Headwaters Science Institute
Fostering curiosity through science.
Headwaters Science Institute
EIN: 47-1714438
as of September 2023
as of September 18, 2023
Mission
Headwaters Science Institute's mission is to foster curiosity through science. We teach the scientific method by engaging students' natural curiosity, guiding them to design and perform experiments that answer their own questions.
Notes from the nonprofit
Headwaters works hard to bring engaging science education to as many students as possible. We have expanded our programs by offering free standards-based career-aligned science programs starting in 2020. We are excited to have been evaluated at the accomplished level for STEM programs in the United states by the West Ed STEMworks program.
Ruling year
2015
Executive Director
Dr. Megan Seifert
Main address
PO Box 913
SODA SPRINGS, CA 95728-0913 USA
EIN
47-1714438
Education services
Environmental education
Science
Youth organizing
Population served
Children and youth
Adolescents
Adults
NTEE code
Educational Services and Schools - Other (B90)
Environmental Education and Outdoor Survival Programs (C60)
Youth Development Programs (O50)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Tax forms
Communication
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reports Download other documentsWhat we aim to solve
There is an immense need in the U.S. for great science programs for k-12 students. Understanding science and the skills involved in scientific research is critical in today’s world. The ability to research, assess information, and use critical thinking skills to make decisions is absolutely necessary for many aspects of modern life and full civic engagement. In addition, science jobs are growing rapidly and opportunities within this growing field are vast. Research has shown that cross-curricular and inquiry-based approaches improve student learning. This shift has been codified over the last five years with the introduction of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Next-generation science is based on students doing science instead of being passive learners. We know that teaching content through the process of doing science is better for students found that students do better in class when they are actively learning science instead of passive learning.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
3-5 day Science Program
The central feature of these programs is giving students the context, framework, tools, support, and freedom to design and conduct their own short-term scientific field research. We work with teachers to take topics they are covering in class (biology, environmental science, physical science, etc.) and create relevant research projects with the students.
Our programs incorporate multiple Common Core Standards while engaging students in science and the outdoors, through overnight experiences at off-campus sites.
Example topics include:
-population biology
-heat transfer
-co-evolution
-animal behavior
-CO2 and global warming
-water science
Professional Development
Our professional development workshops are unique. Instead of talking with teachers about how they should theoretically teach students, we actually have the teachers observe the Student Driven Research protocol in action with real students. This is highly effective because the teachers get a sense of how these teaching methods work and how they can be adapted to their own teaching.
Headwaters Research Experience
Part 1: Developing Research skills
Students work digitally alongside their entire cohort of peers and one-on-on with a professional scientist mentor to create questions around a topic of interest. These questions soon blossom into a developed research project. Students begin to imagine data collection techniques that will help them collect the information to answer their research question.
Part 2: Hands-on Research & Analysis
Students begin to explore the natural world, using data collection techniques they designed to gather information and refine their processes as needed. Students are guided through statistical analysis to make sense of their data and bring meaning to all that they’ve seen through exploration. This analysis leads to an eventual answer to their initial research question.
Part 3: Present & Publish Research
Students produce digital research presentations including their research question, findings, and digital representations of this information. After presenting this research, students also author a research paper alongside their mentor. This is published in the Headwaters Research Journal and submitted to a youth science journal for publication as well.
Lunch with a Scientist
Lunch With A Scientist is a series of science talks that promotes student exposure to working STEM professionals. Each month we add new talks to our library introducing students to a scientist and their research. Each talk includes a standards-based investigation and a list of associated resources. The talks can be used as a one-time exercise to fill a class block or use it for 2-3 classes by incorporating the resources.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of free participants on field trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Students
Related Program
3-5 day Science Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of fields trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Students
Related Program
3-5 day Science Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total cost of work acquired this year (in dollars)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Students
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of students showing interest in topics related to STEM
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Students
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of groups/individuals benefiting from tools/resources/education materials provided
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Academics
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of clients who self-report increased skills/knowledge after educational program/intervention
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents, Students
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Average number of dollars received per donor
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of unique website visitors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of new programs/program sites
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of curricula designed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Adults, Students
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of list subscribers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of overall donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of donations made by board members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
We only had six board members in 2022.
