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SOUTHWESTERN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
TUCSON, AZ · EIN 860682018 · Form 990 · FY2020 · NTEE C600 · Environment · Medium ($1M-$10M) · www.eeexchange.org
revenue
$1.3M
expenses
$1.4M
net assets
$993K
employees
23
program ratio
100%
mission · from form 990

THE EXCHANGE DEVELOPS EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR SCHOOLS (TEACHERS AND STUDENTS) AND OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FORM OF PRINTED MATERIALS, INTERACTIVE/ANIMATED WEB SITES AND INTERACTIVE KIOSKS. THE EXCHANGE HAS NEW PROGRAM OFFERINGS FOR THE TUCSON ELECTRIC POWER ON ELECTRICAL SAFETY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGED STUDENTS AND THE LIVING STREETS ALLIANCE/CITY OF TUCSON ON BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY EDUCATION FOR ELEMENTARY AGED SCHOOL AGED STUDENTS. THESE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS CONTINUE TO INCLUDE TEACHER RESOURCE GUIDES, STUDENT ACTIVITY PACKETS, AND SCRIPTS FOR SITE-BASED PROGRAMS, WEBSITES, INFORMATIONAL BROCHURES AND FLYERS, AND VIDEOS.

profile · synthesized from sources

SOUTHWESTERN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION focuses on environmental education for students in Arizona, primarily through engaging activity booklets and programs that cover topics such as water conservation, wildlife, and desert ecology. They serve elementary and middle school students in various regions, offering free educational resources aligned with state standards.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2020

what they reported doing

Program narrative the organization filed with the IRS. Ordered by program spending.

  1. #1 primary $200K
    SALT RIVER PROJECT:IN 2020 THE EXCHANGE WAS REQUIRED TO PAUSE THE MAJORITY OF CLASSROOM EDUCATION DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC. IN LIEU OF DIRECT CLASSROOM EDUCATION OUTREACH (WHICH WAS PAUSED IN MID-MARCH 2020), E3 LAUNCHED A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT TO PRODUCE PRINTED LEARNING GUIDES ON THE TOPICS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR SRP. E3 PRODUCED, PRINTED, AND DISSEMINATED OVER 30K BOOKLETS ON THESE TOPICS TO STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE PHOENIX METRO AREA. ACCOMPANYING THE BOOKLETS WERE ANOTHER 40+ SHORT EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS FOR STUDENTS. AS WELL IN 2020 E3 LAUNCHED A NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR SRP. EARLY IN 2020 TO ACCOMMODATE REMOTE LEARNING E3 PRODUCED A SERIES OF YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK LIVE EVENTS FOR SRP ON THE ABOVE ENERGY RELATED TOPICS FOR OVER 10K STUDENTS IN THE PHOENIX METRO AREA.
  2. #2 $200K
    TUCSON WATER:TUCSON WATER IS E3'S LONGEST PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP DATING BACK TO 1993. DURING 2020 (AS DESCRIBED ABOVE) E3 PIVOTED FROM CLASSROOM OUTREACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THREE GRADE LEVEL BASED EDUCATIONAL STEM LEARNING GUIDES FOR TUCSON WATER. OVER 35K GUIDES WERE PRINTED AND DISSEMINATED TO STUDENTS IN GRADES 2-8 DURING 2020 THROUGHOUT THE TUCSON METRO AREA. ACCOMPANYING THE GUIDES WERE THE PRODUCTION OF ANOTHER 60+ EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS. COMPLETED IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC E3 PRODUCED A SERIES OF WATER CONSERVATION EDUCATION VIDEOS FOR DISSEMINATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. METRICS COLLECTED SHOW THESE PSA STYLE VIDEOS REACHED OVER 50K MEMBERS OF THE PUBIC IN 2020.
named programs · 6 · from sources

what they call their work

Exploring the Anza Trail
Living history education program for 3rd-4th graders about the Anza Trail and the experiences of settlers.
Our Water Our Future
Educational program for 4th-5th graders focusing on Tucson's water sources, the water cycle, and conservation practices.
TEP/UNES Bright Students
STEM education program for 4th-8th graders focusing on energy conservation and natural resources.
Too Good to Throw Away!
Recycling education program for 1st-5th graders teaching proper waste disposal and recycling practices.
Watching Our Water
Outreach program for 6th-8th graders that emphasizes water conservation and care for water resources.
Water Smart Kids
Program for 1st-3rd graders teaching about the water cycle and conservation through engaging activities.
activities · 4 groups

