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Marina Orth Foundation

EIN 27-0115624 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceWeak41 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MARINA ORTH FOUNDATION, A TAX EXEMPT 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT PUBLIC CHARITY, STRIVES TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH FROM DISADVANTAGED SOCIOECONOMIC AREAS IN MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)OUR MISSION IS TO DEVELOP STEM SKILLS WITH A FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY AND ROBOTICS, BILINGUALISM, SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND LEADERSHIP TO EMPOWER OUR STUDENTS. WE ARE CONVINCED THAT THEIR SUCCESS NOT ONLY DEPENDS ON CLASSROOM LEARNING BUT ALSO SELF-CONFIDENCE, TEAMWORK, AND PERSEVERANCE. A KNOWLEDGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGLISH COMBINED WITH STRONG INTERPERSONAL SKILLS WILL ENABLE THEM TO COMPETE IN THE 21ST CENTURY AND TO HELP ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS AND GOALS.

Income
$234,548
Spending
$324,245
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
62.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 80%
Employees
0
Volunteers
3

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 62.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 38% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Weak: 41 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $310,127 spent. AT THE MARINA ORTH FOUNDATION, A TAX-EXEMPT 501(C)3 NON-PROFIT PUBLIC CHARITY, WE ARE CONVINCED THAT AN EDUCATION IS A KEY ENGINE OF CHANGE AND CLOSES THE GAPS IN SOCIAL INEQUALITY THROUGH OUR CURRICULUM AND CLUBS FOR MORE THAN 4,700 COLOMBIAN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN MEDELLIN AND SIX MUNICIPALITIES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTIOQUIA AND IN NUQUI, CHOCO, ON THE PACIFIC COAST, ONE OF THE MOST BIO-DIVERSE, YET POOREST AREAS OF COLOMBIA. WE BREAK BARRIERS AND BUILD BRIDGES TO A BRIGHT FUTURE BY PROVIDING OUR STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ENGLISH, ROBOTICS, TECHNOLOGY, EXPLORE THEIR VOCATIONS, AND ACCESS UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS. BEYOND ACQUIRING NEW SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENTS ALSO DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS, RESILIENCE, CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, AND CRITICAL THINKING. OUR SUCCESS MEANS STRESSING (CON'T ON SCHEDULE O) TEAMWORK AND PROJECT BASED LEARNING TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS. THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGLISH COMBINED WITH STRONG INTERPERSONAL SKILLS ENABLES THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS AND GOALS. OUR UNIQUE TEACHLAB PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE AND VIRTUAL TRAINING FOR OUR TEACHERS TO SHARPEN THEIR SKILLS AND IMPROVE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE WON NUMEROUS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEDALS IN ROBOTICS. IN 2024, WITH THANKS TO OUR PRIVATE/PUBLIC PARTNERS, SOME OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE:ROBOTICS: OUR ROBOTICS CLUBS COMPETE AGAINST THE BEST STUDENTS FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN MEDELLIN AND THROUGHOUT COLOMBIA. OUR ELITE AND COMPETITION ROBOTICS TEAMS EACH WON 2 CHAMPIONSHIPS AND CAME HOME WITH 6 MEDALS. OUR ROBOTICS TEAM IN THE CHOCO WON THE SILVER MEDAL AT VIRTUAL ROBOJAM. IN 2024, WE WON 12 MEDALS IN TOTAL.EXPANDED INTO TWO ADDITIONAL AREAS:THANKS TO NEW SPONSORS, CUEROS VELEZ AND FUNDACION BOLIVAR DAVIVIENDA, THE MARINA ORTH FOUNDATION EXPANDED INTO TWO ADDITIONAL AREAS, THE MUNICIPALITIES OF AMAGA AND EL RETIRO. VACATION ROBOTICS FOR OVER 250 CHILDREN:WE INVENTED OUR OWN "ROBOKITS" TO TEACH VACATION ROBOTICS PLUS ENGLISH TO OVER 250 CHILDREN DURING THEIR TIME OFF FROM SCHOOL. SOME PROJECTS STUDENTS CREATED INCLUDE HEART RATE MONITORS, SMART LAMPS, HARVESTING AND ROBOTIC SPIDERS, ALONG WITH A VEHICLE FLOWER CARRIER WITH A SOLAR PANEL, AND A TELE-OPERATED ROBOT.SCHOLARSHIPS:WE CURRENTLY HAVE 36 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS PURSUING THEIR DREAMS THROUGH UNIVERSITY EDUCATION AND INTENSIVE ENGLISH PROGRAMS. OUR SCHOLARS ARE GRADUATING AS LAWYERS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS, AND COMPUTER ENGINEERS.STEAM CAMP:WE OPERATED A STEAM CAMP FOR THE NATIONAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN EL CARMEN DE VIBORAL WHERE OVER 300 STUDENTS WHO LEARNED THE BASIC OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, 3D PRINTING, AND VIRTUAL REALITY.TEACHLABS:WE PROVIDED 136 PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS FROM 6 SCHOOLS BOTH ONE-ON-ONE AND VIRTUAL SKILLS TO MODERNIZE THEIR OUTDATED TEACHING METHODS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2019.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.