Urban Ecology Center

What Urban Ecology Center does

Urban Ecology Center (UEC) is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1991 to connect urban residents to nature through environmental education, community science, and public nature centers. It operates three branch facilities — Riverside Park (headquarters), Washington Park (reopened 2025 after full rebuild), and Menomonee Valley — managing over 80 acres of urban land for habitat restoration, outdoor recreation, and community programming.

Its core offerings span educational programs (the Neighborhood Environmental Education Project serving 60+ K-12 schools via year-long partnerships, the Preschool Environmental Education Project for early learners, and Summer Camp for pre-K through 8th grade), outdoor recreation (paddling programs, group nature experiences, Adventure Days, Take it Outside Days), land management and volunteer-driven restoration (ROOT program), community science research shared through eBird and iNaturalist, venue rentals at all branches plus the new Prairie Springs on Park eco-friendly event venue, and workforce development through Green Career Pathways. Sub-brands include NEEP, PEEP, ROOT, The Hive membership, and Prairie Springs on Park.

UEC's business model is a hybrid nonprofit funding structure combining earned revenue (program fees priced $10-$55 per participant, venue rentals, The Hive sustaining membership, merchandise sales) with contributed revenue (individual donations, corporate partnerships and sponsorships, planned giving through the Legacy Society, and institutional giving). Go-to-market is community-led, anchored by the NEEP school partnership channel and supplemented by direct branch visits, outreach programming (UEC To You), corporate engagement, and volunteer-driven acquisition. Operational technology is conventional nonprofit SaaS (Blackbaud, Qgiv, Volgistics, Mailchimp) with no proprietary AI/ML systems; community science data flows into third-party research platforms rather than proprietary pipelines. The organization is led by President and Executive Director Jen Hense, who joined in 2015, and a board chaired by Antoine Mcuffie.

Name

Urban Ecology Center

Legal name

Urban Ecology Center, Inc.

Website

https://urbanecologycenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Urban Ecology Center is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)3 nonprofit operating three urban nature centers that deliver environmental education, community science, and outdoor recreation to schools, families, and community members across 80+ acres.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG), Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Community science
• Urban nature programs
• Land stewardship
• Outdoor recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Revenue from environmental education programs, summer camps, group nature experiences, paddling programs, and adventure days. Programs are priced per person or per group with fees ranging from $10-$24 per participant for group experiences.
2. Venue Rentals: Rental revenue from hosting weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and other gatherings at three branch locations plus Prairie Springs on Park eco-friendly venue.
3. Membership (The Hive): Sustaining membership program offering exclusive benefits to members who provide ongoing financial support.
4. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting the mission to connect people in Milwaukee to nature.
5. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate engagement programs, group volunteering, event sponsorship, and corporate benefit programs connecting businesses with urban nature.
6. Merchandise Sales: UEC Merchandise store selling nature-inspired products with proceeds supporting the mission.
7. NEEP School Partnerships: Schools contribute a portion of the cost for NEEP contracts, with the remainder funded by donors and corporate partners.
8. Planned Giving (Legacy Society): Planned giving and legacy donations to support long-term mission sustainability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Urban Ecology Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates three nature centers in Milwaukee (Riverside Park, Washington Park, Menomonee Valley) delivering year-round environmental education programs, including the Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP) for 60+ partner schools, preschool and summer camps, paddling and outdoor recreation programs, and volunteer-powered land stewardship across 80+ urban acres. It also generates earned revenue through venue rentals, a sustaining membership (The Hive), merchandise, and group/corporate programming, while conducting community science research contributed to eBird and iNaturalist.

Product overview

The Urban Ecology Center operates a multi-branch nonprofit environmental education organization with three locations in Milwaukee (Riverside Park, Washington Park, and Menomonee Valley). The core offering consists of educational programs including the nationally recognized Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP) serving 60+ schools, the Preschool Environmental Education Project (PEEP) for early learners, and Summer Camp programs for children pre-K through 8th grade. The Center also provides outdoor recreation through paddling programs (canoeing, kayaking, pedal boating), group nature experiences, and Take it Outside Days. Supporting services include land management across 80+ acres, community science research, venue rentals at all branches plus the Prairie Springs on Park event venue, The Hive membership program, and Green Career Pathways workforce development. The organization functions as a platform of interconnected environmental education and outdoor recreation services rather than a single unified product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP): Flagship program serving kids in 60 urban Milwaukee schools each year with year-round environmental education
• Preschool Environmental Education Project (PEEP)
• Prairie Springs on Park
• ROOT (Restoring Our Outdoors Together)

