DON HARRINGTON DISCOVERY CENTER FOUNDATION INC

• Education Objective: Play a key role in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education of Amarillo-area students, aligned with and supporting their school curricula.
• Community Engagement Objective: Involve all parts of the Amarillo community in lifelong learning activities that stimulate interest in science and bring families and communities closer together.
• Sustainable Funding Objective: Create an array of stable funding sources to assure the long-term viability of the Discovery Center.
• Strong Organization Objective: Ensure a strong organization by establishing a sustainable operating budget.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
• Continue to change exhibits and programs in order to ensure a dynamic environment for visitors, both new and returning. In short, “keep it fresh." Include exhibits and programs related to medical science, renewable resources, and water conservation – all timely topics in today's world and our community.
• Traveling Exhibits – promote, keep them coming, and showcase a diversity of topics that support the Discovery Center's mission and vision.
• Investigate alliances or partnerships with other organizations to jointly offer community events.
• Use social media to enhance the Discovery Center's presence in the community and to be a resource for science and technical issues (blog and media posts, newspaper articles, news interviews, lectures, programs, etc.)
• Reach out to new areas of the community or organizations in the Panhandle – consider the use of “portable" programs.
• Recognize the growing importance of the Discovery Center as a tourist attraction and promote it as a premier stop for visitors.

SUSTAINABLE FUNDING
• Proactively pursue new memberships and develop strategies to ensure sustaining memberships.
• Reach out to historical donors and reconnect with them.
• Continuously advocate for the Discovery Center and its role in the community to achieve “top of the mind" awareness among potential funders.
• Research other fundraising opportunities such as grants, the Discovery Center Gift Shop, and food service.
• Continue to seek funding and endowments for future exhibits.
• Continue to attract adults to the Discovery Center with programs such as the “AfterDark" series.
• Continue to promote the Discovery Center as a great venue for rentals, birthday parties, and corporate events.

EDUCATION
• Continue to work with the Amarillo Independent School District to sustain funding and maintain current programs (Family Science Nights).
• Collaborate with all school levels, including secondary and higher education, to attract new students to Discovery Center programs.
• Consider programs that can be taken to schools, if they are unable to come to the Discovery Center.
• Explore the role of technology in connecting to schools and providing experiences for them.
• Summer camps – assess whether any changes are needed to bring in children from some of the “disengaged communities" that have previously been identified. Analyzed any other beneficial changes that could be considered, such as additional space and staffing needs.

STRONG ORGANIZATION
• Reinforce new branding of the Discovery Center through its website, using new technology tools to expand and enhance the organization's presence in communities.
• Continue development of a strong, diverse Board of Trustees.
• Provide museum staff opportunities to share their ideas and input and professional development.
• Assess the infrastructure needs of the Discovery Center and budget appropriately for maintenance and operation.

The Discovery Center is uniquely able to meet our goals and objectives, because of:

1. Geographic Location - DHDC is the only non-profit museum or institution between Oklahoma City and Albuquerque; Denver and Lubbock.
2. Funding Resources - The citizens of Amarillo and the surrounding areas are very generous and supportive of quality educational programs that enhance quality of life for all age groups. Grantwriting enables development staff to seek funding in and beyond our area.
3. History - 45 years of experience as a provider of family-friendly, affordable educational entertainment.
3. Education - DHDC is the experienced provider of educational resources for area teachers and outreach efforts to actively engage students in and outside the classroom.

The board and staff are working together to accomplish each of the museum's goals as detailed above. Each director and manager knows what is needed to accomplish each of their areas of responsibility, and the Executive Director reviews goals with them regularly and reports back to the Board of Trustees ongoing progress.

Future Goals of the Discovery Center:
In 2014, the Discovery Center implemented a long-term initiative, "Live, Learn, Discover", a five-year program aimed at securing sustainable funding for the future, in order to provide expanding and exciting programs, such as providing a full-time rural educator with a vehicle to serve the needs of our outlying areas. Partial funding for this pilot program has been raised, the Rural/Outreach Educator has been hired, and she is currently contacting educator in rural areas to determine their students' needs and how the Discovery Center can help teachers accomplish these with supplemental STEM curriculum. In May of 2020, DHDC will have completed our 5 year pilot program, Roaming Educator Program. All funds have been raised for the full 5 years of operation and after final review from the Board of Trustees we expect to continue this program. DHDC has experienced 136% increase in the number of students served through the REP program.

In Fall of 2019, DHDC has completed a number of facility and programing improvements such as painting the facility, a new projection system in the Space Theater, and new flooring in the auditorium. DHDC has fabricated its own new permanent exhibit - All Charged Up, which we also hope to travel to other museums as an additional revenue source.

The Staff and Board of Trustees has enlisted the services of a consultant and is in the final stages of completing a new strategic plan which addresses community needs and wants, sustainable revenue, a new outdoor science park, and programming. A number of new family friendly events have been added this year including DHDC Wizarding School (Harry Potter Day) and May the 4th be with You (Star Wars).