caribbean student environmental alliance

What caribbean student environmental alliance does

Caribbean Student Environmental Alliance (CSEA), doing business as WaterWays and WaterWays Caribbean, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004 that delivers youth-focused environmental education and clean water programs in the Caribbean Basin and the Tennessee Valley. Its core offerings are educational in nature rather than technology products: hands-on camps such as Kids 4 Clean Water and Rainforest to Reef, afterschool programs including SEA Creatures, Stream Teams and the Adopt-A-Waterway initiative, teacher training workshops delivered in partnership with Project Learning Tree, and physical infrastructure projects like constructed wetland filters and bioswale installations. The organization has reached "thousands of students and teachers" cumulatively across reported countries including St. Lucia, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, and Curacao, alongside Tennessee Valley communities in Chattanooga, with named school partners such as Ciceron Secondary School, Dominica Community High School, and Red Bank Elementary.

The underlying technology is a curriculum and citizen science toolkit rather than a software platform. Programs rely on water quality testing, snorkeling-based reef education, school-based curriculum integration, and volunteer-led installation of green infrastructure. The organization's intellectual property is concentrated in its Caribbean-specific curriculum, branded program portfolio, and over 15 years of operational track record including a 2005 St. Lucia Biodiversity Award and a 2016 National Science & Technology Fair win.

Revenue is generated through a mix of tax-deductible individual donations, corporate sponsorships and grants (e.g., La Mer/Estee Lauder, VW Chattanooga, Tennessee American Water, LUCELEC, Domlec, Rotary Clubs), event-based fundraising (Save Water Drink Wine, Bass Tournaments, Paddling Film Festival), and a social enterprise resale shop called the Gear Closet located in Chattanooga, TN. Programs are offered free to participants. Leadership is lean and distributed: Executive Director Mary Beth Sutton operates from Chattanooga while Caribbean Programme Director Nadia Cazaubon runs the St. Lucia office; a Board of Directors and a Young Professionals Advisory Board (established 2017) provide governance and volunteer capacity. The organization has no parent company, no venture capital backing, and no publicly disclosed revenue figures.

Name

caribbean student environmental alliance

Legal name

Caribbean Student Environmental Alliance

Website

https://caribbean-sea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Caribbean Student Environmental Alliance (dba WaterWays) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs youth-focused environmental education and clean water programs across the Caribbean Basin and Tennessee Valley.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education and Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD), Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB)

Keywords

• Environmental education programs
• Watershed conservation initiatives
• Citizen science water testing
• Youth environmental leadership
• Outdoor gear resale

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporate sponsors to support clean water education programs and projects.
2. The Gear Closet: Outdoor gear resale shop selling gently used outdoor gear and clothing. Proceeds fund clean water projects.
3. Event Fundraising: Special events like Save Water Drink Wine tasting events, Bass Fishing Tournaments, and Paddling Film Festival screenings generate fundraising revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Caribbean Student Environmental Alliance runs youth-centered environmental education camps, clubs, afterschool programs, Stream Teams, and watershed initiatives across the Caribbean Basin and Tennessee Valley. Participants learn through water-quality testing, habitat and coral-reef conservation, and hands-on restoration projects, while the Gear Closet resale shop helps fund clean-water work.

Product overview

Caribbean Student Environmental Alliance (dba WaterWays / Caribbean SEA) is a nonprofit organization operating as a platform of environmental education programs and clean water initiatives rather than a traditional software product. The core offerings include Kids 4 Clean Water Camps, Rainforest to Reef Camps, Stream Teams, and the Adopt-A-Waterway program, which are educational programs designed to empower children and communities to protect and restore waterways. Supporting these programs are the Gear Closet (a social enterprise resale shop funding operations), Constructed Wetland Filters (environmental infrastructure projects), and Environmental Education Training for Educators. The organization is divided into two regional operations: TenneSEA (local Tennessee Valley programs) and Caribbean SEA (Caribbean Basin programs), all united under the WaterWays brand identity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kids 4 Clean Water: Educational camps teaching children about water quality, sanitation, and environmental conservation.
• Kids 4 Coral
• SEA Creatures
• Adopt-A-Waterway

Products and services

• The Gear Closet Retail resale shop for gently used outdoor gear and clothing in Chattanooga, Tennessee; proceeds provide funding support for clean-water projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42 educators trained in environmental education through Project Learning Tree workshops
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

