Exploring Joara Foundation

What Exploring Joara Foundation does

Exploring Joara Foundation, Inc. (EJF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in Morganton, North Carolina, that educates and engages the public through hands-on archaeology and history programs focused on Native American and early colonial history. The organization operates and interprets the Berry Site, the only known location of a 16th-century Spanish fort (Fort San Juan, built in 1567 by Juan Pardo) in the interior United States — a narrative asset that predates The Lost Colony, Jamestown, and Plymouth. EJF also operates the Catawba Meadows Living History Village and the Wall Center for Archaeological Research, supporting artifact processing, exhibits (including the 2017 "Unearthing Our Forgotten Past Fort San Juan" exhibit), and member activities.

EJF's product portfolio comprises the 2026 EJF Field School (professional archaeological training), the Archaeology Adventure Institute summer camps for youth aged 10+, in-classroom programs for K-12 schools aligned to NC Common Core and Essential Standards (PowerPoint + hands-on activities at $125 per classroom plus Federal travel), community workshops for adult learners (e.g., Berry Site Experience Workshop, Educator Workshop), public Fall Dig Days at $10/day for ages 16+, guided Berry Site tours, and the "Friends of EJF" membership program offering special tour days, hands-on labs, community days, and academic presentations. The organization is staffed at 1-10 employees and engages seasonal camp staff and affiliated archaeologists; since 2009 it has served more than 27,000 visitors and school children.

EJF's revenue model is a non-profit mix: donations (processed via DonorPerfect), modest program/transaction fees for educational and dig-day programming, recurring "Friends of EJF" membership contributions, and sponsorship support from the City of Morganton NC, Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, and Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. Go-to-market is community-led, driven by school outreach, educator word-of-mouth, the events calendar on exploringjoara.org, email/newsletter, and on-site experiences at the Berry Site and Catawba Meadows. PCI DSS compliance is maintained via SecurityMetrics for secure donation processing.

Name

Exploring Joara Foundation

Legal name

Exploring Joara Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://exploringjoara.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Exploring Joara Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Morganton, North Carolina that delivers hands-on archaeology and history programs — field school, summer camps, K-12 in-classroom programs, public dig days, and tours — at the Berry Site (Fort San Juan, 1567) and partner venues across western North Carolina.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Education

NAICS

Historical Sites (712120), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Archaeological Sites & Heritage Interpretation Centers (THAJADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)

Keywords

• Archaeological education programs
• Public history services
• Field school training
• Youth archaeology camps
• Heritage education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Morganton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EJF relies heavily on public donations to fund educational programming, archaeological research, and community engagement activities.
2. Program Fees: Fees charged for educational programs including in-classroom field trips ($125 per classroom), summer camps, and Fall Dig Days ($10 per day).
3. Friends of EJF Membership: Friends of EJF membership program offering perks such as special tour days, hands-on archaeology labs, community days, academic presentations, and newsletters in exchange for membership support.
4. Sponsorships: Support from sponsors including City of Morganton, NC, Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, and Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Exploring Joara Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers hands-on archaeological and history education programs centered on the Berry Site near Morganton, NC, the location of the 16th-century Native American village of Joara and Spanish Fort San Juan (built 1567). Its offerings include the EJF Field School, summer archaeology camps for youth, K-12 in-classroom programs aligned with NC Common Core and Essential Standards, community workshops, public Fall Dig Days, Berry Site tours, and exhibits/programming at the Catawba Meadows Living History Village and Wall Center for Archaeological Research.

