Boston Outdoor Preschool Network Inc

What Boston Outdoor Preschool Network Inc does

Boston Outdoor Preschool Network Inc (BOPN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2019 and headquartered in eastern Massachusetts, delivering nature-based early childhood education to toddlers and preschoolers through half-day outdoor programs. Core offerings include an outdoor preschool program (ages 3-5), a mixed-age toddler program, summer seasonal programming, and the Forest Days program — a partnership with Boston Public Schools that delivers 20 mornings of guided outdoor nature exploration to K1 classrooms at Charles Sumner Elementary School (Roslindale) and, starting spring 2024, Joseph P. Manning School (Jamaica Plain). Programs are delivered on-site at prestigious natural venues including the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Elm Bank, Pine Banks Park, and the Franklin Park Zoo, supplemented by neighborhood sites in Jamaica Plain, Malden, Milton, and Wellesley.

The organization operates on standard web infrastructure (a Squarespace-hosted website with blog, Instagram, YouTube, and a secure parent-communication app) and has no proprietary technology platform. Its curriculum emphasizes nature immersion, interest-led learning, inquiry-based teaching, and authentic mixed-age outdoor play, with stated outcomes in nature literacy, social-emotional development, gross and fine motor skills, and school readiness.

BOPN's revenue model combines tuition and program fees from individual families (recurring across the school year and summer) with tax-deductible charitable donations and grant funding from institutional partners including The Cabot Family Charitable Trust and Massachusetts Service Alliance. Customer acquisition is community-led: families discover BOPN via blog content, social media, referrals, school partnerships, and in-person tours, with enrollment managed through an online interest form. Workforce capacity is augmented through municipal youth employment (Boston SuccessLink, Malden Youth Employment), university practicum pipelines (Boston University, Northeastern, MassArt, Carleton College), and Americorps Seniors RSVP volunteers, allowing the nonprofit to extend program delivery without proportional payroll expansion.

Name

Boston Outdoor Preschool Network Inc

Legal name

Boston Outdoor Preschool Network Inc

Website

https://bopn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Boston Outdoor Preschool Network Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating since 2019 that delivers nature-based half-day preschool, toddler, and summer programs across eastern Massachusetts, plus a Forest Days partnership bringing outdoor nature immersion to Boston Public Schools K1 classrooms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Educational Services (61)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDACABAJ

Outdoor/Nature/Forest Preschools

Education/Early Childhood Education/Preschools & Pre-K Programs

Keywords

• Nature-based preschool
• Outdoor early childhood education
• Toddler outdoor programs
• Forest kindergarten programs
• School readiness curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Sudbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: BOPN generates revenue through tuition payments for its school year and summer outdoor preschool and toddler programs. Programs are offered as half-day preschool and toddler sessions located throughout eastern Massachusetts. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the organization also accepts tax-deductible donations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BOPN delivers half-day nature-based preschool programs for children ages 3–5 and mixed-age outdoor toddler programs at multiple outdoor sites across eastern Massachusetts, plus summer programs and the Forest Days school-partnership program for Boston Public Schools K1 classrooms. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it funds these programs through tuition, charitable donations, and grants while pursuing an equity agenda to broaden access to nature-based early childhood education in Greater Boston.

Product overview

Boston Outdoor Preschool Network (BOPN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering nature-based early childhood education programs across eastern Massachusetts. The core offerings include outdoor preschool programs for children ages 3-5 and toddler programs for younger children, held at locations including the Arnold Arboretum, Elm Bank (The Gardens at Elm Bank), Pine Banks Park, Franklin Park Zoo, and Wellesley sites. The Forest Days program extends BOPN's nature-based curriculum into Boston Public Schools through partnerships with Charles Sumner Elementary and Joseph P. Manning School. Additional programs include summer outdoor programming, internship opportunities, SuccessLink youth employment, and Americorps volunteer placements. BOPN also operates an educational blog as a content resource for families and educators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outdoor Preschool Program Half-day nature-based preschool education for children ages 3–5, held outdoors at locations across eastern Massachusetts (Arnold Arboretum, Elm Bank, Pine Banks Park, Franklin Park Zoo) using an emergent, mixed-age, play-driven curriculum that runs year-round in all weather.
• Outdoor Toddler Program Mixed-age nature-based programming for toddlers that emphasizes outdoor immersion, independence, and age-appropriate exploration through outdoor play.
• Summer Outdoor Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Children demonstrate significant growth in nature literacy, social-emotional skills, gross and fine motor development, and school readiness through BOPN's nature immersion approach