Number of new grants received
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Students
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of participants who would recommend program to others
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Professional Development
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This metric refers to teachers specifically.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Without Headwaters, many students would likely not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue an inquiry-based, intensive approach to learning science. Our goals are to get as many students in the United States to do their own research as possible.
-Our programs participants consist of 50 percent low-income students and 40 percent minority students
-We educate over 4,000 students per year
-We work with over 20 schools per year
-over 90% of students say they learn something in our program that they would not have learned in their traditional classroom.
This year our goals are:
1. Bring back more in-person science programs to schools
2. Increase the enrollment in our Research Experience so we are serving 30-40 students per semester
3. Increase the usage of our career-based Lunch with a Scientist Program and find more partnerships to increase the quality of the program.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Headwaters aims to serve all populations with our educational programs. We are committed to raising funds to provide free or reduced cost programs for the students who have no other source of hands-on science education. We make this possible by seeking grant funding, utilizing the generous help of individuals, and partnering with key community organizations, schools, and educators.
-90% of our funding goes directly to our science programs, with just 10% re-invested in fundraising efforts and staffing.
In order to raise the overall level of science education in schools and benefit students beyond those we can directly serve, we also focus on training the teachers we work with. We mentor them through the process of teaching science through actually doing science. In this way, every teacher we work with can go on to better impact all of their future students.
Our multi-pronged approach gives students science knowledge and experience, research skills, increased critical thinking skills, a broader awareness of science career options, and builds their confidence. All of these work together to leave them better prepared for their future, in their careers and as members of society.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Headwater’s Science Institute’s programs are taught by high-level scientists who can provide excellent science education that fosters curiosity in the natural world and in the sciences. These scientists mentor kids through their research projects and make sure they understand the process of science through conducting research. We are really changing how students view science. We are setting them up to be problem solvers and future scientists.
90% of the students agree that after participation they have learned something they would not have in the traditional science classroom
63% of students are more interested in science after participating in our program.
87% of students report being familiar with scientific research.
93% of students are confident in their ability to apply the scientific method.
90% of students indicate that they like science more after participating in the program
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In 3 years, we have:
-We increase the number of students, schools, and teachers we work with every year.
-We have seen a 2 fold increase in our Lunch with a Scientist program, which is a free program that allows students to see actual research and learn about careers in science.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
0.00
Months of cash in 2022 info
10.7
Fringe rate in 2022 info
-2%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
Headwaters Science Institute
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
This snapshot of Headwaters Science Institute’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $72,350 | $110,702 | $13,781 |
| As % of expenses | 40.8% | 62.4% | 3.6% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $72,350 | $110,702 | $13,781 |
| As % of expenses | 40.8% | 62.4% | 3.6% |
| Revenue composition info | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $249,481 | $288,073 | $399,721 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 0.0% | 15.5% | 38.8% |
| Program services revenue | 36.1% | 46.8% | 48.1% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other grants and contributions | 63.9% | 53.2% | 51.9% |
| Other revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Expense composition info | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $177,131 | $177,371 | $385,940 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 0.0% | 0.1% | 117.6% |
| Personnel | 75.8% | 85.7% | 69.1% |
| Professional fees | 1.8% | 0.0% | 15.2% |
| Occupancy | 11.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | 10.8% | 14.3% | 15.8% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $177,131 | $177,371 | $385,940 |
| One month of savings | $14,761 | $14,781 | $32,162 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $191,892 | $192,152 | $418,102 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 14.8 | 22.3 | 10.7 |
| Months of cash and investments | 14.8 | 22.3 | 10.7 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 14.8 | 22.3 | 10.7 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $218,962 | $329,664 | $343,445 |
| Investments | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Receivables | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $218,962 | $329,664 | $343,445 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total net assets | $218,962 | $329,664 | $343,445 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Executive Director
Dr. Megan Seifert
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Headwaters Science Institute
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
Headwaters Science Institute
Highest paid employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
Headwaters Science Institute
Board of directorsas of 06/20/2023
Board of directors data
Alec Atkin
Toyin Weaver
Medical Doctor
Craig Rowe
Copy and Content Group
Alec Atkin
Crestwood Behavioral Health
John Holmes
Retired
Shandon Lloyd
Donna Luisi
Scientist
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/15/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
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- Letter of Determination
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- Board of Directors data for 2023
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