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Sponsored by: The Ecology School
Updated: September 26, 2022 2022 Giving Guide

The Ecology School

2023 Goals

Host businesses, organizations and groups to live and learn at River Bend Farm. Our campus provides impactful and inspirational overnight experiences for conferences, retreats, professional developments, and workshops at one of the most sustainable and beautiful farms in the state of Maine.

Expand our AgroEcology for Resilient Communities (ARC) farming and program operations. Through increased farm acreage and a growing farm staff, we can continue to expand our AgroEcology operations, using our locally grown produce on-site for program participants, visitors, and staff while also continuing to donate surplus to local food pantries.

Continue growing our Summer Overnight Camp. After launching our River Bend Farm Overnight Camp with the Governor’s Academy for Coastal Ecology during the summer of 2022, we are looking forward to continuing to expand upon the excitement of providing a unique and engaging summer camp experience to children and families from all over New England and across the country.

Fundraising/Event Opportunities

This September, The Ecology School will host its first River Bend Farm Harvest Celebration fundraiser, centered around the sale of Plein Air art created by local artists at River Bend Farm. We are seeking business sponsors to support this inaugural event at levels ranging from $250 to $5,000 and above. River Bend Farm’s campus is available for organizations to host conferences, retreats, professional development, and workshops at one of the most sustainable and beautiful farms in the state of Maine. The Ecology School offers farm fresh meals, canoeing and kayaking on the Saco River, and immersive programs in conservation, ecology, regeneration, and sustainability.

Giving Opportunities

Year-round giving opportunities include monetary donations to our Annual Fund and Business Partner Programs from individuals, groups, foundations, and business/corporate donors. We currently conduct three to four donation appeal campaigns during the spring, summer, fall, and end of the calendar year. We invite Business Partners to support our work at various levels ranging from $500 to $15,000 and above. Every gift has an impact on the work we do at The Ecology School and this includes volunteer and pro bono opportunities and the donation of necessary equipment and materials.

Volunteer Opportunities

The Ecology School hosts business/corporate and community organization volunteer days for groups seeking a way for their employees or members to give back outside of the office. Individual and business group volunteers help with office projects, trail maintenance, grounds keeping, painting, farm and gardens upkeep (including weeding, mulching, and planting), and campus repairs. We also hold work weekends where members of the community are invited to stay with us at River Bend Farm for a weekend to help with various tasks around campus in exchange for room and board. Classroom teachers and parent chaperones volunteer thousands of hours each year in helping to supervise students during school programs at River Bend Farm.

Leadership

 

Board officers

Drew Dumsch: President/CEO

 

Mary Martin: Board Chair

 

Tom Merrill: Vice Chair, Retired Attorney

 

Board members

Robert Adkins: Retired Attorney

Linda Boudreau: Former Mayor and City Councilor of South Portland

Cathy Goodwin: Retired U.S. Senate Staff

Stephen Grindle: Lawyer, Grindle Robinson LLP

Mike Hansen: Retired Classroom Teacher & Environmental Educator

Thomas Howell: Vice President, Safety and Regulatory Compliance, Jet Blue

Abby Humphrey Coit: Educator

Kristin Hunter Thompson: Program Director, Dataspire; Teaching Instructor, Rutgers University

Coleman LaPointe: Strategic Planning Specialist, General Dynamics

Amanda Magee: CFO, Curtis Industries

Richard Mersereau: Retired Secretary of the College Emeritus, Bowdoin College

Sanjay Patel: CEO, Perpetuating

Susan Swanton: Retired Executive Director of Maine Marine Trade Association

At a glance

Established: 1998

Employees: 18

Annual revenue: $2,115,351

Top funding sources

92.2% Fundraising & Grants

5.1% Program Income

2.7% Other Income

Contact

River Bend Farm: 184 Simpson Road, Saco, ME 04072

(207) 283-9951

https://www.theecologyschool.org

https://www.facebook.com/ EcologySchool

https://www.twitter.com/EcologySchoolME

https://www.instagram.com/TheEcologySchool

Organizational Snapshot

The Ecology School faced COVID closure programming challenges during the first half of 2021 by providing accessible ecology education with the online learning platform EcologyOnline.org, reaching quarantined students and parents and providing curriculum support for teachers. Our new River Bend Farm campus opened June 2021 and the Summer 2021 & 2022 seasons hosted summer camp programs and regional & national teacher institutes. During the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 seasons we resumed fall overnight programming for schools throughout Maine and New England.

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 programs at River Bend Farm focus on teaching the science of ecology and the practice of sustainability.

Accolades

2020: First in the world to complete the Living Community Challenge Vision and Master Plan Compliance

2022: American Institute of Architects - AIA Maine Honor Award for Excellence in Architecture

2022: Recipient of funding from Maine Department of Education’s Outdoor Learning Initiative to launch the Governor’s Academy for Coastal Ecology

Service locations

The Ecology School hosts children and adult program participants from around the United States. School programs include students from Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts.