Michigan Science Teachers Association

What Michigan Science Teachers Association does

Michigan Science Teachers Association (MSTA) is a Lansing, Michigan-based professional membership association founded on April 26, 1953, that serves K-12 science educators, higher education faculty, and informal science education organizations across the state. It operates as the Michigan state chapter of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and is governed by a Board of Directors with representatives from 14 regional chapters covering all Michigan counties. The organization delivers its programs through the Wild Apricot membership software platform, which handles self-service member signup, renewals, and event registration.

MSTA's product portfolio spans an annual membership program with access to professional development, the quarterly LINKS publication, a monthly e-newsletter reaching more than 500 science teachers at a 52% open rate, a webinar series offering SCECH credits, an annual state conference, a career center, and award and grant programs (including the MSTA Mini Grants and the Dan Wolz Clean Water Education Grant co-administered with the Michigan Water Environment Association). It also runs a $250/year Partnership Program for science museums, zoos, observatories, aquariums, and public gardens, and coordinates Michigan's participation in the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

MSTA's revenue model combines recurring membership dues, annual partnership fees, advertising sold against the email list and quarterly publication, one-time conference registrations, and pay-as-you-go webinar fees for non-members. Distribution is primarily direct-to-individual via the website and regional networks, supplemented by partner-driven channel access. The organization employs 1-10 staff, has no disclosed parent company, has never raised external funding, and is not a technology product company; its competitive position rests on brand heritage, regional network depth, and NSTA affiliation rather than proprietary technology.

Name

Michigan Science Teachers Association

Legal name

Michigan Science Teachers Association

Website

https://msta-mich.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Michigan Science Teachers Association is a Lansing-based, 1953-founded professional membership association serving K-12 science educators across Michigan. It delivers membership, annual conferences, SCECH-credit webinars, publications, grants, and a Partnership Program for informal science organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to networking, professional development resources, conferences, and advocacy representation for science educators in Michigan.
2. Partnership Program: Science museums, zoos, observatories, aquariums, and public gardens pay $250/year for partnership benefits including logo placement, newsletter advertising, article submissions, and social media mentions.
3. Advertising and Publications: Email distribution list of more than 500 science teachers with 52% average open rate. Advertising opportunities in monthly e-newsletters and quarterly LINKS publication.
4. Annual Conference: Conference registration fees for professional development events with booth/table opportunities for partners.
5. Event Registration: Webinar fees for non-members ($10) and SCECH credits for professional development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MSTA is a professional membership association that delivers membership, professional development, networking, publications, grants, awards, and advocacy representation for science educators across Michigan. It supplements individual memberships with a $250/year Partnership Program for science museums, zoos, observatories, aquariums, and public gardens, and operates annual conferences, webinars, and the LINKS publication to support its members.

Product overview

Michigan Science Teachers Association operates as a professional membership organization rather than a technology company. The organization offers a portfolio of member services including membership programs, annual conferences, professional learning webinars, publications (LINKS), grant and award programs, and a career center. These services are delivered through the Wild Apricot membership software platform. The organization does not develop or sell commercial technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MSTA Membership Annual professional membership program providing Michigan science educators with access to professional learning resources, networking opportunities, conferences, grants, awards, and publications.
• MSTA Partnership Program Annual $250 partnership program for science museums, zoos, observatories, aquariums, and public gardens to access Michigan science educators through logo placement, newsletter features, article submissions, social media mentions, and conference booth opportunities.
• Annual Conference Yearly state conference promoting professional development and science advocacy, featuring workshops, presentations, networking, and booth/table opportunities for partner organizations.
• MSTA Webinar Series Professional learning webinars covering science education topics such as Quantum Mechanics for Middle School Students and the MI Green School Guide, with SCECH credits available for participating educators.
• LINKS Publication Quarterly newsletter providing articles, resources, and professional development content for science educators, available to members and archived online since 2011.
• Dan Wolz Clean Water Education Grant Annual $1,500 grant partnership with Michigan Water Environment Association supporting K-12 science teachers with classroom projects focused on water environment issues. Recipients present at both MSTA and MWEA annual conferences.
• MSTA Mini Grants Up to four $1,000 mini-grants awarded annually to current MSTA members to fund science education projects, with project completion expected by August 15, 2027.
• MSTA Awards Program Annual recognition program honoring outstanding science educators across categories including Elementary, Middle School, High School, and College Teacher of the Year.
• PAEMST Coordination Coordination support for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, connecting Michigan science teachers with the national recognition program.
• Career Center Online job board and career resources connecting science educators with employment opportunities in Michigan schools and districts.
• On-Demand Professional Learning Resources Self-paced professional learning resources including online courses for navigating Michigan Science Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Email newsletter achieves 52% open rate compared to industry average of 35%

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Michigan Science Museums and Informal Education OrganizationscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Science museums, zoos, observatories, aquariums, and public gardens can join the MSTA Partnership Program for $250/year to gain access to thousands of Michigan Science educators, position themselves as field trip destinations, and receive promotional opportunities through MSTA's communications channels.
• Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025EGLE's Michigan Green Schools Coordinator collaborates with MSTA on the MI Green School Guide, providing resources for environmental stewardship projects leading to MI Green Schools certification.
• Michigan Water Environment Association (MWEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006MWEA partners with MSTA to identify K-12 science teachers for the Dan Wolz Clean Water Education Grant. The $1,500 grant supports classroom projects focused on water environment issues. Recipients present at both MSTA and MWEA annual conferences.
• National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSTA operates as the Michigan State Chapter of the National Science Teachers Association, aligning with national science education standards and initiatives.
• Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSTA has representation from MAEOE on its board and collaborates on environmental and outdoor education initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Texas Association of Science Teachers (TAST): Texas state science teacher association. Membership organization providing conferences, publications, and advocacy for K-12 and higher-ed science educators, directly comparable to MSTA's offering in another large state.
• California Science Teachers Association (CSTA): California's state-level science teacher association. Operates an analogous model of membership, conferences, advocacy, and regional chapters, serving as a direct comparable peer for MSTA's structure and reach.
• Illinois Science Teachers Association (ISTA): Illinois state science teacher association with comparable membership, conference, and professional development offerings. Adjacent Midwest peer with similar programmatic structure.
• New York Science Teachers Association (NYSATA): New York's state science teacher association. Similar model of membership, regional structure, conferences, and grants, making it a directly comparable state-level peer.
• Florida Association of Science Teachers (FAST): Florida's state science teacher association offering memberships, annual conferences, and advocacy. Directly comparable to MSTA in mission, structure, and member segments.
• Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers (WSST): Wisconsin's state science teacher membership organization. Closely adjacent Midwest peer with parallel conferences, publications, and advocacy programs.
• Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers (MAST): Massachusetts state science teacher association offering memberships, conferences, and curriculum resources. Direct peer with comparable scope and member base.
• Ohio Science Teachers Association (OSTA): Ohio state science teacher association providing memberships, conferences, and advocacy. Direct Midwest peer with parallel mission and service mix.
• Pennsylvania Science Teachers Association (PAESTA): Pennsylvania's state science teacher association with membership, conferences, and publications. Directly comparable to MSTA in scope and target audience.

Broad incumbents

• National Science Teachers Association (NSTA): The national parent body of MSTA. NSTA offers overlapping services (conferences, publications, PD, advocacy) at a national scale. MSTA operates as its Michigan state chapter, making NSTA the most direct strategic peer and reference point for member benefits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/msta-mich

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michigan Science Teachers Association