Sustain Dane
Sustain Dane is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Madison, WI, providing sustainability education, membership programming, and action-oriented initiatives to businesses, nonprofits, governments, schools, and individuals across Dane County.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sustain Dane does
Sustain Dane is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, operating as the regional sustainability convener for Dane County. The organization delivers programming structured around three membership tiers — Learn, Connect, and Take Action — and serves businesses, nonprofits, government entities, schools, and individuals through educational workshops, community initiatives, and action-oriented programs. Its portfolio includes sustained offerings (annual Sustainability Summit, recurring membership convenings) and a growing set of verticalized programs: Powerful Teen Leaders (youth education, Bloomberg-funded), Restaurant Sustainability Network (food service, USDA/NRDC-backed), Efficiency Navigator (multifamily housing decarbonization, partnership with Elevate), Contractor Accelerator (workforce training for building decarbonization), and Recycle Better (recycling education, bilingual expansion with LAWD).
The business model combines earned revenue from membership dues (tiered from $99 to $5,400 annually for 100+ member organizations), event sponsorships (Summit tiers $500 to $10,000), and contributed revenue from foundation and government grants (Bloomberg, USDA, NRDC). Operationally, the organization runs on a lean team of approximately five staff, supplemented by partner organization capacity. Pricing is segmented by member tier and event sponsorship level, with no evidence of usage-based or enterprise licensing.
The go-to-market is geographically anchored to Dane County/Wisconsin, with member acquisition driven by community outreach, partnership referrals, and the brand recognition accumulated over 25+ years of operation. Revenue mechanics are typical of a community foundation: membership and program fees provide a stable base, while grant cycles introduce lumpiness and renewal risk. Key constraints include small headcount, dependence on grant renewals, and concentration of programmatic ambition within a single metro region.
Sustain Dane firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sustain Dane
- Legal name
- Sustain Dane
- Website
- https://sustaindane.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sustain Dane is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Madison, WI, providing sustainability education, membership programming, and action-oriented initiatives to businesses, nonprofits, governments, schools, and individuals across Dane County.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Sustain Dane is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Sustain Dane business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and individuals. Membership provides access to programs, networking, one-on-one support, and recognition as a sustainability leader in Dane County.
- Program Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for specific programs including the Summit, Accelerate Sustainability Workshop, Sustainable Breakfast Series, and All Around Dane County. Sponsorship provides visibility and recognition for organizations committed to sustainability.
- Event Revenue: Revenue from annual summit tickets and special event registrations. Member organizations receive complimentary or discounted registrations based on membership level.
- Grants and Donations: Funding from foundations, government agencies, and individual donors supporting specific programs and operations. Partners include USDA, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and various local foundations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Business Leaf membership for organizations with 1-25 employees |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Leaf membership for 26-99 employees |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Leaf membership for 100+ employees |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Tree membership for 1-25 employees |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Tree membership for 26-99 employees |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Forest membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Nonprofit and Government membership tiers |
| Subscription | Annual | Individual membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Student membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Sustain Dane product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sustain Dane is a nonprofit sustainability organization that provides sustainability education, programs, and memberships for businesses, nonprofits, governments, schools, and individuals in Dane County and Madison, WI. Its core offering is a multi-tiered annual membership program (Business Leaf/Tree/Forest, Nonprofit/Government, Individual, Student) bundled with access to a portfolio of educational workshops, networking events, and community action programs organized around a three-pronged framework: Learn, Connect, and Take Action.
Product overview
Sustain Dane is a nonprofit sustainability organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services for Dane County and Madison, WI. The organization operates a multi-tiered membership model (Individual, Business at Leaf/Tree/Forest levels, and Nonprofit/Government) providing access to educational programs, networking, and customized support. Core programs include educational offerings (Accelerate Sustainability Workshops, Sustainable Breakfast Series, Recycle Better, Water Steward, Lunch and Learn), community engagement initiatives (All Around Dane County, Volunteering, Climate Actions), and action-oriented programs (Efficiency Navigator, Restaurant Sustainability Network, Farmers' Market Food Scrap Drop-off, School Sustainability). Additional offerings include the annual Sustain Dane Summit, the Sustain Dane Podcast, and youth programs like Powerful Teen Leaders. The portfolio operates as an integrated ecosystem where membership provides access to multiple interconnected programs that together support holistic sustainability across environment, economy, and social equity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Business Membership Tiered annual membership (Leaf, Tree, Forest) for Dane County businesses of all sizes, providing access to sustainability education programs, networking, one-on-one support, volunteer and leadership opportunities, complimentary Summit tickets, and member resources. Pricing ranges from $300 to $5,400 annually based on employee count and tier.
- Nonprofit and Government Membership Annual membership for local governments, schools, and nonprofit organizations providing support for equitable environmental practices, climate impact reduction, and energy efficiency. Leaf tier starts at $1,650/year with Tree and Forest tiers offering additional benefits including one-on-one support, additional Summit tickets, and visibility opportunities.
