Mesa Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The organization's mission is to create community benefit and beautification, and opportunities for young athletes, disadvantaged youth, the disabled and those suffering from health changes to meet, learn from and be inspired by college athletes.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 99%
- Reserves
- 6.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 3
- Highest pay
- $79,933, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 56% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1599% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 15 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
0 of 5Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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)
- $1.7 million spent. It is the mission of Mesa Foundation to create community benefit and beautification, and opportunities for young athletes, disadvantaged youth, the disabled and those suffering from health changes to meet, learn from and be inspired by college athletes.MESA Community Impact 2025The past year included incredible growth with the foundation's reach and impact on the community.We retained our videographer who took on a more advanced role creating content not only for MESA but also traveling with the team, working with our corporate sponsors and collaborating with the athletics department. We hired an operations assistant to assist with social media, donor communications and email marketing. We worked with a designer to enhance our social media branding and most recently did a special project to design t-shirts with each student-athlete. We created additional donor gear for our members to purchase and revamped our merchandise site with a new company.We partnered with StarPALS to host a basketball clinic for local youth. Over the summer we added a new camp with Big Brother, Big Sister for mentors and mentees to learn fundamentals from our student-athletes. We hosted the second annual wheelchair basketball clinic with Challenged Athletes Foundation with 25 wheelchair athletes playing in a clinic with our student-athletes and bonding over the love of basketball. In partnership with SDSU Greek Life, Sigma Chi Fraternity, the Department of Justice and the San Diego City Attorneys office we organized a 3 on 3 basketball tournament to raise awareness for the fentanyl epidemic affecting college aged students. At the event we provided NARCAN to participants. Our student-athletes walked in the ALS Walk and we sold t-shirts that proceeds went back to support the ALS Association. We participated in a food distribution with Feeding San Diego at Hoover High School for the second year in a row providing meals to over 300 families in need. We participated in a food sorting event with the San Diego Food Bank preparing food for families in need throughout San Diego. Our student-athletes also got to tour the main distribution facility and learn about the food bank process.We hosted multiple donor engagement events to continue to steward and cultivate our donor base. We worked through an exhausting transition from Basepath to GiveButter, our new donor management software partner, and continue to clean up that transition.We continued to work with multiple food partners including Woodstocks, Broken Yolk, Luna Grill and Novo and corporate sponsors renewing our previous partners and adding a new partner with J&D Custom Clothier. Each student-athlete was given a custom designed suit tailored to each of their personal styles and size. We are excited for them to be able to wear these suits as they prepare for life after graduation and basketball.Calendar of eventsEach event was supported with social media posts on multiple platforms of MESA and all the Student-Athletes.February 27 - Hosted a tax preparation and financial literacy workshop with UBS and Hamilton Tharp CPA, mandatory for student-athletes to support them during tax season and provide education on saving opportunities.June - Worked with LaChica Sports to invite 2 SAs to Black Athlete Summit in LA to further their awareness of business outside of college sports.April 15 - StarPALS youth basketball campApril 25 - Hosted womens basketball SAs for a food distribution at Lincoln High SchoolJuly 13 - Big Brothers Big Sister children and mentor camp at JAM Center at SDSUJuly 19 - Challenge Athletes wheelchair camp at JAM center on SDSU campusAug 31 - Donor Day at the Del Mar Racetrack with Fan Fest AppearanceSept 14 - DOJ, City Attorney, Greek Life fentanyl awareness basketball tournamentOct 6 - ALS Walk at De Anza Cove in Mission BeachOct 10 - Open Practice with supportersOctober 14-16 - Blood Drive Awareness on campus @SDSU and ad creationOct 31 - Broken Yolk radio show with AM and fan engagement on campus on siteNov 5 - Feeding San Diego & Hoover High School Food PantyNov 5 -Woodstocks filming content creation/fan engagementNov 16 - Top of the Key Event @ Intercontinental San DiegoNov 23 - 26 Las Vegas for Players Era NIL Tourney. Supported Student-Athletes as they navigated their personal and team NIL opportunities through multiple brands.Dec 11 -San Diego Food Bank Distribution FBO Cushman and Jacobs Food Bank
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2022.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.