2023 Annual Report Banner - New Directions

Our Strategic Plan

For more than 100 years, Society for Science has been dedicated to expanding scientific literacy, access to STEM education and scientific research. The Society enters this next 100 years from a strong position as a leader in this field, with a growing network of alumni, readers and educators who champion science in the U.S. and globally across sectors and disciplines.

To capitalize on this position, in 2023 the Society worked with the Bridgespan Group to develop Our Five-Year Strategy: Setting the Foundation to Extend Our Reach for the Next Century. Due to the need for editorial independence, Science News Media Group conducted a concurrent strategic planning process under the guidance of La Piana Consulting.

A teacher, smiling, is putting a post-it note on a chart at the Middle School Research Teachers Conference.

Comprehensive input from our community elevated five strategic priorities to maximize our impact:

Strengthen the organization and operations

including investments in capacity, systems and processes

Lead longitudinal data and impact measurement

including data collection, analysis, reporting, and learning mechanisms and processes

Strengthen foundational programs

building journalism and competition feeder infrastructure – with an equity lens

Nurture and activate networks

including alumni, educators, subscribers, members, volunteers and donors

Increase access and inclusion

in the STEM talent pipeline

To achieve our strategic priorities, we developed a two-phase strategy.

Phase 1: Strengthen our foundation (Years 1–2)

Strengthen our organization and operations through critical enabling investments in capacity, systems and processes to fortify our organizational “spine”

Strengthen our foundational programming and set the foundation to extend our reach by adopting an equity-focused lens and positioning ourselves to grow our outreach and equity programming

Students use scientific equipment at the Device Discovery Zone during Ed Outreach Day at Regeneron ISEF 2023.

Phase 2: Maximize our potential impact (Years 3–5)

Deepen support and engagement of our audiences — our alumni, educators, subscribers, members, volunteers and donors — through intentional supports and ongoing community facilitated across our organization

Unlock our full potential as a field leader; pilot efforts to further broaden our audiences, unlock full support from our networks, and influence the field through data and research

Science News magazine covers

Additionally, as part of this project, we developed a Theory of Change to guide our work.

The Society’s key activities…

Lead to intermediate outcomes…

Community of STEM leaders and champions expands to more diverse audiences and is supported and empowered to advance our collective vision

New scientific talent and innovative thinking are elevated and encouraged, spotlighting questions, solutions and individuals that might otherwise be overlooked or excluded

Scientific literacy and interest in STEM increase across the general public

Access to and excitement about high-quality STEM education, scientific research and scientific knowledge increase, with a focus on those who have been historically marginalized from the field

To achieve over the next decade…

A generation interested in STEM, including STEM leaders and champions who:

Define a high standard of scientific excellence and integrity

Reflect the diversity of our country and, increasingly, our world

Advance science and lift up ideas from all people that benefit the world

In order to ultimately to…

Ensure that, in a scientifically led world, everyone feels like they have access to and belong in science

The Society will be incorporating the priorities identified in our strategic planning process into our annual Operating Plan for the next five years to ensure we are aligned across all departments as we live up to our role to elevate and celebrate science. We view this as an opportunity to connect our future with our legacy and assets to maximize the full potential of our work.

Finalists work together on a group challenge at Thermo Fisher JIC 2023