Catholic Ecology Center

What Catholic Ecology Center does

The Catholic Ecology Center (CEC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Catholic ecology ministry founded in 2021 by Joe Meyer in Neosho, Wisconsin, operating as the main ministry of Laudato Si' Project (a parent non-profit founded by Meyer in 2016). The organization operates on a 60-acre campus that is part of a 225-acre preserve complex (co-purchased with Camp SIM/Sussex IM to prevent residential development) and serves Catholic schools, parishes, families, homeschool groups, youth, and adult pilgrims through faith-integrated ecological programming, retreats, summer camps, land stewardship, and facility rentals.

Core offerings include hands-on educational programs aligned with school standards and scout merit badges, faith-based retreats for parishes and schools, summer day camps (Explorer, Wilderness Survival, Canoe, Farm), the Clare Gardens organic farm producing 20,000+ lbs of produce annually (a ministry of Trinity Senior Services), an Artist-in-Residence program, wildlife monitoring projects, animal sponsorships, and 5+ miles of public trails. Physical infrastructure comprises the Wayne and Donna Neu Building (with chapel, classrooms, viewing deck), JP II Hall (2,600 sq ft, seats 150), St. Francis Hall, Holy Family Chapel, Ecology Yurt, bunk cabins, picnic shelters, and canoe access on the Rubicon River. Sustainability features include a 36kW solar array producing 80-100% of main building electricity, geothermal HVAC, green roof, and greywater recycling.

The revenue model is multi-stream and small-scale: tiered annual memberships ($20 Student, $40 Individual, $60 Family, $100+ Business), facility rentals ($40-$690 per event/night), donations and engraved-path-brick fundraising ($2,500), educational animal sponsorships ($6-$750), student/family/school program sponsorships ($30-$750), canoe rentals ($20-$30/day), and gift cards. The CEC is volunteer-driven (675 volunteers in 2025) and serves 70+ schools, parishes, and organizations with 1,025 hours of programming. As of 2026, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has designated the CEC an official pilgrimage site for the Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi (Jan 10, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027).

Name

Catholic Ecology Center

Legal name

Catholic Ecology Center

Website

https://catholicecologycenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Catholic Ecology Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Catholic faith-ecology ministry in Neosho, Wisconsin, providing hands-on ecological education, retreats, summer camps, land stewardship, and facility rentals on a 60-acre campus serving Catholic schools, parishes, families, and pilgrims.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Agricultural Services (700), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Agritourism Eco-Lodges & Farm Nature Stays (THAAAHAL), Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Environmental education programs
• Faith-based retreat services
• Summer youth camps
• Venue rental services
• Land stewardship projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Neosho

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Memberships: Annual memberships in tiers: Student ($20), Individual ($40), Family ($60), Business ($100+). Memberships provide free snowshoe/cross-country ski use, priority registration for programs, and discounts.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations accepted via PayPal, check, and Venmo. Unrestricted gifts of $5,000+ qualify for an engraved Monarch Butterfly Plaque in the hallway. Engraved bricks along the Holy Family path sold for $2,500 each.
3. Facility Rentals: Multiple rentable spaces including JP II Hall, St. Francis Hall, Holy Family Chapel, Frassati Breakout Room, St. Kateri Classroom, Ecology Yurt, SIM Retreat House, Bunk Cabins, Picnic Shelters, and canoes. Rental revenue varies by space, duration, group size, and whether the renter is a member.
4. Animal Sponsorships: Monthly and annual sponsorships for educational animals including owls ($60/month, $750/year), box turtles ($30/month), salamanders ($12/month), fish ($24/month), tree frogs ($20/month), and walking sticks ($6/month).
5. Student, Family, and School Sponsorships: Program sponsorship to enable underserved students ($30), families ($100), or school/parish groups ($750) to attend CEC retreats or programs.
6. Program & Workshop Gift Cards: Gift cards available in any amount for programs, workshops, and events. Certificate delivered via email within 72 hours.
7. Canoe Rentals: Canoe rental on the Rubicon River: $30/day per canoe for 1-2 canoes, $20/day per canoe for 3-12 canoes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Catholic Ecology Center delivers hands-on ecological education programs, Catholic faith-based retreats, summer day camps, land stewardship service projects, facility rentals (halls, chapel, classrooms, cabins, yurt, retreat house), canoe rentals on the Rubicon River, and membership-based recreation access on a roughly 60-acre campus in Neosho, Wisconsin. It also operates Clare Gardens, a five-plus acre organic farm producing over 20,000 pounds of vegetables annually, and an Artist in Residence program, with revenue drawn from memberships, donations, program fees, rental income, and animal sponsorships.

