Scratch Foundation

Scratch Foundation
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Name	Scratch Foundation
Founded	0 2007
Founder	Mitchel Resnick
Location	Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Key people	Mitchel Resnick, Megan Smith
Focus	Computer programming, Creative learning, Educational technology
Website	https://www.scratchfoundation.org

Scratch Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the ongoing development and global reach of the Scratch project. Founded in 2007 by Mitchel Resnick of the MIT Media Lab, it provides strategic, financial, and operational support to ensure Scratch remains a free, creative learning platform for young people worldwide. The foundation works to promote creative thinking, systematic reasoning, and collaborative learning through coding, aligning with the constructionist philosophy developed by Seymour Papert.

History

The foundation was established in 2007, two years after the launch of the Scratch programming language and online community by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. Its creation was driven by the need to secure sustainable, independent funding and governance for the rapidly growing project beyond the confines of MIT. Key figures in its founding included Mitchel Resnick, who leads the Lifelong Kindergarten Group, and early supporters from the technology and education sectors. The organization was initially based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, before later establishing its headquarters in Boston.

Mission and goals

The core mission is to ensure Scratch remains free and accessible, enabling young people from all backgrounds to express themselves creatively with technology. Its goals center on expanding participation, particularly among groups historically underrepresented in computer science and technology, such as girls and communities with limited resources. The foundation aims to foster a global community of learners and educators who use Scratch as a tool for creative learning, collaboration, and sharing, inspired by the educational theories of Seymour Papert and Jean Piaget.

Programs and initiatives

Primary initiatives focus on supporting the Scratch online platform and community, which hosts millions of projects shared by users. The foundation organizes the annual Scratch Week celebration and supports educator networks like the ScratchEd team at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It develops multilingual resources and offline editors to increase accessibility and partners with organizations worldwide to host Scratch workshops and events, such as those coordinated by the BBC and Code.org. A major initiative is the translation and localization of the platform into dozens of languages.

Organizational structure

The foundation is governed by a Board of directors that includes leaders from education, technology, and philanthropy, such as former U.S. CTO Megan Smith. Day-to-day operations are managed by an executive director and staff who work closely with the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, which continues to lead the technical and creative development of the Scratch software. This unique partnership structure ensures ongoing innovation while the foundation handles fundraising, community partnerships, and strategic growth.

Funding and partnerships

Operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it relies on grants and donations from major philanthropic organizations, including the National Science Foundation, the Google for Education fund, and the LEGO Foundation. Corporate partnerships with entities like Microsoft and Intel have provided support for specific initiatives and hardware compatibility. The foundation also collaborates with a global network of educational organizations, museums like the Smithsonian Institution, and libraries to integrate Scratch into informal learning settings worldwide.

Impact and recognition

The foundation's support has been instrumental in scaling Scratch to over 100 million registered users, making it one of the world's largest and most diverse creative coding communities for children. Its work has influenced national computer science education policies in countries like England and Israel and has been recognized with awards such as the Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence. The platform is widely used in schools, CoderDojo clubs, and by organizations like the Boy Scouts of America, demonstrating significant impact on introducing youth to computational thinking and digital creativity.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Boston Category:Educational technology organizations Category:Computer science education