National Loon Center

What National Loon Center does

The National Loon Center Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Crosslake, Minnesota, that advances conservation of the common loon and freshwater ecosystems through research, education, and public stewardship. Founded around 2017-2019, the organization operates The Nest, a temporary information center in Crosslake Town Square, while constructing a 20,000-square-foot purpose-built facility scheduled to open in 2027. The new facility will house three levels of interactive exhibits designed in partnership with Dimensional Innovations, supported by 50 geothermal wells and a solar array for near net-zero energy operation. A live construction camera updates site progress every five minutes.

Core programs include the StewardShip pontoon boat for guided loon observation tours on Cross Lake, the annual Loons & Lakes Festival in its third year by 2026, Junior Loon Biologist youth programming, and the Loon Research Ambassador Program. Conservation initiatives focus on the Share Our Shoreline stewardship campaign and the Loons & Lead effort to eliminate lead fishing tackle, anchored by a flagship partnership with Lindy Fishing Tackle to convert its product line lead-free by 2027. Education programming is delivered in person ($100 per program) or virtually ($75), with travel fees of $0.72 per mile beyond 50 miles.

Revenue is generated through tax-deductible donations ($20-$500 tiers or custom), the Adopt-a-Loon program ($60 per adoption including plush toy and certificate), commemorative pavers ($250-$500), merchandise, pontoon tour tickets via Eventbrite, and government/foundation grants. The organization has secured $6.5 million in Minnesota legislative appropriations ($4 million in 2019 and $2.5 million in 2023), with additional research funding from the Ricketts Conservation Foundation and others. It is governed by an Executive Director (Jon Mobeck), supported by a Scientific Advisory Council, and operates through partnerships with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Birds Canada, Colorado State University, Tufts, Tulane, and a network of regional loon monitoring organizations across 14+ states.

Name

National Loon Center

Legal name

National Loon Center Foundation

Website

https://nationallooncenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Education

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

National Park & Protected Area Tours (THAJAIAA)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation
• Freshwater conservation
• Environmental education
• Lake ecosystem research
• Avian research

Headquarters

HQ city

Crosslake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations to the 501(c)3 nonprofit foundation, accepted via online forms, mail, and various donation tiers ($20, $50, $100, $500, or custom amounts). Donations support building construction and ongoing conservation programs.
2. Adopt-a-Loon Program: Household adoption program at $60 providing an adoption certificate, loon plush toy (that makes the loon call), and special edition sticker. Can be purchased as a gift for others.
3. Commemorative Pavers: Commemorative paver sales at $250 (4x8 paver with 3 lines, 20 characters per line) or $500 (8x8 paver with 6 lines), placed at the main entrance. Tax-deductible donations supporting the center.
4. Loon Pontoon Tours and Programs: Various pontoon tour programs including Loon Pontoon Tours, Loon Watcher Training, Loon Research Tours, Loon Pontoon Workshops, and Junior Loon Biologist programs. Tickets sold via Eventbrite.
5. Educational Programming: Educational travel programs for schools, camps, scouts, and community groups. Standard program fee of $100, virtual programs at $75, plus $0.72/mile for travel beyond 50 miles. Fee reductions available for schools and youth groups.
6. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling merchandise including apparel, with a limited return policy as a nonprofit organization. Exchanges for apparel sizes available upon request.
7. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from Minnesota's Outdoor Heritage Fund (Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment), Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund, and other government appropriations including $4 million approved by Minnesota lawmakers in 2019 and $2.5 million allocated in 2023.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

National Loon Center Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advances loon and freshwater conservation through research, education, and immersive visitor experiences. It sells adopt-a-loon memberships, commemorative pavers, pontoon tours, educational travel programs, youth programming, an annual festival, and a Research Ambassador volunteer program, and is building a near net-zero energy visitor facility.