what they do

  • Nature-Based Environmental Education Programs 19 activities
    • Bright Students Energy Education Program
      Delivers the Bright Students program for 4th-8th grade students, providing classroom presentations and Energy Savings Kits, reaching 133,700 students through 3,500 programs.
    • Climate Change Education Programs
      Operates "Student Stories of Climate Change," a two-day classroom educational program for 8th-12th graders that educates students on climate change science and local climate plans. This program has been delivered 560 times to 15,200 students since 2023.
    • Development and Installation of Educational Exhibits
      Develops and installs electronic and physical exhibits for permanent and traveling installations, including recycling education centers, multi-screen visual journeys, and lobby media displays. This includes designing and installing recycling education centers for Waste Management, Inc. and creating multimedia exhibits for the National Park Service.
    • Development of Educational Exhibits and Multimedia Content
      Develops electronic and physical exhibits for permanent and traveling installations, including recycling education centers, multi-screen visual journeys, and lobby media displays. The organization also produces public service announcements, promotional videos, and educational videos for various environmental topics.
    • Distribution of Educational Materials
      Distributes activity booklets and learning guides on water conservation, wildlife, desert ecology, energy, and safety to hundreds of thousands of Arizona elementary and middle school students and adults.
    • Electrical Safety Education
      Delivers the "TEP Safety Land" interdisciplinary program to second-grade students, focusing on electrical safety and energy saving. Since 2017, 1,570 programs have been delivered to 37,300 students, each receiving a Safety Land Learning Guide.
    • Energy Education Programs
      Develops and delivers comprehensive energy education programs, including "Powering Our Future" and "Bright Students," for students from 4th grade through high school, covering energy use, electricity, renewable energy, and conservation. These programs have reached over 210,000 students and adults, including 133,700 students through 3,500 "Bright Students" programs and 142,600 students through 5,080 "SRP Powering Our Future" programs.
    • Energy Education Programs for Students and Adults
      Creates and delivers elementary, middle, high school, and adult programs on energy and electricity education, reaching over 210,000 students and adults in Arizona. This includes the "Bright Students" program for 4th-8th graders, the "Renewable Students" multimedia presentation, and the "Home Energizer Workshop" for adults.
    • Environmental Education Programs
      Delivers environmental education programs consisting of pre-visit lessons, classroom presentations, and post-visit lessons, reaching over 1,000,000 students through more than 37,000 outreach programs.
    • K-12 Environmental Education Programs
      Delivers a wide range of environmental education programs to K-12 students, including classroom presentations, pre- and post-visit lessons, and interactive activities, covering topics such as water conservation, recycling, energy, climate change, and historical expeditions. These programs have reached over 1,000,000 students.
    • K-12 Environmental Education Programs
      Delivers environmental education programs to K-12 schools, consisting of pre-visit lessons, classroom presentations, and post-visit lessons, covering topics such as climate change, water, recycling, bicycle and pedestrian safety, and environmental stewardship. The organization has conducted over 37,000 outreach programs, reaching over 1,000,000 students.
    • K-12 Environmental Education Programs
      Delivers a wide range of environmental education programs for K-12 students, including pre-visit lessons, classroom presentations, and post-visit lessons, reaching over 1,000,000 students through more than 37,000 outreach programs. Topics include climate change, water conservation, recycling, energy, and historical expeditions.
    • Preserve the QC! Program
      Operates a multidisciplinary program for 5th-8th grade students focused on recycling, water conservation, and air quality, delivering 200 programs to 5,400 students between 2015 and 2018.
    • Renewable Energy Education Programs
      Develops and delivers interactive learning programs such as "eJourneys" and "Powering Our Future" for 4th-6th graders, exploring hydropower, wind, and solar renewable energies. The "SRP Powering Our Future In-Class Program" is offered to 4th-8th grade classes in the Phoenix area, reaching 142,600 students through 5,080 programs since 2011.
    • Safety Education Programs
      Delivers electrical and gas safety education programs, such as "TEP Safety Land," to second-grade students, reaching 37,300 students through 1,570 programs since 2017.
    • Student Stories of Climate Change
      Operates a two-day classroom educational program for 8th-12th graders, delivering 560 programs to 15,200 students since 2023, focusing on climate change science.
    • Student Stories of Climate Change Program
      Operates "Student Stories of Climate Change," a two-day classroom educational program for 8th-12th graders that provides students with personal stories about climate change from students globally and educates them on the City of Tucson's climate and water reliability plans. Since 2023, 560 programs have been delivered to 15,200 students.
