Case Study: How the largest outdoor school in the U.S.A. Grew Private Donations by $500K in One Year
The nation’s largest outdoor school transforms its funding model to ensure environmental education thrives for future generations.
The Challenge
After 20 successful years of connecting youth with nature, NorthBay faced a critical turning point. Despite their position as the country’s largest outdoor school, they relied heavily on government funding that was steadily declining. With only $7,000 in private donations and no fundraising infrastructure, they needed a complete funding transformation to sustain their vital mission.
Fundraising for environmental causes is notoriously difficult
The Solution
Upon the appointing of a new CEO, we partnered with NorthBay to build their private fundraising program from the ground up:
Phase 1: Foundation Building
- Assessed their unique value proposition
- Identified compelling impact stories from two decades of outdoor education
- Created their first case for private support
Phase 2: Implementation
- Built fundraising systems
- Trained staff in donor engagement
- Created compelling environmental education impact stories
- Established clear metrics for success
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The Results
The transformation exceeded expectations:
- Grew private donations over $500,000 in first year
- Built a dedicated fundraising team
- Created funding pipeline
- Reduced dependency on government grants
Looking Forward
With government public funding set to decline over the next four years, NorthBay’s new fundraising capability couldn’t have come at a better time. They’re now positioned to:
- Scale their private funding success by adding individual giving in 2025, something they have never done before.
- Expand their environmental education impact
- Ensure program sustainability
- Reach more students regardless of government funding shifts
What does NorthBay have to say?
“The Kipos Group didn’t just help us raise money – they transformed how we think about funding our mission. In one year, they helped us build something we couldn’t create in twenty: a path to fund outdoor education that is less reliant on government grants.”
Jenn Foy, Executive Director
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