What Riverview Gardens does

Riverview Gardens, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, founded in December 2011 after founders purchased the 72-acre former Riverview Country Club. The organization operates as a "72 Acres With A Mission," converting the property into a portfolio of social enterprises that double as job-training environments for individuals facing barriers to stable employment. Its flagship program, ServiceWorks, is a 90-hour, no-fail, trauma-informed training curriculum that teaches transferable work skills, complemented by a three-year Placement Success Program for retention and progression. Participants earn certifications including ServSafe and Restaurant Ready through the Adult Culinary Program and engage in Earn-A-Bike, D.O.O.R.S., and Youth Programs pathways.

The organization's operational backbone consists of five to six social enterprises: a 15-acre USDA-certified organic Urban Farm with 20 passive solar greenhouses; Hydroponic Greenhouses (a controlled-environment agriculture operation built over the former country club swimming pool, claimed to be unique in the U.S.); Aquaponics in Neenah (soil-less fish-and-vegetable production, making Riverview the largest indoor growing facility from De Pere to Fond du Lac); Meeting, Event and Park Space rentals at the former community center; Maintenance Contracts for nonprofit, church, and for-profit properties; and the C.A.R.E. Team providing supplemental downtown cleaning with the City of Appleton. The urban farm and hydroponic operations deploy Microsoft FarmBeats and Airband technologies, using IoT sensors, TV white spaces connectivity, drones, and Azure IoT Edge machine learning to optimize soil, water, and crop conditions.

Riverview Gardens is 100% privately funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants; it explicitly does not participate in United Way or receive state, local, or federal government funding. Social enterprise revenue is generated from CSA subscriptions ($500 individual / $5,000 corporate), wholesale produce to Festival Foods (22 stores), ThedaCare hospitals, The Free Market, Lawrence University, and Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, plus event venue rentals and maintenance contracts, with 100% of CSA profits reinvested into the mission. Go-to-market is community-led, reaching participants through 50+ referring organizations and 80+ hiring employer partners, and event-driven via the annual Chopped: Farm to Fork to Work fundraiser. The organization has logged 1,612 lifetime job placements since 2012 and trained 268 participants with 89 graduates in 2024, achieving a 73% success rate in the Placement Success Program.

Name

Riverview Gardens

Legal name

Riverview Gardens, Inc.

Website

https://riverviewgardens.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Riverview Gardens is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Appleton, Wisconsin that delivers the ServiceWorks job-training program and operates social enterprises — including a USDA-certified organic urban farm, hydroponic greenhouses, and aquaponics — on a 72-acre former country club to help individuals with employment barriers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112), Landscaping Services (56173), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Native, Pollinator & Drought-Tolerant Garden Installations (HSAIAFAL)

Keywords

• Workforce development programs
• Urban organic farming
• Hydroponic greenhouse production
• Community supported agriculture
• Controlled environment agriculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Appleton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Social Enterprise Revenue: Five social enterprises generate revenue through produce sales (CSA, wholesale to Festival Foods, ThedaCare), event/meeting space rentals, maintenance contracts with nonprofits, and C.A.R.E. Team cleaning services. Revenue is reinvested into the non-profit mission.
2. Donations and Gifts: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Riverview Gardens is 100% privately funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants. Does not receive United Way or government funding.
3. Annual Fundraising Events: Chopped: Farm to Fork to Work annual culinary competition and fundraising event featuring local professional and celebrity chefs
4. CSA Program Revenue: Community Supported Agriculture shares sold to individuals ($500) and corporations ($5,000 for 10 shares). 100% of profits reinvested into mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Riverview Gardens is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers the ServiceWorks job-training program (a 90-hour, no-fail curriculum) to individuals with barriers to stable employment, accompanied by a three-year Placement Success Program. It funds this mission through six social enterprises on its 72-acre former country club property: a USDA certified-organic urban farm, hydroponic greenhouses, an aquaponics facility, event space rental, maintenance contracts, and the C.A.R.E. Team cleaning service, plus a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

