Evanston Environmental Association Inc

What Evanston Environmental Association Inc does

Evanston Environmental Association Inc (EEA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in 1976 and headquartered in Evanston, Illinois. It serves as the private fundraising and programmatic partner to the City of Evanston-operated Evanston Ecology Center, which was dedicated in 1974 and is the namesake predecessor of the organization. EEA operates with an all-volunteer board and no paid staff, with reported headcount of 1–10 personnel.

EEA's core offerings span community education, environmental stewardship, and member engagement. Programs include the Native Plant Sale, the Garden Walk and SAGE programs (acquired in 2012 from Keep Evanston Beautiful), the Wild & Scenic Film Festival (launched 2012), the Livable Landscapes partnership program (launched 2015 with the City of Evanston and Nature's Perspective), scholarships, and the Omohundro Award. In 2020, EEA funded a feasibility study for a new Canoe Launch. Capital activity includes the $850,000 Ecology Center addition project in 2004 and a $43,000 donation in 2016 for classroom enlargement.

The organization's revenue model relies on membership fees, donations, event revenue, and sponsorships. EEA's technology stack is composed of commodity SaaS tools — Wild Apricot for membership management, PayPal for donations, VerticalResponse for email, Zoom for webinars, and Google Forms for volunteer intake — with no proprietary platform or AI/ML components. Its single most consequential external relationship is with the City of Evanston, which operates the Ecology Center facility that EEA financially supports.

Name

Evanston Environmental Association Inc

Legal name

Evanston Environmental Association

Website

https://evanstonenvironment.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Evanston Environmental Association Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 that fundraises for and supports the City of Evanston-operated Ecology Center through environmental education, stewardship programs, and community events for Evanston, Illinois residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education and Community Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Community ecology programs
• Native plant sales
• Environmental film festival

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues from individuals, families, and organizations. Members receive discounts on EEA events including the plant sale and garden walk.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from supporters, processed through PayPal on the organization's website.
3. Event Revenue: Ticket sales for events including Wild & Scenic Film Festival and Evanston Garden Walk.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events and programs including Garden Walk, SAGE, and Film Festival, promoted through email blasts, social media, print, radio, and local websites.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Evanston Environmental Association (EEA) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit that supports the programs of the City of Evanston's Evanston Ecology Center. It sells annual memberships, hosts community events (Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Evanston Garden Walk, Bird Buzz Native Plant Sale), runs school and stormwater programs (SAGE, Livable Landscapes), and funds scholarships, awards, and Ecology Center improvements through memberships, donations, event tickets, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

The Evanston Environmental Association (EEA) operates as a single unified non-profit organization that supports the Evanston Ecology Center and promotes environmental awareness through multiple interconnected programs. The core offerings include the Wild & Scenic Film Festival (annual environmental film event), Bird Buzz Native Plant Sale (native plant sales with educational webinars), Evanston Garden Walk (garden tours), SAGE school gardening program, and Livable Landscapes stormwater management initiative. Additional programs include a canoe launch on the North Shore Channel, summer camp scholarships, and the Omohundro Award. EEA functions as a 501(c)(3) non-profit with an all-volunteer Board of Directors, relying on membership fees, donations, and sponsorships to fund operations and support the Ecology Center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EEA Membership Annual membership subscription open to individuals, families, and organizations. Members receive a 20% discount on the native plant sale and the garden walk, supporting the Evanston Ecology Center and EEA programming.
• Wild & Scenic Film Festival Annual outdoor environmental film festival featuring curated selections from the largest environmental film festival in the U.S., with themed lineups such as 'Water Tales' and 'Wild Women'. Tickets available to EEA members at a discounted rate, with student and public pricing tiers.
• Evanston Garden Walk Annual self-guided garden tour showcasing private gardens throughout Evanston. Open to EEA members, non-members, groups, and day-of-event attendees with tiered ticket pricing.
• Bird Buzz Native Plant Sale Annual sale of native plants that support regional ecosystems, including species that benefit the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee. Includes an online educational webinar and an in-person pickup event at James Park Fieldhouse. Members receive a 20% discount.
• SAGE (Schools Are Gardening in Evanston) School gardening program supporting environmental education in Evanston schools through hands-on gardening activities. Originally developed by Keep Evanston Beautiful and integrated into the EEA in late 2012.
• Livable Landscapes Stormwater management program created in 2015 in partnership with the City of Evanston and Nature's Perspective. Helps Evanston residents manage stormwater through landscape planting strategies.

