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SARSEF Southern Ariz Research Science & Eng Fdn

Tucson, AZ · EIN 860946185 · Form 990 · FY2021 · NTEE B90 · Education · Medium ($1M-$10M) · www.sarsef.org
revenue
$1.1M
expenses
$1.2M
net assets
$536K
employees
10
volunteers
500
program ratio
81%
mission · from form 990

SARSEFs mission is to create Arizonas future critical thinkers and problem solvers through science and engineering.

profile · synthesized from sources

SARSEF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing STEM education for PreK-12 students in Arizona. Through various programs, including science fairs and mentorship initiatives, SARSEF aims to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills, particularly among underrepresented populations. Established in 1955, SARSEF serves as a platform for students to engage in hands-on learning and research.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2021

what they reported doing

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

  1. #1 primary $89K
    Racing the Sun - Racing the Sun is an opportunity for Arizona high school students to team up to design, build and race solar powered go-karts with the help of community mentors throughout the school year. During the 2021-2022 school year, 104 students from 10 schools participated in Racing the Sun with the help of community mentors and received 40 hours of direct support.
  2. #2 $25K
    Arizona STEM Adventure- AZ STEM Adventure provided 11 virtual and hands-on STEM activities guided through a program streamed directly into classrooms. The program served 1,549 students and 50 teachers from 30 schools in Pima, Maricopa, Yuma, Yavapai, Apache, and Gila counties. SARSEF built and distributed classroom kits, driving more than 1,300 miles through 10 different delivery routes to ensure students had all the materials they needed to participate. Teachers received professional development focusing on data literacy as well as over $100 worth of materials.
named programs · 3 · from sources

what they call their work

PRISM
A mentorship program that connects students with mentors to engage in research addressing scientific questions, prioritizing students from Title I and rural schools.
Racing the Sun
An engineering program where high school students design, build, and race electric and solar-powered go-karts, enhancing their technical and interpersonal skills.
SARSEF Endorsed School
A program that recognizes schools in Arizona for achieving high-quality STEM education standards, promoting equity and diversity in STEM opportunities.
activities · 8 clusters

