Lafayette, CO

THORNE ECOLOGICAL INSTITUTE

EIN 84-6029250

Education & Youth Development Early Childhood & Preschool Children & youth Low-income Latino communities Communities of color

Mission

THORNE'S MISSION IS TO BUILD EARTH STEWARDSHIP BY CONNECTING YOUTH TO NATURE THROUGH JOYFUL, HANDS-ON, PLACE-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCES.

IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charity Contributions are tax-deductible

Claim this page Visit www.thornenature.org

About THORNE ECOLOGICAL INSTITUTE

Thorne Ecological Institute (operating as Thorne Nature Experience) is a long-established Boulder County nonprofit that connects children and families to the natural world through nature-based preschools, after-school clubs, field trips, summer camps, and community programs. Founded in 1954, the organization focuses on joyful, hands-on, place-based environmental education across the Front Range. In recent years Thorne has expanded community access through scholarship programming, the Nature Kids/Jóvenes de la Naturaleza coalition, and the Lafayette Nature Center — a new community hub and licensed early-childhood space that centralizes Thorne’s programs and outreach.

Notable achievements

Seven decades of service

Founded in 1954, Thorne has operated continuous youth-focused environmental education programs for more than 70 years and transitioned its programming brand to Thorne Nature Experience to emphasize family- and community-centered nature connection.

Opened Lafayette Nature Center

In 2024–2025 Thorne moved into and began programming from the new Lafayette Nature Center, a purpose-built community and early-childhood facility that consolidated classrooms, preschool programming, and nature-center activities in Lafayette, CO.

Significant program scale and financial position

For the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024 Thorne reported approximately $3.32M in total revenue and held about $8.24M in total assets, enabling expanded program delivery and scholarship support.

At a glance

Total assets: $8.2M
Annual revenue: $3.3M
Tax status: 501(c)(3)Public charity
EIN: 84-6029250
Location: Lafayette, CO
Website: www.thornenature.org
On Mahalo since: September 2026

Financial figures from the IRS Business Master File, the IRS’s registry of tax-exempt organizations.

Recognition

Four-star rating on Charity Navigator (organization profile and accountability/finance recognition).

Major partner and grant recipient in the Lafayette Nature Center project (including public funding and local partnership support to build the new center).

Longstanding tax-exempt public charity (501(c)(3) status established; recognized as an educational environmental nonprofit since the 1950s).

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