Our Mission

Since its founding in 1888 "for the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge," the National Geographic Society has worked to educate audiences about our planet. National Geographic Education is responsible for creating and disseminating educational programs for schools, out-of-school settings, and the home. National Geographic Education’s work targets two goals:

• Geo-Literacy: Geo-literacy is an essential skill for decision-making in 21st century personal, professional, and civic life. It is the ability to make decisions based on an understanding of how the world works and how people and places are connected. It requires an understanding of how Earth’s interconnected human and environmental systems function, how to reason geographically, and how to make systematic decisions.


• Educational Outreach: The National Geographic Society is home to rich and diverse resources that have enormous potential to support learning. As the educational outreach arm of National Geographic, National Geographic Education is committed to maximizing the impact of the Society’s rich media, scientific, and exploration programs on the education audience.

Our Focus Areas

Program Development and Delivery—National Geographic Education creates high-quality materials and programs for both educators and learners. These are delivered online, in print, and in person. Learn more about the impact of our signature professional development program in the short video 2010 National Teacher Leadership Academy Highlights.

Learning Technologies—National Geographic Education is exploring innovative uses of technology to more effectively reach learners in and out of the classroom. Current projects are expanding the frontiers of digital libraries, online communities, and interactive mapping. FieldScope is an example of a leading-edge online tool combining several of these elements.

Educational Policy, Research, and Communications—National Geographic Education engages in a broad range of policy, research, and communications efforts as part of its geo-literacy initiatives. Visit the policy page for news and more information.

Grantmaking—The National Geographic Education Foundation, the grantmaking arm of National Geographic Education, awards more than five million dollars in grants to the Alliance Network annually to support teacher training, public awareness, and other programs that promote geo-literacy.

Partnerships—National Geographic Education partners with a wide variety of non-profit, governmental, and for-profit organizations that share our geo-literacy and educational outreach goals. The Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Project is an example of a program supported by multiple partners.