    • Water Education Programs
      Delivers water education programs to over 360,000 students in Arizona, including hands-on classroom presentations, pre- and post-visit lessons, and learning guides for 1st-8th graders, covering topics like the water cycle, local water sources, and conservation.
    • Water Education Programs
      Delivers water education programs to over 360,000 students in Arizona, including interactive presentations and learning guides for various grade levels.
  • Recycling & Reuse Education and Advocacy 4 activities
    • Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) Educational Tours
      Offers educational programs for school and adult groups at Materials Recovery Facilities, providing hands-on activities and opportunities to view recycling processes, reaching 2,200 participants.
    • Recycling Education Programs
      Operates multiple recycling education programs for students, including "Too Good to Throw Away!" and "Talking Trash in Tucson," reaching over 160,000 students since 2002.
    • Recycling and Conservation Education Programs
      Develops and delivers interactive programs like "You Do the Blue" for the City of Tucson Environmental Services, teaching players about recycling, reduction, and reuse. The organization also oversees recycling and water programs for the Town of Queen Creek, including the "Preserve the QC!" program which reached 5,400 students between 2015 and 2018.
    • Recycling and Waste Reduction Education Programs
      Creates and delivers educational programs on recycling and waste reduction, such as "Too Good to Throw Away!" and "Talking Trash in Tucson," for students and adults. These programs have reached over 160,000 students, including 123,500 students through "Too Good to Throw Away!" and 19,950 students through "Talking Trash in Tucson." The organization also offers workshops and facility tours for adults.
  • Outdoor STEM & Team Building Programs 3 activities
    • Exploring the Anza Trail Program
      Operates an interdisciplinary program for 3rd-4th graders that includes hands-on activities and presentations, delivering 1,400 programs to 34,500 students since 2015.
    • Exploring the Anza Trail Program
      Operates "Exploring the Anza Trail," an interdisciplinary program for 3rd-4th graders that uses hands-on activities, assignments, and presentations to explore concepts of overcoming challenges, hope, courage, connections, and seeking a better life. Since 2015, 1,400 programs have been delivered to 34,500 students.
    • Historical and Cultural Education Programs
      Operates "Exploring the Anza Trail," an interdisciplinary program for 3rd-4th graders using hands-on activities and presentations to teach about the 1775-76 Anza Expedition and concepts of overcoming challenges. This program has reached 34,500 students through 1,400 programs since 2015.
  • Uncategorized 8 activities
    • Adult Education Workshops
      Conducts workshops for adults on topics such as home energy efficiency ("Home Energizer Workshop") and recycling ("Recycling 101 Workshop," "Master Recycler Workshop"), providing participants with resources like DIY Home Weatherization Kits.
    • Adult Environmental Education Workshops
      Conducts workshops for adults on topics such as energy efficiency, recycling, and sustainable living. These include the "Home Energizer Workshop" which provides DIY weatherization kits, and "Recycling 101" and "Master Recycler" workshops.
    • Capacity Building for Environmental Education
      Worked on training programs along the US-Mexico border and led professional development efforts in collaboration with the North American Environmental Education Association from 2002 to 2014.
    • Development of Educational Exhibits and Multimedia Content
      Develops electronic and physical exhibits for permanent and traveling installations, including recycling education centers, multi-screen visual journeys, and international traveling exhibits. This also includes creating interactive computer games and producing various educational videos and public service announcements on environmental topics.
    • Livestream Production for Environmental Education and Events
      Produces livestream events for clients, including remote environmental education during school closures, virtual awards ceremonies, and presentations with remote talent and live Q&A, completing 22 livestream productions in 2020.
    • Professional Development and Training
      Worked on training programs along the US-Mexico border and led professional development efforts in collaboration with the North American Environmental Education Association from 2002 to 2014.
    • Professional Development and Training
      Worked on training programs along the US-Mexico border and led professional development efforts in collaboration with the North American Environmental Education Association from 2002 to 2014.
    • Professional Development and Training Programs
      Worked on training programs along the US-Mexico border and led professional development efforts in collaboration with the North American Environmental Education Association from 2002 to 2014.
financials · form 990 · fy2020
revenue
Total revenue$1.33M
Contributions & grants$70K5%
Program service revenue$1.26M94%
Investment income$5K0%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.42M
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$596K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.14M
Cash$1.13M
Investments$0
Liabilities$148K
Net assets$993K
Liquid reserves9.6 mo
1 years on record · 2020–2020
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2020