Product overview

Riverview Gardens is a non-profit organization operating multiple social enterprises that provide job training while generating revenue for financial sustainability. The core program is ServiceWorks, a 90-hour job-training model that provides transferable work skills to individuals with barriers to employment. Five to six social enterprises serve as the 'mission muscle' providing diverse job-training opportunities: (1) Urban Farm - 15 acres of certified-organic farmland with passive solar greenhouses; (2) Hydroponic Greenhouses - year-round CEA systems built over a former pool; (3) Aquaponics - soil-less farming combining fish and vegetables; (4) Meeting/Event/Park Space - venue rental at the former country club; (5) Maintenance Contracts - building and grounds services; (6) C.A.R.E. Team - downtown cleaning services. Additional programs include Adult Culinary Training, Earn-A-Bike, D.O.O.R.S., Youth Programs, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). The organization is 100% privately funded and does not receive government or United Way funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ServiceWorks: The core job-training program that provides transferable work skills for individuals with barriers to stable employment.
• Urban Farm
• Hydroponic Greenhouses
• C.A.R.E. Team
• Aquaponics
• Earn-A-Bike
• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Products and services

• ServiceWorks A 90-hour, no-fail job-training program teaching transferable work skills (use of time, quality of work, relationships with peers, attitude toward supervisors) to individuals with barriers to stable employment, paired with a three-year Placement Success Program for ongoing support.
• Adult Culinary Program A no-cost, 6-week culinary training program providing hands-on learning with an experienced chef instructor, life-skills coaching, and job placement assistance; approved by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association and provides ServSafe and Restaurant Ready certifications.
• Earn-A-Bike Program in which community members contribute 15 volunteer hours at Riverview Gardens in exchange for a commute-worthy bicycle, safety gear (lock, light, helmet), and free lifetime repairs and tune-ups.
• D.O.O.R.S. Directing Ourselves and Others in Responsible Social Activities — a peer-led program for successful ServiceWorks graduates and other treatment-program alumni offering weekly dinners and group activities to build positive social relationships and maintain sobriety.
• Youth Programs Formal collaboration with Appleton Area School District and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley delivering job training, leadership development, and service learning using the ServiceWorks model; includes Summer of Service for teens and grants high school youth 1/2 credit for ServiceWorks completion.
• CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) 12-week subscription program offering 6-8 items of local organic produce weekly from the urban farm and non-GMO lettuce and herbs from the hydroponic greenhouse. Individual shares $500; corporate shares $5,000 for 10 shares (with delivery). Season June 17 – September 2, 2026, with Wednesday pickup/delivery.
• Urban Farm 15 acres of USDA certified-organic farmland with 20 passive solar greenhouses on former golf course fairways producing locally-grown organic vegetables for CSA shares and wholesale/retail buyers; doubles as a job-training environment.
• Hydroponic Greenhouses Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) hydroponic systems repurposing a former swimming pool and locker rooms, growing lettuce, herbs, microgreens, and tomatoes year-round; serves veterans and individuals with PTSD through ServiceWorks training.
• Aquaponics Innovative soil-less farming technique combining recirculating aquaculture and hydroponics, producing high-quality fruits, fish, and vegetables year-round using fish waste as natural fertilizer with 90% less water than traditional growing.
• Meeting, Event and Park Space Former country club Community Center venue rental for wedding ceremonies/receptions, corporate meetings, funeral luncheons, showers, and special events; generates revenue through facility use fees while providing on-the-job training for ServiceWorks participants in meeting setup and teardown.
• Maintenance Contracts Contracted building maintenance, summer lawn care, and winter snow shoveling services for non-profit organizations, churches, and for-profit organizations, providing ServiceWorks job-training participants with hands-on work experience.
• C.A.R.E. Team Clean, Assess, Refresh, Enhance Team providing supplemental cleaning services in downtown Appleton's Business Improvement District in collaboration with the City of Appleton and Appleton Downtown, Inc.; offers a low-barrier entry point into ServiceWorks job training.

Quantifiable outcome

• 76% of graduates remain stably employed long-term; 73% success rate in Placement Success Program (2024)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, foundational and supporting.

