Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center, Inc.
Kids Need Nature- Nature Needs Kids
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Children today spend about 7 minutes a day outside. They never have the chance to be inspired and learn from the environment around them.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Frog In the Bog
This three day/two night hands on education program combines discovery, adventure and fun with math, science and social studies.
Winter Ecology
Over two days/one night students explore how human, plant, and animal inhabitants adapt to winter changes. Meets state and national learning standards
Summer Camps
Spend 5 days at this overnight environmental education camp.
Dunes to You
Delivering Curriculum such as Mighty Acorns®, Earth Force, Calumet is My Backyard, and Great Lakes in My Classroom, as well as customized programs
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
American Camp Association - Member 2022
ANCA 2022
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of participants engaged in programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Overnight camps and more in Indiana Dunes National Park plus community-based outreach give students the opportunity to explore and discover how everyday actions impact the natural world.
Hours outdoors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Students are unplugged and immersed in nature. Programs include hands-on discovery in a National Park, outdoor science with stewardship connected to the classroom, team building, and personal growth.
Nights in a National Park
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Students and summer campers try new things, learn new skills, gain confidence, and build a strong team culture living and learning together for 3-5 days on campus within Indiana Dunes National Park.
Stewardship hours
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Students develop skills to make intelligent, informed decisions as they take action to improve natural areas in their communities.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Guided by a mission to “inspire lasting curiosity and stewardship with nature," Dunes Learning Center works in partnership with the National Park Service to provide field-based education experiences that nurture a love of learning and the outdoors. Standards-aligned programs provide individuals of all ages, backgrounds and abilities opportunities to be inspired by the unique biodiversity of the Calumet region. Environmental education is a great equalizer, accommodating diverse learning styles, interests and abilities. Teachers report that students who struggle in traditional settings blossom in our outdoor classroom. As one teacher put it,
“Our goals for this trip are to open the doors for our children to a world much larger than the one they live in. A world of nature, serenity, and fun where they do not have to worry about their next meal or who, if anyone will be home when they get there. A world of learning without knowing it and adventure that they may never before had the opportunity to experience. Through this trip, we give the students hope of a future outside of the cycle they now live in. Along the way we cover some key components of our 4th grade curriculum like animal habitats and adaptations, phases of the moon, and measurement (to name a few.) We bring fun and excitement to learning which will hopefully make for lifelong learners.'
Programs serve students from at least five states and include:
Single- and multi-day residential experiences at our Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore campus,
Service-learning stewardship programs at sites throughout northwest Indiana,
Classroom programs that bring environmental learning experiences to schools,
Open-house events serving hundreds of visitors, and
Professional development, adult, and family programs.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Dunes Learning Center is funded through diverse and sustainable sources, including grants and donations (35%), National Park Service funding (30%), and program fees (31%). Strategies to increase individual support, including event sponsorship, have been taken up by our Board of Directors who were instrumental in increasing revenues from sponsorship by nearly 200% in FY2016. The board is continuing a planned strategic transition to a “fundraising" board with the new Development Committee chair in the process of assembling a team, identifying opportunities and setting goals. The allocation of funds for the new director of development position speaks to the board's commitment to growing and diversifying revenue sources.
The demand for tuition assistance funds for low-income program participants, benefiting 64% of participants, or 9,083 students in 2016, is Dunes Learning Center's most notable fiscal trend. Many students simply could not benefit from Dunes Learning Center's programs without assistance. The following statement of need from Central School in Portage is typical:
“Unfortunately, not all families are financially able to give their children the types of experiences that this trip has to offer. Central is a neighborhood school located in a low-income area of Portage. Currently, 65% of our students receive free or reduced lunch. We at Central, however, do not believe that low income should deter academic and social progress. It is our goal to give these students learning experiences that they need but cannot afford. Your sponsorship can help provide them that opportunity."
Closing the “gap" between program costs and tuition charged while keeping these valuable programs accessible to schools and families is an ongoing challenge.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Last year we sustainably improved infrastructure and generated cost-savings through the installation of on-demand water heaters in 10 cabins. Dunes Learning Center is working with the National Park Service to address several technological and facility infrastructure challenges. Current water and internet services limit growth and productivity. Solutions have been planned, but progress is slow and costly. 2 new 15-passenger, propane-fueled busses were introduced in 2016, along with a fueling station. These assets are shared with Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and are part of a larger plan to address ongoing program transportation issues and reduce contract costs related to busses.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Dunes Learning Center's staff of trained and certified environmental educators, formal partnership with the National Park Service, and residential campus located in the national lakeshore are unique and valuable assets. Our nonprofit/public model and unmatched access to national park resources is shared by fewer than 20 organizations in the nation. We are, by far, the dominant provider of field-based environmental literacy programs in the region, lending leadership, capacity and expertise to a number of formal and informal coalitions. We continue to provide leadership and administration for the Northwest Indiana Environmental Education Partnership, delivering seasonal, field-based, ESTEM learning and stewardship opportunities to nearly 2,900 3-5th grade students, thanks to a 3-year investment by the ArcelorMittal Foundation. The foundation has expressed their intention to renew and even increase their investment in 2018.
Dunes Learning Center's staff of 30 swells to 40 in the summer when school-year staff is supplemented by camp counselors who stay in the cabins with campers (a need met by teachers and parent chaperones during the school year). An executive director leads administrative staff, which consists of department directors representing education, outreach, external relations, program administration and facilities. 10 naturalist interns deliver residential programs at our national lakeshore campus, reporting to a lead naturalist who works closely with the director of education.
Two “Dunes To You" outreach educators report to our Outreach Education Coordinator and work primarily in the field. A highly-qualified part-time accountant works closely with the executive director and delivers monthly financial reports. Part-time kitchen staff round out the list. Education, resource and maintenance specialists from Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, as well as individuals from partnering organizations, including The Field Museum and Shirley Heinze Land Trust, supplement Dunes Learning Center staff.
Our board of directors reflects the communities we serve and is committed to strengthening the organization through fundraising and governance. Board members attend orientation, achieve an understanding of our mi
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 02/02/2023
Matthew Benus
Donna Coleman
Chris Hoham
Eurofins
David Wright
Gary Public Transit Corporation
Rhiannon Ulatowski
Cleveland Cliffs
William Payonk
Lisa Beck
Soumita Bandyopadhyay
Douglas Wassilak
Valparaiso University
Brian Kortum
NiSource
Patrick Conrath
BP
Nicholas Dernik
MonoSol, a Kuraray Division
Carolyn A McClinton
Global View Capital Advisors, LTD
Michele Murday
Enviro Forensics
David Phelps
Stillwater Advisory Group LLC
Gregory M Quartucci
Cardno
Theresa Weakland
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/29/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.