- Individual Membership Individual membership at $99/year and student membership at $20/year, offering access to sustainability education programs, monthly newsletter, 25% off up to two Summit tickets, staff access, volunteer/networking events, and program recordings for individual sustainability practitioners and students.
- Accelerate Sustainability Workshops Half-day professional development workshops connecting businesses and organizations to tools, case studies, and peer networks to accelerate sustainability initiatives at their organizations. 100% of past participants would recommend the program to a colleague.
- Sustainable Breakfast Series Monthly breakfast meetings featuring expert speakers, case studies, and skill-building opportunities on current sustainability topics for organization leaders and individuals.
- Recycle Better Program Award-winning program teaching participants how to improve recycling practices and community sustainability. 1,330 participants have reached 102,281 people with recycling knowledge since 2021. Developed in partnership with the City of Madison and expanded through the Latino Academy of Workforce Development into a Bilingual Leadership Academy.
- Water Steward A course enabling participants to become stewards of local waters, developed in partnership with Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District, Madison Area Municipal Storm Water Partnership, Madison Water Utility, and Dane County Land and Water Resources Department.
- Lunch and Learn Midday virtual programs that deep dive into specific sustainability topics relevant to the Madison and Dane County community.
- All Around Dane County Community-driven initiative visiting sustainability projects and local leaders throughout Dane County municipalities to foster local engagement and promote sustainability across the region.
- Efficiency Navigator Program helping small to medium-sized multifamily housing become more efficient, affordable, and resilient while reducing operating costs for owners and energy costs for residents. Offered in partnership with Elevate to deliver complimentary assessments and implementation navigation for affordable housing.
- Restaurant Sustainability Network Network bringing awareness and action to food waste in local restaurants, helping identify when and how food waste is created and setting goals to reduce, repurpose, and divert wasted food.
- Climate Actions Platform enabling community members to share climate actions they have taken and browse suggested actions in categories including transportation, food, investments, energy, and ripple effect. 140+ community members have taken climate action through this program.
- Farmers' Market Food Scrap Drop-off Program coordinating food scrap collection at four Madison farmers' markets (Westside, South Madison, Eastside, Capitol View) to divert food waste from landfills for composting at local urban farms, partnering with Neighborhood Food Solutions. Open free to all Madison residents.
- Powerful Teen Leaders Summer youth employment program for Northside Madison teens (ages 14-18) providing workforce experience, leadership training, and green jobs economy preparation with community partners including Epic Systems, Exact Sciences, Madison Gas & Electric, UW Arboretum, Dane County Parks, and Madison College.
- School Sustainability Partnership with Dane County schools on sustainability programs including share tables, carton recycling, composting, and education to create a generation of sustainability stewards across elementary schools.
- Sustain Dane Summit Annual sustainability conference bringing together enthusiasts to learn, connect, share, reflect, and build personal and professional skills, featuring keynote speakers, workshops, networking, and Live Forward Awards recognizing local changemakers. Member tickets included in membership; additional tickets available for purchase.
- Sustain Dane Podcast Podcast covering programs that help people learn, connect, and take action for sustainability, available on podcast apps and the Buzzsprout platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- 140+ community members have taken climate action
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Sustain Dane
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Sustain Dane technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sustain Dane partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of MadisoncorePrimary partnership for Recycle Better program and Farmers' Market Food Scrap Drop-off. The City provides funding and collaboration for sustainability programs serving Madison residents. Also partner for school sustainability work and restaurant sustainability network.
- Latino Academy of Workforce Development (LAWD)coreCollaboration to expand Recycle Better program into the Bilingual Leadership Academy presented in Spanish and English. 21 certified Recycling Stewards created through this partnership directly reaching 200+ Spanish-speaking individuals.
- Madison Metropolitan Sewerage DistrictcorePartner in Water Steward program development along with Madison Area Municipal Storm Water Partnership, Madison Water Utility, and Dane County Land and Water Resources Department.
- Madison Area Municipal Storm Water PartnershipcorePartner in Water Steward program development for local water conservation education.
- Madison Water UtilitycorePartner in Water Steward program development for local water stewardship education.
- Dane County Land and Water Resources DepartmentcorePartner in Water Steward program development for local water conservation and land stewardship.
- ElevatecorePartnership with Elevate (energy efficiency nonprofit) to deliver the Efficiency Navigator program for multifamily housing energy and water efficiency. Jointly provide complimentary assessments and implementation navigation for affordable housing.
- Latino Academy of Workforce Development (Contractor Accelerator)corePartnership to deliver the Contractor Accelerator Program bringing green energy job training opportunities to South Central Wisconsin in collaboration with Elevate.
- Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)coreFunding source and strategic partner for Restaurant Sustainability Network food waste reduction programming.
- Neighborhood Food Solutions (NFS)coreFood scraps collected at farmers' markets are delivered to NFS Farm which supports formerly incarcerated individuals in urban agriculture and teens in entrepreneurial training. Farm is located near Madison.
- Flynn Creek FarmminorAdditional farm destination for food scraps from farmers' market collection, helping rebuild and create healthy soil.
- Johns Hopkins UniversityminorResearch partnership on share tables program focused on reducing food waste in schools through a two-year research study.
- World Wildlife FundminorResearch partnership on share tables program for food waste reduction in schools.
- Green Box CompostminorPartner for school composting programs and community composting education in Sun Prairie.
- Epic SystemsminorCorporate partner providingWorkshops and career exposure for Powerful Teen Leaders participants.
- Exact SciencesminorCorporate partner for Powerful Teen Leaders program providingWorkshops and mentorship.
- Madison Gas & ElectricminorUtility partner for Powerful Teen Leaders providingWorkshops and green jobs exposure.
- UW ArboretumminorHost site for Powerful Teen Leaders programming and nature conservation education.
- Dane County ParksminorPartner for Powerful Teen Leaders programming including natural resources and conservation curriculum.
- Madison CollegeminorPartner for Powerful Teen Leaders providingWorkshops and educational programming.
- The Natural StepcoreScience-based sustainability framework used as the foundation for Sustain Dane's approach since founding in 1999. The framework provides system conditions for sustainability that guide all programs.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sustain Dane competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council: Wisconsin-based nonprofit that supports businesses in adopting sustainability practices through peer learning, workshops, and recognition programs. Closest direct peer to Sustain Dane in terms of member-driven business sustainability services within the state.
Regional players
- Clean Wisconsin: Statewide environmental advocacy organization focused on clean water, clean air, and clean energy in Wisconsin. Comparable as a Wisconsin-based nonprofit advancing sustainability outcomes, though it leans more on policy advocacy than membership education.
- RE-amp: Network of Midwest nonprofits and funders working on climate action and clean energy. Comparable to Sustain Dane as a Midwest sustainability coalition, but operating across states rather than at a single-county level.
- Midwest Renewable Energy Association: Wisconsin-based nonprofit promoting renewable energy and sustainable living through education, workshops, and events. Comparable as a regional sustainability education nonprofit, though its mission is narrower (renewable energy).
Broad incumbents
- Green America: National nonprofit that runs membership programs for individuals and businesses focused on sustainability and social responsibility. Comparable to Sustain Dane for its membership-based education model, but at a national rather than regional scale.
- U.S. Green Building Council: National membership organization advancing sustainable building practices through LEED certification, education, and local chapters. Comparable as a membership-driven sustainability education nonprofit, though focused on buildings rather than general community sustainability.
- Practice Greenhealth: Membership organization helping hospitals and health systems implement sustainability programs. Comparable given that UW Health is a Sustain Dane member and sponsor, and both serve institutional sustainability practitioners.
- Environment America: National federation of state-based environmental advocacy organizations, including Environment Wisconsin. Comparable as a nonprofit advancing environmental outcomes through education and advocacy, but operating across multiple states rather than one county.
- 1% for the Planet: Global nonprofit that connects businesses donating 1% of sales to environmental nonprofits. Comparable as a membership-driven sustainability organization linking companies to environmental action, though it operates primarily as a fiscal conduit rather than direct educator.
- Ceres: National sustainability nonprofit working with businesses, investors, and policymakers on climate and ESG issues. Comparable in engaging corporate sustainability leaders, though focused on policy and capital markets advocacy rather than local community programming.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sustain Dane social profiles
Digital presenceSustain Dane financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sustain Dane leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Sustain Dane funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sustain Dane M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sustain Dane
What does Sustain Dane do?
Sustain Dane is a nonprofit sustainability organization that provides sustainability education, programs, and memberships for businesses, nonprofits, governments, schools, and individuals in Dane County and Madison, WI. Its core offering is a multi-tiered annual membership program (Business Leaf/Tree/Forest, Nonprofit/Government, Individual, Student) bundled with access to a portfolio of educational workshops, networking events, and community action programs organized around a three-pronged framework: Learn, Connect, and Take Action.
Is Sustain Dane a public or private company?
Sustain Dane is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Sustain Dane founded?
Sustain Dane was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sustain Dane based?
Sustain Dane is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sustain Dane make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are program Sponsorships, event Revenue and grants and Donations.
Who are Sustain Dane's main competitors?
Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council is listed as a direct peer. Regional players are Clean Wisconsin, RE-amp and Midwest Renewable Energy Association. Broad incumbents are Green America, U.S. Green Building Council, Practice Greenhealth, Environment America, 1% for the Planet and Ceres.
Does Sustain Dane have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sustain Dane.