COGNITIVE ASSOCIATES RESEARCH AND EVALUATION Dba The BrainWise Program

What it reported doing in 2024

Form 990EZ, Part III, Line 28, Organization's program service accomplishments: BrainWise in 2024 The year 2024 marked a period of significant strategic development and impactful outreach for BrainWise. Throughout the year, the organization actively engaged in discussions, planning, and the cultivation of valuable partnerships, all aimed at enhancing its programs and expanding its reach to better serve students and educators. Strategic Vision and Program Enhancement Early in the year, the BrainWise board engaged in dynamic discussions centered on strategic growth. These conversations explored avenues for increasing program adoption, refining existing products, and strategically targeting specific segments within the K-12 market. The board considered optimal messaging strategies and the imperative to modernize the organization's website to create a more engaging and impactful online presence. Positive attributes of the BrainWise program were thoroughly examined and reinforced. The board underscored the program's foundational nature, its universal applicability across diverse learning environments, and its evidence-based efficacy. Recognizing the importance of proactive outreach, strong support was voiced for developing a dedicated sales function to amplify program dissemination. A key focus was placed on ensuring the website effectively communicated the unique value proposition of BrainWise, clearly differentiating it from other social-emotional learning (SEL) alternatives by highlighting its relevant content and the significant positive impact achieved through consistent and correct implementation. These deliberations culminated in a clear directive to update the website to reflect these key insights. Central to the website update was a commitment to revitalize the program's core messaging. The goal was to refine the language to resonate with the evolving educational landscape and contemporary trends in educational content delivery. A pivotal strategic consideration involved positioning BrainWise within the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, emphasizing its foundational nature for teachers, counselors, and administrators. Furthermore, the updated messaging aimed to highlight the program's inherent "Ease of Use," emphasizing its structured teaching modules, scripted lessons, and minimal preparation time, alongside its direct relevance to SEL learning objectives and its substantial impact when implemented with fidelity. The board also proactively explored opportunities to strengthen the BrainWise program and product offerings. Suggestions included a renewed emphasis on the fundamental principles of BrainWise, a clearer articulation of target audiences, and a thorough exploration of current trends and challenges within the education sector. To further enhance its value proposition, the board considered strategies for improving the product line through new resources, aligning core products more closely with the MTSS model, and offering valuable supplementary elements such as training modules and accessible online materials. Website Development The development of a dynamic and user-friendly new BrainWise website commenced in the fall of 2024, marking a significant step in enhancing the organization's digital footprint. Initial "Discovery Sessions" provided critical insights into the BrainWise customer profile and the broader SEL industry. Following these sessions, a skilled designer was engaged to create a comprehensive framework for the new website, complete with visually appealing and modern mock-ups. The new website seamlessly integrates valuable content from the previous site while strategically prioritizing compelling success stories that vividly illustrate the positive impact of the BrainWise program. These narratives are thoughtfully positioned to guide visitors and provide tangible evidence of the program's effectiveness. A strong emphasis was placed on presenting users with relevant information, with a partic

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 100%; rating input score 100

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 14.1%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.14; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 40.7%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -3% per year; rating input score 0; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -8.4% per year; rating input score 0; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -3.4% per year; rating input score 0; 28th percentile among comparable filings