The JASON Foundation for Education, a 501(C)(3) non-profit institution, was formed in 1990 to administer the JASON Project (started in 1989). The Foundation manages all aspects of the operation including strategic planning, JASON Foundation Board development, programming, training, resource acquisition, marketing, sales, and evaluation. The Foundation chooses the expedition sites and host researchers, develops the 250-page printed curriculum each year, develops and manages all on-line JASON content, plans and produces the videos and live-via-satellite programs, maintains the JASON Internet web sites, and oversees the various JASON Project sites worldwide. The Foundation governs competition for Teacher and Student Argonauts, and directs all aspects of that facet of the JASON Project.

As an organization dedicated to excellence and innovation in science education, the JASON Foundation has employed teams of educational experts, the National Science Teachers' Association, the National Geographic Society, and others to review and refine JASON's educational frameworks every year, beginning in 1995. The JASON Foundation was among the first entities to pioneer the use of such distance learning technologies as satellite transmission, video streaming, remotely-operated vehicles, cable networks, and the Internet to develop state-of-the-art programming that is affordable, accessible, exciting, and replicable. The curriculum is aligned to national educational standards in science, math, English language arts, geography, and technology. Additionally, the curriculum is aligned to individual states' educational standards, including the Texas TEKS.

The Corporate Sponsors of the JASON Foundation for Education are: Electronic Data Systems (EDS), the National Geographic Society, Honeywell, ExxonMobile, Bechtel, Sun Microsystems, the National Science Center Foundation, and Sprint. The Content Sponsors are: the Office of Naval Research, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Marine Sanctuaries, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Stars Schools, a division of the U.S. Department of Education. Institutional Partners are: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Park Service, and the Institute for Exploration. Additionally, the Foundation has a long-standing partnership with Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), leaders in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology.

In 1989, students participated in JASON I at thirteen sites, mainly museums. The number of Primary Interactive Network Sites has steadily increased to a maximum number of 37 during JASON XI. In 2000 (UTB/TSC's first year of participation) during JASON XII, the JASON Project reached one million student and teacher participants in all 50 states, and 14 foreign nations. (Sweden, Mexico, Bermuda, and Australia are most active). The interactive program was experienced at 37 major viewing venues at Primary Interactive Network Sites, and was distributed to even larger geographic areas via 10 Regional/Statewide Networks.

In July 2005, the JASON Project became the property of the National Geographic Society.  Corporate headquarters moved from Needham Heights, Massachusetts, to the Virginia campus of George Washington University.  Many exciting changes are expected from this fortunate merger.