Product overview

Exploring Joara Foundation (EJF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering a portfolio of in-person educational programs focused on archaeology and history. The core offerings include the EJF Field School for professional archaeological training, the Archaeology Adventure Institute summer camps for youth, school and youth group programs aligned with NC educational standards, community workshops for adult learners, and public volunteer dig days at the Berry Site. Supporting infrastructure includes the Catawba Meadows Living History Village for historical programming and the Wall Center for Archaeological Research for artifact processing and exhibits. All programs center on the discovery and public education of the Berry Site, where the 16th-century Native American village of Joara and Spanish Fort San Juan (built 1567) were discovered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EJF Field School Hands-on archaeological field training program at the Berry Site where participants work alongside professional archaeologists to uncover the 16th-century Native American village of Joara and Spanish Fort San Juan (built 1567). Targeted at adults and students seeking authentic field experience.
• Archaeology Adventure Institute (Summer Camps) Summer camp programs for young archaeologists aged 10+ offering excavation, artifact analysis, and hands-on activities exploring 16th-century Native American culture and Spanish colonial history at the Berry Site. Directed by Dr. Theresa McReynolds Shebalin.
• Youth and School Programs In-class field trips and educational programs for K-12 students aligned to NC Common Core and Essential Standards, featuring PowerPoint presentations, hands-on activities, and STEM/multicultural learning approaches.
• Community Workshops Specialized archaeology, heritage, and stewardship workshops for adult community groups, including the Berry Site Experience Workshop and Educator Workshop for teachers, camp and after-school directors, park rangers, volunteers, scout leaders, and homeschool educators.
• Fall Dig Days Public volunteer archaeological excavation days at the Berry Site held on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, requiring participants age 16+ ($10/day), with no experience necessary.
• Berry Site Tours Guided tours of the Berry archaeological site, the location of the 16th-century Native American village of Joara and Spanish Fort San Juan, situated outside Morganton, NC.
• Catawba Meadows Living History Village Living history educational facility at Catawba Meadows Park featuring historical reenactments and community programming related to Native American and early colonial history.
• Wall Center for Archaeological Research Research facility and lab space used for artifact processing, hands-on archaeology labs, and exhibits including the 'Unearthing Our Forgotten Past Fort San Juan' exhibit (opened March 18, 2017).

Quantifiable outcome

• 27,000+ visitors and school children engaged since 2009
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• The History Museum of Burke CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner of EJF, providing location for programs and exhibits. The museum houses the Unearthing Our Forgotten Past Fort San Juan exhibit and serves as a program location for educational workshops and community events.
• City of Morganton, NCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor of the Exploring Joara Foundation. The city supports EJF's mission to educate the public about local archaeological and historical heritage.
• Blue Ridge National Heritage AreamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor supporting EJF's efforts to preserve and share the archaeological and historical heritage of western North Carolina.
• Community Foundation of Western North CarolinamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor providing funding support to help EJF grow programming and ensure important history is shared with the community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Plimoth Patuxet Museums: Living history museum featuring the Patuxet homesite and 17th-century English colonial village, with archaeological interpretation and immersive school programming. Directly comparable to EJF in combining pre-colonial/colonial archaeology, hands-on education, and public dig/site experiences.
• Colonial Williamsburg: Largest living-history museum in the U.S., combining archaeological interpretation, educational programming, and site-based public engagement. Most directly comparable peer to EJF at scaled operations, with multi-format programming (tours, school programs, field experiences) and a nonprofit/educational model.
• Crow Canyon Archaeological Center: Nonprofit archaeological education and research center offering field schools, youth programs, and educator workshops. Closely matches EJF's mix of archaeology field school, summer youth programs, and educator professional development.
• Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation: Virginia state agency operating Jamestown Settlement and American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, with direct archaeological site interpretation and K-12 educational programming. Closely comparable to EJF's combination of colonial-era archaeological site interpretation and standards-aligned school programs.
• Dinosaur Park (Maryland): Small nonprofit operating an active paleontology/archaeology site with public dig days, school programs, and educator workshops. Closely matches EJF's site-based public participation model and educational programming at a comparable small-scale footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Monticello: Thomas Jefferson Foundation nonprofit historic site with archaeology program, school field trip programming, and public interpretation. Comparable to EJF in operating a historic site with embedded archaeology and education-driven audience engagement.
• Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest: Nonprofit historic site with ongoing archaeology program, public tours, and educational outreach. Comparable as a smaller-scale nonprofit historic site with active archaeology, education, and community engagement programming.
• George Washington's Mount Vernon: Large-scale historic site combining preservation, archaeological research, public tours, and K-12 educational programming. Comparable as a broader-incumbent historical site operator with nonprofit governance and education-driven revenue.

Regional players

• Museum of the Cherokee Indian: Regional museum in Cherokee, NC focused on Cherokee and early colonial history in the Southern Appalachians. Comparable to EJF in subject matter (Native American and early colonial Carolinas/Appalachian history) and educational programming, serving overlapping regional audiences.
• Historic Bethabara Park: North Carolina regional historic site featuring a 1753 Moravian settlement with archaeology and education programs. Comparable to EJF as a small-scale North Carolina heritage site with archaeological interpretation and educational outreach to schools and the public.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ExploringJoara
• Facebookfacebook.com/ExploringJoaraFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/exploring-joara-foundation-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Exploring Joara Foundation