what they do

  • STEM Showcase & Expo Events 9 activities
    • Community STEM Engagement
      Organizes Career Days for students to visit companies and universities, and provides a free virtual platform for Arizona schools to hold science and engineering fairs at the school level. The organization also offers Summer STEM Camps across Tucson for grades 4-8, providing hands-on activities and STEM career exploration under a pay-what-you-can model.
    • Deliver hands-on STEM outreach programs for PreK-12 students
      Provides a range of in-school and out-of-school STEM programs including SARSEF AfterSchool, Summer STEM Camps, "What Do We Wonder," Family STEM Nights, and multi-session workshops that engage students in scientific inquiry, engineering design, and problem-solving across topics like forensic science, astrobiology, and ecology.
    • In-School and Community STEM Engagement
      Provides various in-school and community-based STEM engagement activities, including hands-on STEM programming for summer school, multi-session curricula like "What Do We Wonder" for PreK-8th grade, high school outreach programs, and participation in Family STEM Nights. These programs aim to engage students in investigating real-life problems and finding solutions.
    • Out-of-School STEM Outreach Programs
      Offers various out-of-school outreach programs, including SARSEF AfterSchool for PreK-8th grade students with hands-on exploration in topics like forensic science and astrobiology, and redesigned Early Childhood-specific programs for preschool-aged children. These programs aim to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills through hands-on STEM learning.
    • Out-of-School STEM Outreach Programs
      Offers various out-of-school outreach programs for PreK-12th grade students, including SARSEF AfterSchool for hands-on exploration, "What Do We Wonder" multi-session curriculum, "Roadmap to a Rockin’ Project" for students and caregivers, and Family STEM Nights. These programs provide hands-on STEM learning and guide students in developing research projects, reaching 3,145 students from rural areas.
    • Roadmap to a Rockin’ Project Workshops
      Facilitates "Roadmap to a Rockin’ Project," a community program and workshop series for PreK-12th grade students and their caregivers, guiding them in developing science or engineering research projects. These workshops can be held in various community settings and at multi-school or district levels.
    • Summer STEM Camps
      Offers Summer STEM Camps across Tucson for grades 4-8, providing hands-on activities and STEM career exploration under a pay-what-you-can model.
    • Support school-based science fairs and research projects
      Offers the "Roadmap to a Rockin’ Project" workshop and "Fair Workshop" for students, caregivers, and educators to develop science and engineering projects; also provides a free virtual platform for Arizona schools to host their own science fairs.
    • Virtual Science Fair Platform
      Provides a free virtual platform for Arizona schools to host science and engineering fairs at the school level.
  • STEM Skill-Building for Girls 3 activities
    • Applied Career Exploration in STEM (ACES) Camp for Girls
      Operates the ACES Camp for Girls, a week-long summer camp for middle school girls, primarily from Sunnyside Unified School District and occasionally Tucson Unified School District. The camp aims to explore STEM careers and build STEM identity, having served over 500 participants over more than a decade.
    • Applied Career Exploration in STEM (ACES) Camp for Girls
      Runs the ACES Camp for Girls, a week-long summer camp for middle school girls from Sunnyside Unified School District and sometimes Tucson Unified School District. This program, which has served over 500 participants, aims to explore STEM careers and build STEM identity, with 88.4% of participants reporting seeing themselves as a STEM person after completion.
    • Run ACES Camp for middle school girls
      Operates the Applied Career Exploration in STEM (ACES) Camp, a week-long summer program primarily for middle school girls from Sunnyside and Tucson Unified School Districts, to explore STEM careers, build identity in STEM, and engage in hands-on learning; over 500 participants served to date.
  • STEM-Focused Educational Field Trips 3 activities
    • Arizona STEM Adventure Program
      Hosts the Arizona STEM Adventure program, a one-day STEM adventure for 2,000 4th through 8th grade students from across Arizona each fall. The program provides transportation scholarships for schools and offers professional development for participating teachers.
    • Arizona STEM Adventure Program
      Hosts the Arizona STEM Adventure program, a one-day STEM adventure for 2,000 4th through 8th grade students from across Arizona each fall, providing hands-on STEM exploration and offering transportation scholarships to schools for attendance. The program also includes professional development for participating teachers.
    • Host Arizona STEM Adventure and related programs
      Hosts an annual one-day STEM Adventure program for 2,000 4th–8th grade students from across Arizona each fall, offering hands-on STEM exploration, with transportation scholarships available for schools and lodging support for out-of-Tucson participants.
  • STEM & Technology Teaching Workshops 3 activities
    • Provide teacher professional development and capacity building
      Offers year-round teacher professional development through workshops, webinars, and conferences on topics including student-led inquiry, data literacy, science fair organization, digital tools, and integrating research into classrooms; includes both open enrollment and school-specific sessions with materials support.
    • Teacher Professional Development
      Provides professional development sessions, workshops, and webinars for teachers on topics such as data literacy, mentorship in student research, digital tools for science fairs, organizing school science fairs, and integrating authentic research into the classroom. These sessions are offered through open enrollment and directly with school communities, supporting educators in guiding students in science and engineering.
    • Teacher Professional Development
      Provides professional development sessions, workshops, and webinars for teachers and educators on topics such as data literacy, mentorship in student research, digital tools for science fairs, integrating authentic research, and organizing school science fairs. These sessions are offered through open enrollment and directly to school communities, supporting 50 teachers with materials and guidance.
  • Regional Science and Engineering Fairs 2 activities
    • Annual Regional Science and Engineering Fair
      Organizes and hosts an annual week-long SARSEF Regional Science and Engineering Fair for PreK-12 students across Southern Arizona, where approximately 1,500 to 1,600 projects compete. The fair awards over $100,000 in prizes, trips, and scholarships, and facilitates the advancement of top high school students to international competitions.
    • Host annual SARSEF Regional Science and Engineering Fair
      Organizes an annual week-long science and engineering fair for PreK-12 students from Southern Arizona, featuring approximately 1,500–1,600 student projects, awarding over $100,000 in scholarships, prizes, and trips, and including a Virtual Exhibit Hall and awards ceremonies.
  • STEM Education Workforce Development 2 activities
    • Offer one-on-one school support and endorsed school program
      Provides virtual consultations and personalized support to schools, and manages the SARSEF Endorsed School program, which sets standards for quality, equitable, and accessible STEM education in Arizona PreK-12 schools.
    • SARSEF Endorsed School Program
      Operates the SARSEF Endorsed School program, which sets standards for quality STEM education opportunities in Arizona PreK-12 learning communities to increase equity, accessibility, and diversity.
  • Volunteer Mobilization & Management 1 activity
    • Engage community professionals as volunteers
      Recruits and engages over 795 community professionals annually as volunteers to support programs such as mentoring, judging, and workshop facilitation.
  • Uncategorized 8 activities
    • Advance top students to international science competitions
      Facilitates the advancement of high-performing high school students from the SARSEF fair to international levels of science and engineering competition.
    • Implement Racing the Sun solar go-kart program
      Runs the "Racing the Sun" program where high school students, supported by faculty advisors and community mentors, spend nine months designing, building, and testing solar-powered go-karts, with events including Test Day safety checks, presentations to industry judges, and a culminating Race Day competition.
    • Operate PRISM mentorship program
      Runs an annual mentorship program (PRISM) from August to December that pairs two students, especially from Title I and rural schools, with a mentor to conduct scientific research or engineering projects, culminating in a symposium where students present their work.
    • PRISM Mentorship Program
      Operates PRISM, an annual mentorship program from August to December, matching two students (prioritizing those from Title I and rural schools) with one mentor for scientific research or engineering problem-solving. The program culminates in a PRISM Symposium where students present their research.
    • PRISM Mentorship Program
      Operates PRISM, a mentorship program that matches two students, prioritizing those from Title I and rural schools, with one mentor to engage in scientific research or engineering problem-solving from August to December. The program culminates in a PRISM Symposium where students present their research.
    • Racing the Sun Program
      Runs the "Racing the Sun" program, which challenges high school students to design, build, and race electric and solar-powered go-karts over nine months. Students apply concepts from physics, engineering, and energy, supported by faculty advisors and community mentors, culminating in a Race Day competition.
    • Racing the Sun Program
      Operates the "Racing the Sun" program, challenging high school students to design, build, and race electric and solar-powered go-karts over nine months. Students apply physics, engineering, and energy concepts, supported by faculty advisors and community mentors, with safety checks, trial runs, and presentations to industry judges leading up to Race Day.
    • SARSEF Endorsed School Program
      Operates the SARSEF Endorsed School program, which establishes standards for quality STEM education opportunities in Arizona PreK-12 learning communities to promote equity, accessibility, and diversity in STEM.
financials · form 990 · fy2021

