Mainebiz

V O L . X X X N O. X X I I 30 G I V I N G G U I D E 2 0 24 – 2 0 2 5 N O N P RO F I T P RO F I L E 2025 GOALS Host businesses, organizations and groups to live and learn at River Bend Farm. Our beautiful and sustainable campus offers a comfortable, spacious and unique setting for conferences, retreats, professional developments and workshops. Gatherings can be customized to your group. Continue growing our AgroEcology for Resilient Communities (ARC) Project and its impact. Our acquisition of the neighboring 208 acres of farmland and buildings provides opportunities for growing our hands- on educational experiences, workforce development training, partnerships and our climate-smart farming opera- tions, allowing us to continue serving farm-fresh produce onsite to program participants and donating one-third to local food pantries. Continue engaging new and returning students and teachers from across the Northeast and beyond for year-round immersive, hands-on programming. e Ecology School provides immersive, outdoor environmental education to more than 15,000 students and teachers across the Northeast annually through our school year Outdoor School programs, Teacher Institutes and Summer Ecology Academy summer camps. FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES e Ecology School's Business Partner Program offers businesses and organizations who value e Ecology School's mission the opportunity to support student scholarships, helping to ensure equitable access to our programming. Additionally, our River Bend Farm campus is available to businesses and organizations to host meetings and gatherings at one of the most sustainable and beautiful farms and living and learning campuses in Maine and the Northeast. Having ser ved as the host site for national, regional and state conferences and gatherings, event sponsorships at River Bend Farm are often available to businesses and organizations to support these convenings while raising visibility for their business with both local and national audiences. GIVING OPPORTUNITIES Year-round giving opportunities include monetary donations to our Annual Fund, where donors who give $1,000-plus are recognized as Community Partners, and recurring donors are members of our Sustainability Circle. Gifts to our Annual Fund provide critical operating support which allows us to continue providing programming and grow our offerings to welcome more people to our River Bend Farm campus. We invite the local business community to become Business Partners of e Ecology School to support equitable opportunities for children to experience immersive, transformative lessons and time spent together to foster more thoughtful and intentional living within our natural world, every day. We also welcome in-kind donations as needed, and offer sponsorships of gatherings, conferences and events that take place at River Bend Farm. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES The Ecology School hosts business/ corporate and community organization volunteer days for groups seeking a way for its employees and/or members to give back to the community outside of the The Ecology School BOARD OFFICERS Cathy Goodwin, Vice Chair, Retired President/CEO of the Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce Linda Boudreau, Secretary, Former Mayor and City Councilor of South Portland Amanda Magee, Treasurer, CFO, Curtis Industries BOARD MEMBERS Robert Adkins, Retired Attorney, Nixon Peabody LLP Dylan Doughty, Senior Buyer, General Dynamics Steven Grindle, Lawyer, Grindle Robinson & Goodhue LLP Mike Hansen, Retired Classroom Teacher & Environmental Educator Thomas Howell, Vice President, Safety and Regulatory Compliance, Jet Blue Abigail Humphrey Coit, Educator Kristin Hunter-Thomson, Program Director, Dataspire and Teaching Instructor, Rutgers University Richard Mersereau, Retired Secretary of the College Emeritus, Bowdoin College Susan Swanton, Retired Executive Director, Maine Marine Trade Association Amy Winston, Senior Director of State Policy, Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI) Drew Dumsch President/CEO Mary Martin Board Chair Retired RSU 16 Principal Established: 1998 / Employees: 22+ / Annual revenue: $2,250,866 TOP FUNDING SOURCES 48% Fundraising and Grants 46% Program income 6% Other income CONTACT 184 Simpson Road Saco, ME 04072 (207) 283-9951 www.theecologyschool.org TheEcologySchool www.linkedin.com/company/ theecologyschool @theecologyschool; @riverbendfarm_maine AWARDS/ACCOLADES 2024: Drew Dumsch, The Ecology School's president/CEO, named Mainebiz Nonprofit Leader of the Year; 2023: Woodworks Sustainable Wood Design national award; 2022-2024: Department of Education's Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative Grant Award; and 2022: American Institute of Architects Maine Honor Award for Excellence in Architecture MISSION STATEMENT The Ecology School inspires stewardship of and connection to the natural world through experiential learning in ecology, conservation, farming and sustainability. The Ecology School's wide array of overnight and day programs at our 313-acre River Bend Farm campus transform how people think about science, food, community, the environ- ment and themselves. SERVICE LOCATIONS The Ecology School hosts program participants from around the U.S. and Canada. School year programs include students from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts. AT A GLANCE 37% Fundraising Events 21% Contributions 18% CPR Training Revenue 14% Other Revenue 10% Bequests office. Volunteers help with office projects and campus upkeep such as trail main- tenance, gardening and repairs. Class- room teachers and chaperones volunteer thousands of hours each year in helping to supervise students during Outdoor School programs at River Bend Farm in the spring and fall. e Ecology School is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and as we continue to grow our service to Maine communities and the environment, new opportunities for engagement are always available and welcome. We invite you to contact us to discuss ways in which we can partner!

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