34 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Belize Community ConservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary partner who called Caribbean SEA to help with sanitation issues in Belize. Together they built Kids 4 Clean Water camps in Belize.
• San Pedro Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Belize Kids 4 Clean Water camps providing support for hygiene and sanitation improvement in poor villages near San Pedro.
• Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Belize projects and environmental initiatives across Caribbean region.
• Ecologic DiversminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides in-kind donations including snorkeling trips for Belize Kids 4 Clean Water camp participants.
• LUCELEC (St. Lucia Electricity Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal electric utility in St. Lucia, proud sponsor of watershed protection and environmental programs. Also known as Domlec in Dominica.
• Project Learning TreecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington DC-based organization providing environmental education training workshops and activity books for St. Lucia teachers.
• The National Trust (St. Lucia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in St. Lucia conservation efforts, including work with Maria Islands wildlife surveys.
• The Durrell TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in wildlife conservation in St. Lucia, collaborated on whiptail survey on Maria Islands.
• Soufriere Marine Management AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in St. Lucia for marine conservation and management of marine reserves.
• St. Lucia Tourist BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTourism board partner supporting environmental initiatives in St. Lucia.
• Sustainable Development Unit of St. Lucia Ministry of Planning, Housing and EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner partially sponsoring environmental education workshops for teachers.
• Laborie Community Development OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for sewage discharge reduction project in Laborie, St. Lucia.
• ECHO Lab (Environment Culture and Heritage Organization of Laborie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization collaborating on teaching children water testing and model sewage treatment wetlands.
• Mango Beach InnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Lucia partner providing support for environmental programs and regatta events.
• RISE St. LuciacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided Leadership Training Workshop for SEA Creatures program.
• Domlec (Dominica Electricity Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Environmental Caretakers program at Dominica Community High School.
• National Marine Sanctuaries White Water 2 Blue Water ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram sponsor for Dominica Community High School Environmental Caretakers program.
• Scott's Head/Soufriere Marine ReservecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstructed Dominica students in Ridge to Reef Watershed conservation and snorkeling.
• Rotary Clubs (Georgia, Tennessee, Dominica)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner4 Rotary Clubs in Georgia, 2 in Tennessee partnered with Dominica Rotary Club for Mero Beach wastewater garden and public toilet project.
• Ti Kaye Resort & SpaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in launching Kids 4 Coral 2014 at Ti Kaye - underwater swimming/snorkeling expedition for kids in Canaries, St. Lucia.
• PADIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiving certification organization partner for underwater education programs.
• Project AWAREminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiving environmental organization partner supporting underwater conservation education.
• Gear ClosetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization in Chattanooga, TN - outdoor gear resale shop providing funds for clean water projects. Located at 1510 Riverside Drive.
• Mountain Creek Church of ChristminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted bioswale installation project with volunteers to protect creek from stormwater runoff.
• Archbold Tropical Research and Education CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and education partner in environmental initiatives.
• JECO CaribbeanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Grenada environmental projects.
• Chattanooga Area Pollinator PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in creating pollinator flyway down Mountain Creek valley.
• Red Bank Elementary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school for Stream Team program and creek-friendly projects in the Mountain Creek watershed.
• Belize Shark ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in marine conservation projects in Belize.
• Lee's Reef ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Belize marine conservation efforts.
• Curacao Tourist BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTourism partner in Curacao for environmental initiatives.
• Water Resources and Sustainable DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in water resource management initiatives.
• Complete Marine ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine services partner in St. Lucia.
• St. Lucia Dive Operators AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of dive operators supporting marine conservation in St. Lucia.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Surfrider Foundation: Grassroots coastal/water quality advocacy organization with volunteer chapters, beach cleanups, and water-testing programs. Comparable community-led, water-quality focus with strong volunteer model.
• Project AWARE Foundation (PADI AWARE): Diving-based ocean conservation nonprofit that partners with Caribbean SEA on underwater education. Closely aligned on using dive experiences to mobilize citizens for marine protection.
• EarthEcho International: Youth-focused environmental education nonprofit founded by Philippe Cousteau Jr., working to empower young people to take action for water and ocean conservation. Highly comparable mission, youth-audience focus, and water-stewardship programming.
• Reef Check Foundation: Volunteer citizen-science reef monitoring organization that engages divers and communities to survey and protect coral reefs worldwide. Comparable in its marine conservation + citizen science + volunteer-driven model.
• Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN): Caribbean-wide youth environmental network that is an active partner of Caribbean SEA. Highly comparable regional youth-environmental mandate across the same Caribbean geographies.

Regional players

• Tennessee Valley Authority Environmental Programs: Federal corporation managing watershed stewardship and environmental education across the Tennessee Valley, directly overlapping with Caribbean SEA's TenneSEA division.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy Caribbean Program: Global conservation organization with active Caribbean water and reef initiatives. Operates at vastly larger scale but in the same Caribbean watershed/marine space.
• Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL): International nonprofit focused exclusively on coral reef conservation through community partnerships. Comparable Caribbean reef focus but with broader program portfolio and corporate funding base.
• WaterAid Caribbean: Global WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) nonprofit with Caribbean programming. Comparable focus on clean water and sanitation in similar geographies, though with a development rather than education angle.

Emerging players

• Project WET Foundation: Global water-education nonprofit publishing curriculum and training educators on water topics. Comparable in teacher training and water-focused youth curriculum, but operates globally rather than Caribbean-specific.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kids4cleanwater
• Facebookfacebook.com/CaribbeanSEA
• Instagraminstagram.com/kids4cleanwater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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