the money

revenue
Total revenue$1.06M
Contributions & grants$1.02M96%
Program service revenue$35K3%
Investment income$4K0%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.17M
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead6%
Fundraising13%
Salaries & benefits$642K
Grants paid out$129K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$537K
Cash$149K
Investments$220K
Liabilities$1K
Net assets$536K
Liquid reserves3.8 mo
2 years on record · 2020–2021 · YoY revenue -4.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Julie Euber Chief Executive Officer part 40 $82K
Elizabeth Bowman Chief Executive Officer part 40 $69K
board members · 10
  • Betsy Bolding — Board Member
  • Casey Carrillo — Board Member
  • Daren Layton — Treasurer
  • Emily Halvorson-Otts — Secretary
  • Eric Pickney — Board Member
  • Laura Schauss — Board Member
  • Mary Fosdick — Board Chair
  • Musa Goredema — Board Member part yr
  • Nadira Mitchell — Board Member
  • Roberta Lopez-Suter — Board Member
relationships · 14

who they work with

  • IBM Partner — Partner for the Arizona STEM Adventure program.
  • Jenson Consulting Partner — Developed the SARSEF website.
  • Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Partner — Partner for the Arizona STEM Adventure program.
  • Pima Community College Partner — Partner for the Arizona STEM Adventure program, hosting the in-person track at its Northwest Campus.
  • Pima Community College – Downtown Campus Partner — Hosts the ACES Camp.
  • RTX Partner — Partner for the Arizona STEM Adventure program.
  • Southwest Center of Optics & Photonics Partner — Partner for the Arizona STEM Adventure program.
  • Sunnyside Unified School District Partner — Middle school girls from this district are the primary participants in the ACES Camp, nominated by their schools.
  • Sunnyside Unified School District Partner — Middle school girls from this district attend ACES Camp.
  • The University of Arizona Office of Early Academic Outreach Partner — Partner for the Arizona STEM Adventure program.
  • Tucson Unified School District Partner — ACES Camp is sometimes offered to middle school girls from this district.
  • University of Arizona Partner — Hosts in-person orientation for the PRISM program on its campus.
  • University of Arizona Research and Partnerships Office of Societal Impact Partner — Collaborates on the PRISM mentorship program.
  • Waters Center for Systems Thinking Partner — Provides certificates to teachers upon completion of the STEM Adventure Teacher Professional Development session.