Sultana Education Foundation, Inc.

What Sultana Education Foundation, Inc. does

Sultana Education Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental education organization founded in 2001 and headquartered in Chestertown, Maryland, that delivers hands-on Chesapeake Bay educational programs to K-12 schools, families, and the public. The foundation operates four primary physical assets: the 97-foot schooner SULTANA, a full-scale reproduction of a 1768 British Royal Navy vessel launched in 2001 that serves as a floating classroom for up to 32 passengers; the 11,000-square-foot LEED Platinum certified Holt Education Center completed in 2016; the 8.5-acre Lawrence Wetlands Preserve featuring upland forest, swamp, marsh, shrublands, meadows, and freshwater pond; and the 1,200-square-foot Harwood Nature Center. Programs include school field trips (Schooner SULTANA sails at $750 per 3-hour session, paddling programs starting at $350 for full-day groups, Holt Center and Lawrence Preserve programs at $5-$15 per student), certified Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) curricula aligned with NOAA and Maryland State Department of Education standards, summer camps for ages 5-18, teacher professional development, public sails ($40 adult/$20 child), kayak paddles ($45), and multi-day adult expeditions ($1,600-$1,900 per person). The foundation reports engaging 10,000+ students annually, with 4,500+ sailing aboard the schooner each year, and provides over $200,000 in tuition support annually to ensure accessibility for Maryland public schools.

The foundation's revenue model is diversified across five streams: school program tuition, public program fees, annual memberships ($50 Individual to $1,000+ Captain's Table across five tiers), annual fund donations and grants (from Veverka Family Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Trust, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and NOAA B-WET), and event sponsorships for festivals including Downrigging Weekend and the Annual Gala. The 200+ Captain's Table members represent the core of the private support base and contribute over 25% of annual income. Geographic reach is regional, focused on the Maryland Eastern Shore and Chesapeake Bay watershed, with the schooner and mobile paddling rigs operating from 8+ ports (Chestertown, Annapolis, Baltimore, St. Michaels, Cambridge, Oxford, Solomons, Crisfield) and tidal tributaries (Chester, Sassafras, Susquehanna, Potomac rivers, and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge). Strategic partnerships anchor the operating model: the Holt Education Center serves as the official National Park Service Visitor Contact Center for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, programs are MSDE-certified and MAEOE Green Center designated, and the foundation employs 25+ staff across program delivery, marine operations, science education, and finance/administration functions.

Name

Sultana Education Foundation, Inc.

Legal name

Sultana Education Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://www.sultanaeducation.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sultana Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 that provides hands-on Chesapeake Bay environmental education to K-12 schools, families, and the public via a 97-foot 1768 schooner reproduction, an LEED Platinum education center, and an 8.5-acre wetlands preserve, serving 10,000+ students annually across Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Educational Cruises & Shipboard Learning Programs (THAKAGAM), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Marine Wildlife & Coastal Nature Tours (Whale/Dolphin Watching, Sea Kayaking) (THAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Chesapeake Bay programs
• Sailing instruction
• Kayak paddling programs
• School field trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Chestertown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. School Program Fees: Tuition fees from school groups for educational programs including schooner sails, paddling programs, Holt Center visits, and Lawrence Preserve programs. Standard 3-hour educational program on SULTANA costs $750; full-day paddling programs for 30 students start at $350.
2. Public Program Fees: Revenue from public sails ($40/adult, $20/child), kayak paddles ($45), and expedition trips ($1,600-$1,900/person). Membership provides 20% discounts on these programs.
3. Membership Dues: Annual membership levels: Individual ($50), Household ($100), Family ($250), Supporter ($500), Captain's Table ($1,000+). Over 200 Captain's Table members contribute more than 25% of annual income.
4. Annual Fund & Donations: 100% of Annual Fund gifts go directly to underwriting programs for Eastern Shore public schools. Major funding sources include Veverka Family Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Trust, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and NOAA B-WET grants.
5. Event Sponsorships: Corporate and individual sponsorships for major events including Downrigging Weekend, Annual Gala, First Fridays, and Community Events. Sponsorship opportunities start at $500.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sultana Education Foundation operates hands-on Chesapeake Bay environmental education programs delivered through its 1768 reproduction schooner SULTANA, Holt Education Center, Lawrence Wetlands Preserve, and mobile paddling operations. The organization sells certified school programs (sails, paddling, MWEE curricula, hybrid experiences), summer camps, public sails and kayak excursions, multi-day expeditions, teacher professional development, and Green Schools assistance to K-12 schools, families, and community members.

