JASON Foundation Ben Bloom Ransom Byers Lauren Cagle Krystin Stafford

Overview Teach Science Through Research Teach Science Through Research –Better way to teach science –Use real world research to show the application and excitement of science –Provide a link between researchers and students –Provide a curriculum to teachers to facilitate the learning process

Conception Bob Ballard Bob Ballard –Response to letters following his discovery of the Titanic “How do I get to be like you?” “How do I get to be like you?” –Toured the country making speeches –Decided to find a way to let others go on explorations electronically Fix a problem Fix a problem –Rethink how science was taught in school

Round 1: 1989 Expedition to Mediterranean Sea Expedition to Mediterranean Sea Sold to 12 museums Sold to 12 museums –$65k partnership + $200k set-up –Reproduced the control room of the ship in auditoriums with giant screens 80 hour broadcast 80 hour broadcast 150,000 students watched 150,000 students watched Overall uneventful and too long Overall uneventful and too long

Loosely organized Loosely organized Incorporated as a non-profit Incorporated as a non-profit Financed by personally solicited grants that Ballard arranged and a little from museums Financed by personally solicited grants that Ballard arranged and a little from museums Next expeditions grew in size, but little change Next expeditions grew in size, but little change

Round 2: Year 4 Began to run into difficulties due to growth Began to run into difficulties due to growth Reorganized into a more formal organization Reorganized into a more formal organization Financed primarily by corporate grants Financed primarily by corporate grants –Friends of Bob –Members of the board

Round 3: Year 8 Continued growth Continued growth Began selling through universities Began selling through universities –Customers found by the institutions Able to focus on expeditions Able to focus on expeditions –Financing –Arranging

Round 4: Present Changes in Finances Changes in Finances –Grants from philanthropic organizations –Sales –Large Federal grants enabled growth Broadened programs Broadened programs –Jason Academy (teacher development) –Mathmagica (math professional development) –Building program for science literacy

Marketing focus on school districts and institutions Marketing focus on school districts and institutions –~35 institutions responsible for 350k-400k students a year –Sell directly to 600k Main force of marketing towards school districts Main force of marketing towards school districts –Still sell individual curricula for teachers ($250) –Institutional subscriptions ($50k)

Financials changed with growth Financials changed with growth Of $13.5 million budget, $3 million from sales Of $13.5 million budget, $3 million from sales Rest of money comes from grants Rest of money comes from grants –NOAA, NASA, DoE –Strings attached to money –HUGE concern over federal grants

Conclusion Demonstrating long-term, sustainable growth Demonstrating long-term, sustainable growth Financials changing with growth Financials changing with growth Developed new business plan for next years… Developed new business plan for next years…

Plan for the future… “Develop multiple expedition-based products that align with popular middle school science topics.” “Develop multiple expedition-based products that align with popular middle school science topics.” There will still be the one bigger expedition a year. There will still be the one bigger expedition a year. There will be less expensive expeditions throughout the year instead of the current two-week format. There will be less expensive expeditions throughout the year instead of the current two-week format. “JASON is motivated to save money on what has historically been the most expensive component of [the] program; but [they] also see an opportunity to spend [their] time and resources in the field differently, producing a variety of kinds of expedition content, delivered in different ways to suit our customers.” “JASON is motivated to save money on what has historically been the most expensive component of [the] program; but [they] also see an opportunity to spend [their] time and resources in the field differently, producing a variety of kinds of expedition content, delivered in different ways to suit our customers.” Shift production resources in order to develop pre-produced material for classes that can’t utilize the live broadcast. Shift production resources in order to develop pre-produced material for classes that can’t utilize the live broadcast. Target the various utilizations of the materials to better support the uses of the products by teachers. Target the various utilizations of the materials to better support the uses of the products by teachers.