Homewood Science Center

What Homewood Science Center does

Homewood Science Center is a nonprofit community science center founded in 2016 and headquartered at 18022 Dixie Highway in Homewood, Illinois. It serves families, students (ages 3-14), and schools across Chicago's culturally and economically diverse Southland suburbs and Northwest Indiana. The center delivers hands-on STEM and STEAM learning through a portfolio of free and paid programs: weekly drop-in STEM Saturdays (free), Family Fridays ($10/child), summer camps ($100-$150/student), NGSS-aligned school field trips ($200-$400/group), competitive robotics teams (HF Robotics FIRST LEGO League and Tech Ninja FIRST Tech Challenge), a Conservation Ecology Internship for middle schoolers at Izaak Walton Preserve, the Girls STEAM Celebration, and a Dungeons & Dragons STEM Club. Its physical footprint centers on Imagination Playground, STEAM Studio, Little Learners Room, and the Michael Wexler Theater, with sensory-friendly programming and online resources (PopUp SCIENCE, Citizen Science: All About Birds) extending reach beyond the site.

The organization operates a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining philanthropic support with earned program revenue. Primary income streams include individual and corporate donations (including the Founders' Club legacy giving program and corporate members), event sponsorships ($500 per STEM Saturday), grant funding (notably Cook County CDBG for school field trips), program fees for camps, field trips, and Family Fridays, facility rentals ($300-$500), and corporate sponsorship of robotics teams (e.g., Schneider Electric). Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct family engagement at the center, school partnerships, community events, volunteer programs, social media, and email newsletters. The center powers the Chicago Southland STEM Network (originally South Suburban STEAM Network), which joined the national STEM Learning Ecosystems collaborative in 2018 alongside EvanSTEM and Chicago STEM Pathways Cooperative.

The organization is governed by a 13+ member board (Jeff McClain as President, Aimee Matthys as Vice-President) and led by Executive Director Edie Dobrez, with a small operational team of 6 staff including educators, an operations manager, a marketing contractor, and a STEM program associate. Strategic affiliations with the University of Chicago, Forest Preserves of Cook County, Izaak Walton Preserve, Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Village of Homewood, Governors State University, and Cornell Lab of Ornithology supply subject-matter expertise and curricular credibility. In 2025 the center reported nearly 4,000 household visits to STEM Saturdays and is conducting a year-long 10-year anniversary celebration culminating in SUMMER Fest 2026 at Idlewild Country Club on July 23, 2026.

Name

Homewood Science Center

Legal name

Homewood Science Center

Website

https://homewoodsciencecenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Homewood Science Center is a nonprofit community science center in Homewood, Illinois, founded in 2016. It provides free and paid hands-on STEM and STEAM programs — including weekly STEM Saturdays, summer camps, field trips, robotics teams, and girls' STEAM events — for families and schools across Chicago's Southland suburbs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Services

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAG

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAMABAA

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/STEM Enrichment & Science Programs

SECONDARYEDAAAFAL

STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

SECONDARYEDAMALAC

STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

SECONDARYEDAMADAC

Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Robotics, Engineering & Makerspaces

SECONDARYEDAMABAB

Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/STEM Enrichment & Science Programs

Keywords

• STEM education programs
• Community science center
• Hands-on learning exhibits
• School field trips
• Youth STEAM programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Homewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations supporting free and low-cost STEM programming. Includes Founders Club legacy giving program and general donations.
2. Program Fees: Fees for Family Fridays ($10/child), summer camps ($100-$150/student), and some field trips. Most core programs like STEM Saturdays are free.
3. Facility Rentals: Single-use rental of Michael Wexler Theater ($300) or Theater + STEAM Studio combo ($500) for community events, workshops, and celebrations up to 50 people.
4. Sponsorships: Sponsorships for specific programs like STEM Saturdays ($500/event) and event sponsorships for SUMMER Fest fundraiser.
5. Robotics Team Support: Support from community donors and corporate sponsors (e.g., Schneider Electric) for HF Robotics and Tech Ninja teams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Homewood Science Center is a nonprofit community science center operating hands-on STEM and STEAM learning experiences for families, children, teens, and school groups. It delivers free drop-in family programs (STEM Saturdays), paid family programs (Family Fridays, summer camps), NGSS-aligned school field trips, competitive robotics teams (FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge), a conservation ecology internship, and event facility rentals. Programming emphasizes accessibility, equity, and career exploration across Chicago's Southland suburbs.