who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
NEIL MARKOWITZ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $377K
board members · 4
  • DONALD L TEMPKIN — TRUSTEE
  • JAMES B GLOVER — TRUSTEE
  • RICHARD FE TOM — TRUSTEE
  • SARIYA JAROSVIROJ BROWN — TRUSTEE
relationships · 69

who they work with

  • Arizona Game & Fish Department Partner — Works together on wildlife conservation education initiatives.
  • Arizona Water Association Partner — Produced 5 PSAs for their "Tap Into Quality" campaign
  • City of Chandler Partner — Location for Water Sing-A-Long with H2O program
  • City of Tempe Partner — Location for Water Sing-A-Long with H2O program
  • City of Tucson Partner — Collaborated on Student Stories of Climate Change program
  • City of Tucson Partner — Presents the "Student Stories of Climate Change" program
  • City of Tucson Partner — Presents the "Student Stories of Climate Change" program and contributed to its creation.
  • City of Tucson Environmental Services Partner — Partner for educational programs on recycling and waste reduction, and sponsor of "Too Good to Throw Away!", "Talking Trash in Tucson", "Recycling 101 Workshop", and "Master Recycler Workshop".
  • City of Tucson Environmental Services Partner — Partnered to design the "You Do the Blue" recycling game.
  • City of Tucson Environmental Services Partner — Produced 12 recycling PSAs and educational livestreams
  • City of Tucson Environmental Services Partner — Sponsor of the _Too Good to Throw Away!_ and _Talking Trash in Tucson_ recycling education programs for schools in Tucson.
  • Cultural Center IMFOCULTA (Casa de la Cultura) Partner — Hosted an international traveling exhibit developed by E3 for the National Park Service.
  • Living Streets Alliance Partner — Provided educational livestreams during school closures
  • Los Reales Sustainability Campus Partner — Visited during the "Master Recycler Workshop".
  • NASA Partner — Students learn climate change science by examining evidence from this credible international agency
  • NASA Partner — Students learn climate change science by examining evidence from this credible international agency.
  • NOAA Partner — Students learn climate change science by examining evidence from this credible international agency
  • NOAA Partner — Students learn climate change science by examining evidence from this credible international agency.
  • NWS Partner — Students learn climate change science by examining evidence from this credible international agency
  • NWS Partner — Students learn climate change science by examining evidence from this credible international agency.
  • National Park Service Funder — Sponsors the "Exploring the Anza Trail" program
  • National Park Service Partner — Collaborates on educational programs in national parks.
  • National Park Service Partner — E3 prepared a multimedia 'Visual Journey' and developed an international traveling exhibit for the National Park Service.
  • National Park Service Partner — Jeremy Markowitz designed and built a multi-screen visual journey and historical documentary for the Juan Bautista De Anza Visitors Center.
  • National Park Service Partner — Provided educational livestreams during school closures
  • National Park Service, Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Partner — Sponsor of the _Exploring the Anza Trail_ living history education program for schools in southern Arizona and Imperial Valley, California.
  • Nature Conservancy, Arizona Partner — Collaborates on environmental education initiatives.
  • New Mexico Association for Environmental Education Partner — Works together to promote environmental education.
  • North American Association Environmental Education Partner — Engages in joint efforts to enhance environmental education across North America.
  • North American Environmental Education Association Partner — Collaborated on professional development efforts, with Pepe Marcos-Iga serving as President for over 6 years.
+ 39 more