• Feeding America Eastern WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Farm Link partnership: Weekly pickup of fresh GMO-free lettuce from Riverview Gardens hydroponics facility. Fresh produce is frequently requested by food bank members. Partnership between two organizations dedicated to helping the most vulnerable people in the community.
• Microsoft TechSparkcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2018Selected as one of the first farms in the nation to receive Microsoft FarmBeats and Airband technologies. FarmBeats uses drones, ground sensors, TV white spaces for connectivity, and Azure IoT Edge for machine learning. Airband provides internet connectivity to rural areas. Technologies enhance urban farm and hydroponic operations with precision agriculture data.
• Fox Cities Housing CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Fox Cities Housing Coalition, collaborating to address housing instability and poverty in the region.
• Social Enterprise AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Social Enterprise Alliance, receiving capacity building assistance and sharing best practices for social entrepreneurship.
• Marquette University (Social Innovation Leadership Experience)foundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding inspiration came from Executive Director Cindy Sahotsky's participation in inaugural executive SILE program sponsored by Marquette University, J.J. Keller Foundation and U.S. Venture Fund for Basic Needs.
• Outagamie County Veterans Treatment CourtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year collaborative grant of $177,803 with Outagamie County Veterans Treatment Court to address root causes for veterans in crisis. Veterans participate in ServiceWorks job-training program in hydroponics greenhouse.
• Miron Construction CompanysupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partner that helped build the hydroponic greenhouse over the former swimming pool, implementing innovative repurposing of existing country club infrastructure.
• Recyclist Bicycle CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBuy-one-give-one partnership: For every bike light or lock purchased at Recyclist, a light or lock donated to Riverview Gardens Earn-A-Bike program recipients.
• Appleton Area School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal collaboration to address unemployment as root cause of homelessness and poverty. High school youth receive 1/2 credit for ServiceWorks completion. Partner in Summer of Service program.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in addressing needs of at-risk high school youth. Co-host for Summer of Service program and collaboration on youth ServiceWorks programming.
• Weight of the Fox Valley (AmeriCorps)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmeriCorps host site partnership. Community Engagement Coordinator serves through this program, recruiting volunteers and engaging youth in health education.
• Festival Food StorescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale buyer of hydroponically-grown living lettuce at all 22 store locations, providing retail distribution for Riverview Gardens produce.
• Lawrence UniversitysupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInstitutional buyer of produce from hydroponic greenhouses. Also collaborated on Music for All concerts at Community Center.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing no-cost workforce training and job placement for adults facing barriers to employment. Directly comparable mission (training + placement outcomes) though focused on IT/tech rather than agriculture/food service.
• The Food Trust: Nonprofit working at the intersection of food access, food systems, and community health with urban agriculture and workforce components. Comparable mission blend of food systems work and community impact.
• Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit offering training and corporate placement for young adults from low-income communities. Comparable model of training + employer-partner placement with measurable outcomes.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National nonprofit providing employment services for people with criminal records, with strong placement outcome tracking. Directly comparable in serving high-barrier populations and achieving documented employment outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: The largest U.S. workforce development nonprofit, operating social enterprise retail and job training programs for people with barriers to employment. Comparable in mission (barriers-to-employment training + social enterprise revenue model) but vastly larger in scale and geographic footprint.

Emerging players

• Gotham Greens: Commercial hydroponic greenhouse operator producing leafy greens and herbs for retail/wholesale. Comparable hydroponic production technology and wholesale customer base (e.g., Festival Foods-type retailers).
• AeroFarms: Commercial indoor vertical farming company using hydroponic and aeroponic technology. Comparable on the hydroponic agriculture / controlled environment technology dimension, though for-profit and at much larger scale.

Regional players

• Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin: Regional food bank that is itself a Riverview Gardens Farm Link partner (weekly pickup of hydroponic lettuce). Comparable as a Wisconsin-based food systems nonprofit serving the same vulnerable populations.
• COTS (Committee on Temporary Shelter): Appleton-based transitional homeless shelter from which the ServiceWorks program was originally transferred to Riverview Gardens in 2012. Closest geographic peer in the same social services ecosystem.

Others

• Microsoft TechSpark: Microsoft's rural/underserved community economic development program; Riverview was an inaugural TechSpark / FarmBeats partner. Adjacent enabling relationship rather than direct competitor — illustrates the technology/innovation ecosystem the nonprofit operates within.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/riverviewgardns
• Facebookfacebook.com/riverviewgardns
• Instagraminstagram.com/riverviewgardens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/riverview-gardens

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Riverview Gardens