Product overview

The Catholic Ecology Center is a non-profit ministry (a ministry of Laudato Si' Project) offering a diverse portfolio of programs and services centered on connecting faith and ecology. The organization operates on a 60-acre campus (part of a 225-acre preserve) in Neosho, Wisconsin, providing educational programs, retreats, recreation, and facility rentals. Core offerings include Educational Programs (hands-on ecology for schools, families, and individuals), Retreats and Faith Programs, Summer Programs and Camps, Clare Gardens Organic Farm, Artist in Residence Program, Animal Sponsorships, Stewardship Service Projects, and Recreation activities. The center also offers extensive Facility and Venue Rentals including halls, chapel, classrooms, yurt, cabins, and camping. Membership Program provides tiered access with benefits including equipment lending and priority registration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 8,000 people served in 2025; over 30,000 total since 2021
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Laudato Si' ProjectcoreOthers · 1 January 2021The Catholic Ecology Center is the main ministry of Laudato Si' Project, the parent non-profit founded by Joe Meyer in 2016. The CEC began in 2021 as the natural next step for Laudato Si' Project to expand its ministry. Both organizations share the mission of connecting Catholic faith with creation care. CEC's legal name for its 501(c)(3) status is 'Laudato Si Project.'
• Camp SIM / Sussex IMcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Camp SIM Training Center is a newly created camp for employees of Sussex IM. The partnership between CEC and Camp SIM allowed both organizations to jointly purchase the former Girl Scout camp, preventing it from being sold for development. The combined 225-acre property enables preservation and educational use. Camp SIM uses its adjacent property for company events; CEC uses the SIM Retreat House as a rental option and engages Sussex IM employees in ecology programs. Keith Everson, CEO of Sussex IM, serves on the CEC Board of Directors.
• Trinity Senior Services / Trinity WoodscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClare Gardens Organic Farm is a ministry of Trinity Senior Services operating on the CEC campus. Clare Gardens grows produce for Trinity's retirement communities in Milwaukee including its new intergenerational community, Trinity Woods. Produce is also sold at the CEC in fall and donated to local food pantries. The partnership integrates sustainable food production with senior nutrition and community.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Genesis Spiritual Life Center / Genesis Farm: Long-standing Catholic ecology and retreat center on a working farm in Blairstown, NJ. Direct comparable: combines Catholic faith formation, organic gardening, ecological education, and retreat programming on a single rural campus — virtually identical ministry model to CEC, just in a different region.
• Mercy Center Burlingame: Catholic retreat and conference center in Burlingame, CA offering retreats, spiritual direction, and ecology programming. Direct peer: shares retreat + faith formation + facility rental model, though it has a stronger spiritual-direction/retreat tradition and a less explicit ecological-land-stewardship focus than CEC.
• St. Benedict Center / Christ the King Priory: Benedictine monastery and retreat center in Schuyler, NE operating a working monastery farm, retreat house, and rural hospitality programs. Direct peer: combines Catholic monastic life, retreat hosting, and working-land stewardship in a similar rural single-site operating model.
• La Vista Ecological Learning Center: Catholic-sponsored ecology center in Godfrey, IL (along the Mississippi River) operated by the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Directly comparable: ecological education, retreats, land stewardship, and faith-based programming on a nature campus, targeting schools and faith communities in the Midwest.
• Holy Wisdom Monastery: Benedictine monastery and retreat center in Middleton, WI focused on contemplative ecology, prairie/wetland restoration, and spirituality programs on a 90+ acre preserve. Direct peer: combines faith community, ecological restoration, retreat/event rentals, and stewardship programs within driving distance of CEC's market.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Climate Covenant: National U.S. Catholic organization advancing the Laudato Si' message and creation care across parishes and schools. Broad peer: addresses the same faith-and-ecology integration at scale but as a national umbrella/network rather than operating a single campus ministry like CEC.
• GreenFaith: Interfaith environmental organization running faith-based creation care programs, retreats, and advocacy. Broad peer: comparable faith-and-ecology mission and audience, with emphasis on mobilization networks and training rather than a single destination campus.

Regional players

• Cathedral of St. Paul Outdoor Camp / Faith-Based Camps (e.g., Camp Tekakwitha): Catholic summer camp and outdoor retreat programs in the upper Midwest (CEC educator Garrett Mihalski previously served at Camp Tekakwitha). Comparable as a faith-based outdoor camp and retreat provider sharing programming language, target audience, and regional geography, though without CEC's ecology-and-pilgrimage mission layer.

Others

• Trinity Senior Services / Trinity Woods: Operator of Trinity Woods intergenerational retirement community in Milwaukee and existing CEC partner for Clare Gardens organic farm output. Not a competitor; included as an adjacent/partner organization whose food-service and senior-living demand supports CEC's farm program.
• Laudato Si' Project (Parent Organization): CEC's parent 501(c)(3) founded by Joe Meyer in 2016, which still operates as a parallel ministry. Listed as an adjacent/parent entity for completeness rather than as a true peer — they share mission and founder but operate at different scales (umbrella vs. destination campus).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catholic-ecology-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Catholic Ecology Center