Quantifiable outcome

• $850,000 project funded for major Ecology Center addition in 2004, mostly from private donations and State of Illinois grants
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of EvanstoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with the City of Evanston. The EEA was formed in 1976 to support the Evanston Ecology Center, which is a City-operated facility. The EEA provides fundraising, volunteer, and programming support. The City Council approved a resolution for joint financial planning for Ecology Center self-reliance.
• Keep Evanston Beautiful (KEB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo programs developed by Keep Evanston Beautiful - Evanston Garden Walk and SAGE (Schools Are Gardening in Evanston) - were integrated into the EEA in late 2012.
• Nature's PerspectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with EEA and City of Evanston in 2015 to start Livable Landscapes program, helping residents manage stormwater with planting strategies.
• Rotary ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Logo displayed on event materials.
• DTE EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Logo displayed on event materials.
• Spirited GardenerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Logo displayed on event materials.
• Urban CanopyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Logo displayed on event materials.
• Garden Club of EvanstonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with EEA and Highland Garden Club in 1986 to construct the Dr. Margery Carlson greenhouse.
• Highland Garden ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with EEA and Garden Club of Evanston in 1986 to construct the Dr. Margery Carlson greenhouse.
• Junior LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with City of Evanston and EEA in 1980 for a lighthouse improvement project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Citizens for Conservation: Barrington-area (Illinois) nonprofit focused on land preservation, native plant restoration, and environmental education. Comparable small-staff/volunteer nonprofit model focused on community environmental programs in northern Illinois.
• Friends of the Chicago River: Chicago-area nonprofit focused on watershed health, ecology, and environmental education along the Chicago River system. Comparable community-based nonprofit model with education programs and event-driven fundraising.
• Openlands: Chicago-region conservation nonprofit focused on land protection, ecology, and urban green space. Operates in the same broader geography as EEA with overlapping environmental education and habitat preservation mission.
• Garden Club of Evanston: Long-time partner of EEA that co-constructed the Dr. Margery Carlson greenhouse in 1986. Local gardening and conservation-focused civic organization with overlapping Evanston membership base.
• Keep Evanston Beautiful: Local Evanston environmental nonprofit whose programs (Evanston Garden Walk and SAGE) were integrated into EEA in 2012. Operates in the same geography with overlapping mission around community environmental education and stewardship.
• Illinois Environmental Council: Statewide coalition of environmental and conservation organizations. Comparable nonprofit advocacy and education model, with member organizations across Illinois including community-based groups like EEA.
• Chicago Audubon Society: Local Audubon chapter focused on bird conservation and environmental education in the Chicago region. Comparable member-based nonprofit model with field trips, educational programming, and conservation advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• The Morton Arboretum: Large regional tree-focused botanical garden and research institution in suburban Chicago. Offers environmental education, native plant programs, and member-based programming — a much larger and more institutional version of EEA's model.
• Sierra Club Illinois Chapter: Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club — a much larger environmental advocacy and outdoor-recreation organization with comparable education and conservation mission across the same state geography.
• Forest Preserves of Cook County: Government agency managing 70,000+ acres of public land in Cook County. Operates nature centers, environmental education programming, and volunteer opportunities in the same region as EEA — a far larger institutional counterpart.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/evanston-environmental-association

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Evanston Environmental Association Inc