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V O L . X X V I I N O. X X I 30 G I V I N G G U I D E 2 0 21– 2 0 2 2 N O N P RO F I T P RO F I L E BOARD OFFICERS Tom Merrill, Board Vice Chair: Retired Attorney Amanda Magee, Board Treasurer: CFO, Curtis Industries, LLC Linda Boudreau, Board Secretary: Planning Board Member, City of South Portland BOARD MEMBERS Robert Adkins, Board Director: Retired Attorney Abby Humphrey Coit, Board Director: Entrepreneur and Educator, Morning at the Market Catherine Goodwin, Board Director: Retired, Former State Office Representative for U.S. Senator Collins Steven Grindle, Board Director: Managing Partner, Grindle Robinson LLP Mike Hansen, Board Director: The Ecology School Educator Alumnus, Classroom Teacher/Environmental Educator Corey Hascall, Board Director: Vice President of Alumni & Public Engagement, USM Foundation Kristin Hunter-Thomson, Board Director: The Ecology School Educator Alumna, Owner at Dataspire Education & Evaluation LLC Coleman Lapointe, Board Director: Strategic Planning Specialist, General Dynamics - Bath Iron Works Amy Ouellette, Board Director: Retired Psychiatrist Sanjay Patel, Board Director: CEO, Perpetuating, Inc Susan Swanton, Board Director: Retired, Executive Director of Maine Maritime Trade Association The Ecology School Bend Farm campus for four days of pro- fessional development. is fall e Ecology School partnered with North Spore and MOFGA to host Mycology Outside, a weekend foraging cooking, cultivating, and learning about mushrooms. In early 2021 e Ecology School gained a multi-national audience when it launched a free online learning plat- form—EcologyOnline, sponsored by Poland Spring. EcologyOnline is designed to take the student—no matter their age—away from their screens and engage with the outdoors. With lessons designed to meet Next Generation Science Stan- dards (NGSS), this online curriculum is crafted to give structure to time spent outside. www.EcologyOnline.org 2022 GOALS f The Ecology School completed its $14.1 million Campaign to build the new River Bend Farm Campus in April 2021, thanks to the generosity and vision of donors from around the country and financing from USDA RD and CEI. River Bend Farm, home of e Ecology School, is now open! Early 2021 marks an incredible spot in the history of climate action for the state, as Maine becomes home to two of the most environmentally friendly buildings in the world, built to the rigorous stan- dards of the Living Building Challenge. f Launch our 2022 Summer Over- night Camps! e Ecology School is pre-registering youth and families for its inaugural summer of overnight camps in 2022. f Invite businesses, organizations, and groups to live and learn at River Bend Farm. e Ecology School campus is now open to provide an impactful overnight experience (conference, retreat, professional development, etc.) at one of Maine's most beautiful farms, River Bend Farm. f Expand AgroEcology farming opera- tions. Produce grown organically on-site is used in from scratch meals for our program participants and staff. Sur- plus is donated to local food pantries. f Please note all programs adhere to COVID guidelines and protocols, eEcologySchool.org/Covid-Safety GIVING OPPORTUNITIES By attending a workshop, organizing a retreat, registering your child for sum- mer camp, signing up to volunteer, or advocating for your child's school to attend a program, you are contributing to e Ecology School! Established: 1998 / Employees: 12 FTE / Annual revenue: $2,540,000 TOP FUNDING SOURCES 97.6% Fundraising and Grants 1.9% Other Income 0.5% Program Income Throughout 2020, The Ecology School earned no revenue from programming due to COVID restrictions. Despite this, the organization proved highly resilient as staff built alternative options to accessible ecology education. They created online platforms (EcologyOnline.org & Nature Nuggets on YouTube) to reach quarantined students and parents and to provide curriculum assistance to teachers; taught "outreach" programs virtually; advised schools on outdoor classroom set-up; and provided direction for successful outdoor lesson applications. Contact River Bend Farm, 184 Simpson Road Saco, ME 04072 (207) 283-9951 TheEcologySchool.org EcologySchool @EcologySchoolME @TheEcologySchool MISSION STATEMENT The Ecology School inspires stewardship of and connection to the natural world through experiential learning in ecology, conserva- tion, farming, and sustainability. AWARDS/ACCOLADES f In March 2020, The Ecology School was recognized and honored as the first in the world to complete the Living Community Challenge Vision and Master Plan Compliance, a hard-earned official approval step in the process of becoming a Living Community, a program of the International Living Future Institute. f Drew Dumsch, The Ecology School's President & CEO, chosen for Mainebiz's 2020 Next List f Eco-Excellence Award Winner by ecomaine, 2021 Drew Dumsch, President and CEO Mary Martin, Board Chair : RSU 16 School Board Chair, Retired Maine School Principal AT A GLANCE SERVICE LOCATIONS e Ecology School hosts program par- ticipants from around the United States for year-round learning experiences focused on environmental and sustainability education. ese include overnight and day programs for schools; conferences, retreats, and pro- fessional development opportunities; and overnight summer camps for youth. In spring 2021, e Ecology School's Learning Experiences Team taught in-person programs to 688 students in grades 2 through 7 at Maine and New Hampshire schools. Teacher Institute for Watershed Science and Conservation sponsored by Poland Spring, took place in August 2021, bring- ing 65 K-8 educators from 17 states around the country to e Ecology School's River P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F T H E E C O L O G Y S C H O O L