Product overview

The National Loon Center is a nonprofit research and education organization operating a visitor center (The Nest) in Crosslake, Minnesota, with a new 20,000-square-foot facility opening in 2027. Its portfolio centers on conservation programs (Adopt-a-Loon, Loons & Lead), educational offerings (Loon Pontoon Tours on The StewardShip, Junior Loon Biologist, Educational Travel Programs), public events (Loons & Lakes Festival), and citizen science initiatives (Loon Research Ambassador Program, Share Our Shoreline). The organization functions as a single unified mission rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, with programs designed to advance loon and freshwater research, education, and conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Minnesota's Common Loon population has been stable over the last two decades despite declines in Canada.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Lindy Fishing TackleflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2024First company to sign the Loons & Lakes Legacy Pledge, committing to make their entire product line lead-free and loon-friendly by 2027. This partnership advances the lead-free fishing initiative.
• Dimensional InnovationscoreTechnology or IntegrationExhibit design partner working with the National Loon Center to curate immersive, high-tech exhibits inside the future facility. Three stories of interactive exhibits are being developed to immerse visitors in the life of a loon.
• Crosslake-Ideal Lions ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for Music in the Square at the Loons & Lakes Festival, contributing to community engagement.
• Tremolo Brewing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTremolo sponsor ($2,500 level) for Loons & Lakes Festival, providing financial support for the annual event.
• Renewal by AndersenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYodel sponsor ($1,000 level) for Loons & Lakes Festival.
• LeafFilter Gutter ProtectionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYodel sponsor ($1,000 level) for Loons & Lakes Festival.
• Sporting Lead-FreeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWyoming-based organization of hunters and anglers with educational initiative to reduce lead consumption by wildlife. Partnership on lead-free messaging and education.
• Get The Lead Out (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPCA educational program to protect and restore Common Loon populations in Minnesota. Previously held over 200 tackle exchanges collecting 8,000 lbs of lead and distributing 50,000 sample packets of lead-free tackle.
• Minnesota Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on loon monitoring programs, Volunteer Loon Watcher Survey training, and Minnesota Loon Restoration Project. DNR provides nongame wildlife specialists and conservation officers for loon rescue coordination.
• Journey NorthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecruitment of lake goers across North America to submit ice-out dates and first sightings of loons in spring through the Journey North citizen science platform.
• Birds CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Canadian Lakes Loon Survey and 2026 research project investigating effects of water clarity on Common Loon productivity across the breeding range.
• Colorado State University Bird Genoscape LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for the Common Loon Genoscape Project using cutting-edge genomic tools to analyze genetic variation across individual loons from across their range.
• Glacier National ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership addressing knowledge gaps in Common Loon populations east of the Continental Divide in Montana, with expansion of partnerships with the Blackfeet Nation.
• Tufts UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment of e-book and video on Common Loon anatomy and necropsy techniques to aid the international loon research and educational communities.
• Tulane UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership studying how wintering strategy affects diet and causes of mortality in Common Loons, testing feathers to determine wintering habitats.
• QuébecOiseauxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngaging Northern Québec communities in loon conservation and lake stewardship, expanding monitoring coverage with First Nations communities.
• Loon Preservation Committee (New Hampshire)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for NH Annual Loon Census and field volunteer programs.
• Adirondack Center for Loon ConservationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for NY Annual Loon Census and loon rescue efforts.
• Michigan Loon Preservation AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Michigan Loonwatch program and injured/dead loon reporting.
• Vermont Center for EcostudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for VT July LoonWatch and Adopt-a-Lake programs.
• Jocasse Wild (Lake Jocassee)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting organization for winter and spring migration loon research at Lake Jocassee, SC, including first-ever study of loons wintering in a freshwater environment.
• Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release (Crystal)minorOthersMinnesota wildlife rehabilitation facility for injured loons.
• Wild and Free (Garrison)minorOthersMinnesota wildlife rehabilitation center providing X-ray and treatment for injured loons including boat propeller strikes.
• International Wolf CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisit MN Partners - fellow Minnesota wildlife conservation organization featured as part of regional conservation tourism network.
• International Owl CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisit MN Partners - fellow Minnesota wildlife conservation organization featured as part of regional conservation tourism network.
• National Eagle CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisit MN Partners - fellow Minnesota wildlife conservation organization featured as part of regional conservation tourism network.
• North American Bear CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisit MN Partners - fellow Minnesota wildlife conservation organization featured as part of regional conservation tourism network.
• Brainerd Lakes Area Audubon SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExhibitor and partner for guided bird walks at the Loons & Lakes Festival.
• Crow Wing SWCDminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExhibitor at Loons & Lakes Festival representing the Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District.
• Freshwater SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExhibitor at Loons & Lakes Festival focusing on freshwater conservation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Wolf Center: Minnesota-based nonprofit wildlife conservation center offering interpretive exhibits, educational programs, and visitor experiences focused on wolves. Directly comparable as a same-state single-species wildlife center with an Exhibit MN partnership and similar visitor-center-and-education model.
• Vermont Center for Ecostudies: Vermont nonprofit conducting ecological research and citizen-science-driven conservation programs including loon monitoring. Comparable as a regional wildlife/conservation nonprofit that combines research, citizen science, and public engagement.
• National Eagle Center: Nonprofit eagle-focused education and conservation center on the Mississippi River in Minnesota offering interpretive programs, exhibits, and visitor experiences. Closely mirrors NLC's combination of purpose-built visitor center, single-species focus, education programming, and conservation mission.
• North American Bear Center: Minnesota-based nonprofit bear conservation and education center with interpretive exhibits, programs, and visitor experiences. Comparable as a same-state single-species wildlife center operating an exhibit-driven visitor model with conservation and research components.
• International Owl Center: Minnesota-based nonprofit dedicated to owl conservation through exhibits, educational programs, and visitor engagement. Directly comparable as a single-species wildlife nonprofit with an Exhibit MN partnership and aligned education-and-conservation model.
• Michigan Loon Preservation Association: Michigan nonprofit focused on loon preservation through Loonwatch monitoring, public education, and injured/dead loon reporting. Directly comparable as a state-level loon conservation peer with overlapping monitoring and rescue functions.
• Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation: New York-based nonprofit dedicated to loon research, conservation, and public education in the Adirondacks. Comparable as a regional single-species loon organization running loon census, rescue, and education programs.
• Loon Preservation Committee of New Hampshire: New Hampshire nonprofit dedicated to loon conservation through monitoring, research, and education. Directly comparable as a regional single-species loon organization with overlapping volunteer census, rescue, and research programs.

Broad incumbents

• Ducks Unlimited: Large national waterfowl and wetland conservation nonprofit with habitat programs, research, and policy advocacy. Comparable as a broader waterfowl-and-wetland incumbent whose freshwater and habitat missions overlap with NLC's lake conservation scope.
• National Audubon Society: Large national avian conservation nonprofit operating sanctuaries, research, advocacy, and education programs across many bird species. Comparable as a broader incumbent in bird conservation whose chapters and centers intersect with NLC's citizen-science networks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nationallooncenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationallooncenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-loon-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 National Loon Center