Products and services

• Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP) Year-long partnership program connecting schools within two miles of UEC branches with outdoor classroom experiences, serving 60+ Milwaukee schools annually with hands-on science education.
• Preschool Environmental Education Project (PEEP) Nature-based early childhood program for children ages 1-5 and their caregivers, including school-year partnerships, seasonal programs, and professional development for educators.
• Summer Camp Seasonal day camp programs for children pre-K through 8th grade featuring outdoor adventures, environmental education, biking, fishing, and nature exploration activities.
• Group Nature Experiences Guided outdoor programs for groups of 12-18 participants including animal tracking, aquatic explorations, canoeing, kayaking, birding, fire building, and team building activities at all three branches.
• Paddling Programs Water recreation programs including canoeing, kayaking, and pedal boating experiences on Milwaukee River and Washington Park Lagoon, led by lifeguard-certified staff.
• Land Management (ROOT - Restoring Our Outdoors Together) Volunteer-powered habitat restoration across 80+ acres including invasive species removal, native planting, trail maintenance, and ecosystem rehabilitation at Riverside Park, Menomonee Valley, and Washington Park.
• Research and Community Science Wildlife and natural systems research covering urban ecosystems, biodiversity monitoring, wildlife biology, and habitat restoration, with community scientist participation opportunities.
• Adventure Days Day camps for school breaks (summer, fall, winter, spring) for children ages 4-6, 7-10, and 11-14 featuring seasonal outdoor activities and exploration.
• Venue Rentals (UEC Venues) Event space rentals at Riverside Park, Washington Park, and Menomonee Valley branches including facilities for weddings, corporate events, and birthday parties.
• Prairie Springs on Park Eco-friendly event venue located near downtown Milwaukee featuring sustainably designed historic building and native prairie landscapes for weddings and special events.
• The Hive Membership Sustaining membership program connecting members to nature and each other with exclusive benefits and community engagement opportunities.
• Green Career Pathways Career development program providing paid internships, outdoor leader training, and alumni networking for high school students and adults interested in environmental careers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80 acres of urban land restored and actively managed for wildlife habitat
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Menomonee Valley PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to revitalize Menomonee Valley into an ecological and cultural hub as part of the 'Menomonee Valley - From The Ground Up' project. UEC's branch opened in 2012 within Three Bridges Park.
• Milwaukee County ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with Milwaukee County Parks to manage park land, upgrade infrastructure, and coordinate restoration efforts across all three branch locations.
• Cedar Grove Ornithological Research StationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration for bird banding excursions and ornithological studies at UEC locations.
• Prairie Springs on Park (Riverland Development)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEco-friendly event venue developed as part of Riverland project, providing unique sustainable event space that generates revenue supporting UEC's mission.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Friends of the High Line: Manages a major New York City linear park with year-round public programming, education, and community events; comparable as an urban green-space nonprofit running free programming, fundraising, and venue-style experiences.
• Irvine Nature Center: Mid-Atlantic nature center offering school partnerships, preschool programs, summer camps, and land stewardship; directly comparable in size, programming mix, and educational audience.
• Cincinnati Nature Center: Regional nature and environmental education organization running school partnerships, camps, community science, and land restoration — a strong functional analog to UEC across program lines.
• Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy: Operates and programs Brooklyn Bridge Park with environmental education, community events, and venue-style public programming in an urban waterfront setting; comparable in combining park stewardship, education, and event-rental revenue.
• Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education: Philadelphia-area environmental education nonprofit managing woodlands with school programs, summer camps, and community science — similar urban-edge land management and education focus to UEC.
• Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy: Urban-focused nonprofit that stewards Pittsburgh's parkland while running environmental education, volunteer restoration, and community engagement programs — closely mirroring UEC's integrated parks-plus-education model in a single metro area.
• Houston Arboretum & Nature Center: Urban nature center delivering environmental education, school programs, summer camps, and land stewardship in a major U.S. city; closely comparable in scope and target audiences to UEC's branch operations.

Broad incumbents

• The Trustees of Reservations: Massachusetts-based nonprofit conservation and recreation organization managing parks, trails, and cultural sites with programming and stewardship; comparable as a multi-site environmental nonprofit with education and visitor experiences.
• Mass Audubon: Largest regional nature education and conservation organization in Massachusetts, operating wildlife sanctuaries with schools, camps, and community programs; comparable in mission and education programming, but at much larger regional scale.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: Large-scale public garden running school partnerships, summer camps, research, and community programming; comparable in combining education, recreation, and venue-style experiences, but at significantly larger scale and breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UrbanEcologyCtr
• Facebookfacebook.com/UrbanEcologyCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urban-ecology-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Ecology Center