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• He is Me InstituteflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Beginning summer 2024, BOPN piloting a collaboration with He is Me Institute to recruit and develop young men aspiring to careers in education. He is Me specializes in the professional development of Black male educators and addresses the critical underrepresentation of Black men in teaching (noting that only 3% of nature preschool teachers in the U.S. are Black). With SuccessLink support, BOPN aims to hire Black male high school students for summer programs at the Arnold Arboretum.
• Young Man with a PlanflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024BOPN partners with Young Man with a Plan as part of a pilot collaboration with He is Me Institute starting summer 2024, with the goal of recruiting young men who aspire to careers in education. Students explore identity, storytelling, and power/privilege/oppression through He is Me's High School Fellowship curriculum while gaining hands-on teaching experience in outdoor education.
• City of Boston SuccessLink Youth Employment ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOPN partners with Boston's SuccessLink to employ youth workers (ages 14-18) and youth leaders (ages 19-24) during summer and school year programs. SuccessLink is BOPN's largest youth partnership, aligning with the program's mission to develop young people in nature-based early childhood education careers. The partnership encourages youth to pursue EEC teaching licensure while providing professional development in nature-connection and child development.
• City of Malden Youth Employment ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school and college students residing in Malden can apply for positions at any BOPN site through Malden's youth employment program. BOPN previously worked with student employees at Pine Banks Park through this partnership.
• Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) - Center for Art and Community PartnershipsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOPN is in its third year partnering with MassArt's Center for Art and Community Partnerships. MassArt students work as Art Teachers and Assistant Teachers in BOPN programs to design and implement engaging seasonal art activities for children in nature-based classes.
• Boston UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOPN hosts Boston University Health Sciences seniors for semester-long practicums and also hosts BU PhD students in Occupational Therapy who lead preschool activities developing fine and gross motor skills, executive function, teamwork, and self-care skills. Former practicum students have returned as teachers.
• Northeastern University - Community Volunteers ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOPN welcomes Northeastern students through the Community Volunteers Program. Several courses embed service-learning into academic coursework where students apply concepts while spending time at BOPN and reflect on experiences in the classroom. BOPN hosted five service learning students during the 2023-2024 school year.
• Carleton CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarleton College students often start at BOPN as winter externs, then return for summer programs or Fellowship positions after graduation. Carleton's liberal arts education model aligns with BOPN's experiential education approach.
• Americorps Seniors RSVPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmericorps Seniors RSVP pairs adults aged 55 and older with organizations making community change. Volunteers may serve with BOPN's nature preschool classes at the Arnold Arboretum or the Franklin Park Zoo, serving a few hours to 40 hours per week.
• Arnold Arboretum of Harvard UniversitycoreOthersBOPN operates nature preschool classes at the Arnold Arboretum. The Arnold Arboretum is described as a separate nonprofit organization with a 'friendly relationship' to BOPN but not involved in organizing or operating BOPN's programs. BOPN's Forest Days program utilizes the Arboretum grounds for outdoor exploration.
• Pine Banks ParkminorOthersBOPN operates outdoor school programs at Pine Banks Park. Described as a separate nonprofit with a 'friendly relationship' to BOPN, not involved in organizing or operating BOPN's programs.
• Boston Public Schools - Forest Days ProgramflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOPN partners with Boston Public Schools through its Forest Days program, currently in its second year, providing 20 mornings of outdoor exploration to each of three K1 classrooms at Charles Sumner Elementary School in Roslindale. The program is expanding in spring 2024 to include the K1 class at Joseph P. Manning School in Jamaica Plain.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Acorn Nature Preschool: Independently operated nature preschool focused on outdoor, child-led learning for preschool-aged children. Closely aligned with BOPN on philosophy (play-based, emergent, nature immersion) and target demographic.
• The Nature Preschool at Irvine Nature Center: Nature-immersion preschool program operated within an environmental nonprofit. Offers half-day outdoor preschool and summer programming for young children — directly comparable curriculum, age range, and mission to BOPN's core programs.
• Wildflower Schools: Decentralized network of small, mission-driven teacher-led schools. Wildflower's hub-and-spoke model of independent nature- and Montessori-inspired classrooms closely mirrors BOPN's multi-site outdoor preschool structure and nonprofit/community orientation.
• Forest Bluff School: Independent Montessori school with significant outdoor and nature-based programming for early childhood. Comparable in philosophy (nature-rich, child-led learning), nonprofit structure, and small-school scale to BOPN.
• Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Preschool: Nature preschool operated by an Audubon-affiliated nature center. Combines outdoor environmental education with preschool-age programming in a nonprofit setting — structurally and operationally analogous to BOPN.
• Brooklyn Forest School: Urban nature-based preschool operating in Brooklyn, NY. Delivers mixed-age outdoor learning in public parks with a play-based, emergent curriculum — same nature-immersion model and parent demographic as BOPN.
• Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary Preschool (Mass Audubon): Massachusetts-based nature preschool operated by Mass Audubon at a wildlife sanctuary. Geographically the closest comparable model to BOPN, offering outdoor, farm- and nature-based preschool programming in the same state.

Broad incumbents

• National Audubon Society Nature Preschools: Network of nature-based preschools operated under the Audubon brand across multiple states. Larger scale and broader geographic reach than BOPN, but same nature-immersion early-childhood model and nonprofit orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@bostonoutdoorpreschoolnetwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/bopn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boston-outdoor-preschool-network

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 Boston Outdoor Preschool Network Inc