctuary as a physical hub, the Crowder-Messersmith international grant fund, and various community outreach initiatives. Nature Forward's Creek Critters app represents their main technology product, while most other offerings are in-person educational and conservation services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Creek Critters: A smartphone app and engagement tool that empowers people to check the health of local streams by identifying aquatic macroinvertebrates.
• Plant A Tree
• Crowder-Messersmith Fund
• Naturally Latinos Conference

Products and services

• Nature Preschool A nature-based preschool for young children at Woodend Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase, MD, providing creative, artistic, musical and hands-on outdoor learning experiences on a 40-acre green venue for DC-region families.
• Camp Woodend (Summer, Travel, Overnight and Days-Off Camps) Nature-focused summer day camps, travel camps, overnight camps and school-break/day-off camps for children, run on the 40-acre Woodend Sanctuary in Montgomery County, MD, providing environmental science education and outdoor recreation.
• Natural History Field Studies (NHFS) Continuing adult-education program covering regional natural history topics (e.g., stream science, ferns, butterflies of summer), with an optional Certificate of Accomplishment in Natural History.
• Nature Classes and Field Trips Outdoor educational experiences for adults led by regional naturalists, including field trips, classes and nature travel adventures across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
• Water Quality Monitoring Program (WQM) Volunteer community science program monitoring 25+ stream sites in the DC region for benthic macroinvertebrates 3-4 times per year, active since the early 1990s; data feeds the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative and supports State of the Streams reporting.
• Creek Critters Mobile App Free iOS and Android smartphone app that helps users find and identify aquatic macroinvertebrates in freshwater streams and generate stream health reports, with visual ID keys for 30 commonly found critters; data integrates with the Izaak Walton League Clean Water Hub.
• Community Outreach Programs Site-based community outreach programs (Ward 8 Water Watchers, Greening Your Neighborhood, Water Protectors of Little Hunting Creek, Long Branch, Anacostia Community Greening) connecting underserved DC-area residents to nature through hands-on environmental activities delivered with local partner organizations.
• GreenKids School Program K-5 environmental literacy outreach program aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Maryland Green School certification, delivered in DC-region classrooms and at Woodend Sanctuary.
• Native Plant Gardening Program (including Garden Consultations) Demonstration gardens at Woodend, native plant sales, gardening classes and on-site garden consultations ($250 within 15 miles of Woodend), plus community greening installations using native plants and conservation landscaping kits.
• Naturally Latinos Conference Annual flagship conference (now in its 6th year) bringing together Latinx environmental professionals, advocates, educators and nature enthusiasts for dialogue, presentations and performances on DC-region environmental issues, delivered virtually and in person.
• Taking Nature Black Conference Annual conference focused on engaging African American and Black communities in environmental conservation, combining virtual and in-person sessions, presentations and outdoor nature activities in the DC area.
• Master Naturalist Program UMD Extension partnership program engaging adults as volunteer stewards of Maryland's ecosystems through science-based education and service, leading to Master Naturalist certification.
• Crowder-Messersmith Conservation Fund International conservation grant fund providing seed money to communities and individuals for small local conservation and education projects in developing countries; 160+ projects funded in 55+ countries since 1974.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000 members, supporters, visitors, and program participants served
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UMD ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Maryland Extension to deliver Master Naturalist program - engaging adults as stewards of Maryland's ecosystems through science-based education and volunteer service.
• Chesapeake Monitoring CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature Forward provides water quality monitoring data to the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative's Chesapeake Data Explorer, which includes water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate data from programs throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
• Choose Clean Water Coalition (DC Workgroup)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature Forward hosts DC Workgroup of Choose Clean Water Coalition and serves as DC Lead, with DC Conservation Advocate Jamoni Overby leading coalition advocacy efforts.
• Marylanders for Data Center ReformcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCoalition focused on advocating for policies that mitigate carbon, energy and water resource impacts associated with data centers in Maryland.
• Izaak Walton LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Creek Critters stream reports through Izaak Walton League's Clean Water Hub - collaborative tool for tracking water quality and sharing local data results.
• Friends of Accotink CreekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in 2024 State of the Streams report, collaborating on Accotink Creek stream health assessment.
• Little Falls Watershed AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in 2024 State of the Streams report for Little Falls Branch assessment.
• Rock Creek ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in 2024 State of the Streams report for Rock Creek assessment.
• Seneca Creek Watershed PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in 2024 State of the Streams report for Seneca Creek assessment.
• Friends of Sligo CreekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in 2024 State of the Streams report for Sligo Creek assessment.
• EarthShareminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkplace giving partner enabling employees to donate to Nature Forward through payroll pledges.
• Nova ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Rust Nature Sanctuary location in Leesburg, VA, with Nova Parks managing the property.
• National Parks Conservation AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced 2022 NPCA study on data center impacts on Virginia waterways for advocacy purposes.
• Virginia Conservation NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced VCN data on water consumption by data centers in Loudoun County for advocacy efforts.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Club: National environmental advocacy nonprofit with a strong DC chapter; competes for the same donor base on overlapping advocacy priorities (climate, land use, water quality) while running structured chapter programming rather than sanctuary operations.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation nonprofit with deep Maryland/Virginia landholdings and education programming; comparable mission around land preservation, biodiversity, and conservation advocacy, with broader geographic reach and much larger endowment.
• Defenders of Wildlife: National wildlife advocacy nonprofit headquartered in Washington, DC; competes for similar major-donor and foundation funding on biodiversity and habitat protection issues that intersect with Nature Forward's conservation priorities.
• National Audubon Society: The largest US bird and habitat conservation nonprofit; Nature Forward was previously the regional Audubon Naturalist Society and continues to operate overlapping birding, education, and sanctuary programs across the same Mid-Atlantic geography at substantially larger scale.

Others

• EarthShare: Workplace-giving federation that includes Nature Forward as a partner charity; comparable as a tax-exempt nonprofit channel for individual donations but not a programmatic competitor.

Direct peers

• Rock Creek Conservancy: Direct partner on Nature Forward's State of the Streams Rock Creek assessment; comparable DC-based conservation nonprofit focused on stewardship, water quality, and volunteer engagement within the same urban watershed.
• Environmental Law Institute: DC-based environmental nonprofit operating in adjacent programmatic territory (research, policy, training) with similar staff scale, target audiences, and foundation funding sources in the DC environmental ecosystem.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Regional nonprofit headquartered in the Chesapeake Bay watershed with comparable education, advocacy, and water quality monitoring programs that directly overlap with Nature Forward's stream health and policy work in DC, MD, and VA.
• Alice Ferguson Foundation: Accokeek, MD-based environmental education nonprofit operating a nature sanctuary and school programs along the Potomac; directly comparable in scale, regional focus, and programming mix (school field trips, family programs, stewardship).
• Anacostia Watershed Society: DC-based watershed nonprofit delivering water quality monitoring, restoration, and community education in one of the same watersheds where Nature Forward operates, with overlapping funder and volunteer pools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/gonatureforward.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/audubonnaturalist
• Facebookfacebook.com/GoNatureForward
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gonatureforward/mycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/gonatureforward

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Nature Forward