Product overview

Homewood Science Center is a nonprofit community science center offering a diverse portfolio of hands-on STEM and STEAM learning programs. The organization provides free and paid family programs (STEM Saturdays and Family Fridays), seasonal summer camps spanning robotics to astronomy, school field trips aligned with NGSS standards, competitive robotics teams (HF Robotics with FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge), youth internships in conservation ecology, and specialty programs like Girls STEAM Celebration and Dungeons & Dragons Club. Additional offerings include interactive exhibits (Imagination Playground, STEAM Studio, Little Learners Room), facility rentals for events, and online educational resources including PopUp Science and Citizen Science initiatives. The center serves families, students (ages 3-14), schools, and community groups across Chicago's south suburbs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STEM Saturdays Weekly free drop-in STEM activities for families held every Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM, featuring hands-on experiments, interactive exhibits, creative building, and playful challenges for caregivers and children.
• Family Fridays Weekly paid family STEM program held every Friday from 3 PM to 6 PM, offering hands-on play, engaging exhibits, and guided demos for children and caregivers at $10 per child.
• Summer Camps Seasonal STEM and STEAM camps for children ages 5 to 14, including robotics, engineering, art, science, anatomy, healthcare, astronomy, and Dungeons & Dragons themed camps, priced $100-$150 per student.
• School Field Trips Standards-aligned hands-on STEM learning experiences for school groups serving PreK-8th grade, including facilitated and self-guided options across multiple thematic programs such as HSC Explore!, Energy Explorers, Green Lab, and Roller Coasters.
• HF Robotics Youth robotics program featuring FIRST LEGO League (grades 4-8) and FIRST Tech Challenge teams (grades 7-12), including the Tech Ninja competitive robotics team.
• Conservation Ecology Internship Middle school STEM internship for 6th-8th graders focused on ecology and environmental science, featuring fieldwork at Izaak Walton Preserve and community conservation projects.
• Dungeons & Dragons STEM Club Cooperative storytelling game program encouraging social interaction, creative thinking, and mathematical reasoning through collaborative tabletop role-playing adventures.
• Girls STEAM Celebration Free STEAM career exploration event for middle school girls featuring hands-on activities, mentorship from STEAM professionals, and career pathway connections.
• Facility Rentals Single-use event space rentals including Michael Wexler Theater ($300) and Theater + STEAM Studio combo ($500), offering flexible options for community events, workshops, and celebrations up to 50 people.
• Interactive Exhibits Hands-on science exhibits including Imagination Playground (foam block play designed by David Rockwell), STEAM Studio (maker space), Little Learners Room (for young children), Ball Wall, Ramps and Pathways, and Sensory-Friendly Hour.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 4,000 household visits to STEM Saturdays in 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• STEM Learning EcosystemscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Chicago Southland STEM Network (originally South Suburban STEAM Network) joined the national STEM Learning Ecosystems in 2018, recognized alongside EvanSTEM and Chicago STEM Pathways Cooperative.
• Village of HomewoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVillage of Homewood supported the establishment of Homewood Science Center in 2016. Village Trustee and Board member Jay Heiferman served on the project team that guided the Village's effort to establish the science center.
• Forest Preserves of Cook CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEM enthusiasts and experts from Forest Preserves of Cook County lead special presentations at STEM Saturdays and family programs.
• University of ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEM experts from University of Chicago Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics (teacher Juliet Crowell for Explore the Universe camp) and other departments lead special presentations at STEM Saturdays.
• Izaak Walton PreservecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFieldwork location for Conservation Ecology Internship. Students conduct fieldwork at the preserve at 1100 Ridge Road in Homewood for hands-on ecology experience.
• Governors State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member John Sowa, Ph.D. is Professor of Chemistry at Governors State University. Provides academic expertise and potential partnership for STEM programming.
• Homewood-Flossmoor High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for Girls STEAM Celebration 2026. Home school for Tech Ninja FTC robotics team. Represents local school partnership essential to programming.
• Cornell Lab of OrnithologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitizen Science: All About Birds program utilizes free resources from Cornell Lab's Celebrate Urban Birds citizen science project.
• EvanSTEMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional STEM ecosystem partner recognized alongside Chicago Southland STEM Network as part of the Chicago Metropolitan STEM ecosystems continuum.
• Chicago STEM Pathways CooperativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional STEM ecosystem partner recognized alongside Chicago Southland STEM Network as part of the Chicago Metropolitan STEM ecosystems continuum.
• Aesha Jackson (In Memory)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemorial partnership honoring Aesha Jackson, a passionate engineer and STEM advocate. Aesha Jackson STEAM Leader Award ($1,000) created in her memory at Girls STEAM Celebration to elevate young STEAM leaders.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Explora: Hands-on science center in Albuquerque with exhibits, family programs, and school field trips — comparable mission and operating model to HSC, with a similar mid-size scale.
• Sciencenter: Community science center in Ithaca, NY with hands-on exhibits, camps, and school programming — comparable in scale and community nonprofit model.
• DuPage Children's Museum: Suburban Chicago children's museum focused on hands-on STEAM learning for early childhood and elementary audiences, with field trips and family programs — directly comparable in audience and operating model.
• COSI (Center of Science and Industry): Mid-size community science center with hands-on exhibits, camps, and school field trips — directly comparable in programming mix and nonprofit operating model, though at larger scale.
• SciTech Hands On Museum: STEM/STEAM-focused hands-on science center in Aurora, IL serving suburban Chicago families and school groups with exhibits, camps, and outreach — comparable in mission and audience.
• Discovery Center Museum: Hands-on family science museum in Rockford, IL with a similar mid-size community footprint, exhibit-based programming, and school field trip model — directly comparable in scope and audience.
• Children's Museum in Oak Lawn: Suburban Chicago children's museum serving south-suburban families with hands-on exhibits and school programming — comparable in geographic footprint and community-nonprofit positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum: Chicago-area nature museum with hands-on exhibits and school field trips — overlapping in audience and educational mission but operating at a much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Adler Planetarium: Chicago-area science institution with STEM programming, camps, and school outreach — overlapping in audience and STEM education mission, but with a much broader portfolio and scale.
• Museum of Science and Industry: Major Chicago science museum with extensive STEM exhibits and school programming — overlapping in mission and field-trip audience but at a fundamentally larger scale and with broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/homewood-science-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Homewood Science Center