Product overview

Sultana Education Foundation operates as a Chesapeake Bay environmental education nonprofit offering a diversified portfolio of hands-on educational experiences. The core offering centers on the Schooner SULTANA—a 1768 reproduction topsail schooner that serves as a floating classroom—complemented by paddling programs using canoes and kayaks, and land-based programming at the Holt Education Center and Lawrence Wetlands Preserve. The organization delivers PreK-12 school programs (including certified MWEE programs), summer residential and day camps, public sails and paddles, teacher professional development, and community programming including the Community Classroom and Toddler Time early childhood program. Programs are designed to promote stewardship of Chesapeake Bay's historic, cultural, and environmental resources through experiential learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Schooner SULTANA: A 1768 full-scale reproduction topsail schooner serving as a floating classroom for Chesapeake Bay educational programs.
• Holt Education Center
• Lawrence Wetlands Preserve
• Harwood Nature Center
• Bay Discovery Camp
• SULTANA Camp

Products and services

• Schooner SULTANA Educational Programs Hands-on sailing-based environmental science and Chesapeake Bay history education for K-12 school groups, summer campers, and public sailors aboard the schooner SULTANA. Standard 3-hour session priced at $750.
• Paddling Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ students annually gain hands-on environmental literacy education
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSultana's programs closely linked with Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. Holt Education Center is official visitor contact center for the trail.
• ShoreRiversminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for environmental education; collaborated on Environmental Youth Summit with Student Leader programming.
• Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner for Wild Wetlands MWEE paddling trips on Radcliffe Creek or at CBEC location.
• Living Classrooms FoundationminorOthersFestival partner for Downrigging Weekend and other community events.
• American Chesapeake Bay Sail Training Association (ACBS)minorOthersFestival partner for sailing and tall ship events including Downrigging Weekend.
• Traditional Small Craft Association (TSCA)minorOthersFestival partner for community events celebrating traditional maritime crafts.
• Chesapeake Bay Maritime MuseumminorOthersFestival partner listed for events and maritime heritage celebrations.
• Kent County Arts CouncilminorOthersFestival partner for community arts and cultural events.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Living Classrooms Foundation: Baltimore-based nonprofit operating ship-based and land-based experiential education programs for youth, including tall ship vessels on the Chesapeake Bay. Most directly comparable peer given shared geography, vessel-based delivery, and K-12 environmental/maritime focus; mentioned in SEF's Downrigging partnership roster.
• Hudson River Sloop Clearwater: Nonprofit operating the sloop Clearwater as an environmental education platform on the Hudson River. Mirrors SEF's schooner-as-classroom model, citizen-science programming, and watershed-based curriculum. SEF staff have prior crew experience aboard Clearwater.
• Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum: St. Michaels, MD museum preserving Chesapeake maritime heritage through exhibits, boat-building programs, and educational experiences. Comparable in regional maritime education and listed as a SEF festival partner for Downrigging.
• Echo Hill Outdoor School: Residential outdoor education school on the Chesapeake serving Maryland and Mid-Atlantic school groups with field-based environmental programming. Comparable in target market (K-12 school contracts), experiential curriculum, and Chesapeake-region focus.
• Calvert Marine Museum: Solomons, MD museum combining paleontology, maritime history, and environmental education with boat-building and estuary ecology programming. Comparable as a Chesapeake-based environmental/maritime education site that competes for school group visits.
• SEA Education Association: Woods Hole-based nonprofit offering tall-ship-based oceanographic and environmental education voyages for students. Comparable vessel-as-classroom delivery model; SEF crew members have prior sailing experience on SEA vessels.

Broad incumbents

• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Large regional environmental organization running K-12 environmental education programs, including floating classrooms on the Bay. Comparable mission and target audience but operates as a broad advocacy/incumbent with multiple program lines rather than a single-vessel school ship.
• National Aquarium: Baltimore-based major aquarium delivering marine and Chesapeake Bay environmental education programs to K-12 schools and the public. Comparable in audience (school groups, families, members) but operates at much larger scale and as a broader institution rather than field-based outdoor school.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/113359782023341
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sultana-education-foundation-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Sultana Education Foundation, Inc.