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Public Education Foundation of Marion County Inc

EIN 59-2949915 · Ocala, FL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO FINANCIALLY AND MATERIALLY SUPPORT MARION COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ITS STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. THIS IS DONE BY FOCUSING COMMUNITY INTEREST ON PUBLIC EDUCATION; INITIATING SUPPORT AND UNDERWRITING PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT STUDENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND MARION COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Income
$2.2 million
Spending
$2.1 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
23.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 88%
Employees
10
Volunteers
265
Highest pay
$305,606, board member

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 23.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 0% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    23 of 23 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (4)
  1. $409,772 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OTAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN IS A PROGRAM FOR DESERVING LOW-INCOME CHILDREN IN MARION COUNTY TO ESCAPE THE CYCLE OF POVERTY BY OFFERING STUDENTS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS IF THEY FOLLOW PROGRAM GUIDELINES. EACH STUDENT IS ALSO PROVIDED A CARING VOLUNTEER MENTOR THAT MEETS WITH THE STUDENT ONCE A WEEK FOR ALL 4 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL. THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE HIGH SCHOOL DROP-OUTS AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO FINISH COLLEGE. DURING THE 2024-2025 YEAR THERE WERE 256 ACTIVE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM WITH EACH OF THOSE STUDENTS HAVING A 100% MENTOR MATCH. THERE ARE 195 ACTIVE STUDENT MENTORS WITH MULTIPLE VOLUNTEERS MENTORING MORE THAN 1 STUDENT. COLLEGE TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED TO THE 42 STUDENTS IN THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2025. THE PROGRAM BOASTS A 98% HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE COMPARED TO 72% OF THEIR AT-RISK PEER GROUP IN FLORIDA.
  2. $307,082 spent. TOOLS 4 TEACHING IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW TEACHERS TO OBTAIN FREE TEACHING MATERIALS AND OTHER FREE SUPPLIES FOR THEIR CLASSROOMS AND STUDENTS IN NEED. THE GOAL IS TO ALLOW BOTH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO HAVE THE TOOLS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS. ALL MARION COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS MAY SHOP ONCE A MONTH FOR FREE SUPPLIES. TEACHERS WHO HAVE THE MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES NECESSARY TO TEACH ARE MORE MOTIVATED TO TEACH AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR TEACHING IS IMPROVED. IN ANNUAL SURVEY RESPONSES, TEACHERS REPORTED THAT HAVING ADEQUATE SCHOOLS SUPPLIES IMPROVED STUDENT GRADES, ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIOR AND SELF-ESTEEM. DURING THE 2024-2025 YEAR, TOOLS 4 TEACHING HOSTED A TOTAL OF 2,974 TEACHER SHOPPING TRIPS. APPROXIMATELY $238,143 IN FREE SUPPLIES WERE PROVIDED TO 883 TEACHERS ACROSS ALL OF THE DISTRICT'S SCHOOLS.
  3. $130,616 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OGRANTS FOR GREAT IDEAS IS A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM OPEN TO ALL MARION COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS. THE GRANTS PROVIDE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMS IN THE AREAS OF STEM EDUCATION, LITERACY, ASSISTING LOW-PERFORMING STUDENTS, INCREASING GRADUATION RATES, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, TEACHER QUALITY, AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS IN NEED, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVES. THE GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE SCORED BY A GROUP OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS AND FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS. GRANTS ARE SCORED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: 1. ADDRESSES A NEED OR CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY. 2. WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT STUDENT LEARNING. 3. MEASURABLE OUTCOMES ARE REALISTIC. 4. FOLLOW-UP EVALUATION. 5. NUMBER OF LOW PERFORMING AND OVERALL STUDENTS IMPACTED. DURING THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR, APPROXIMATELY $115,572 IN GRANTS FOR GREAT IDEAS PROJECTS WAS AWARDED.
  4. $819,920 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS OF THE FOUNDATION SUCH AS THE SCHOOL BUSINESS PARTNER PROGRAM, GOLDEN APPLE TEACHER RECOGNITION PROGRAM, SCHOOL RELATED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR PROGRAM, TEACHER TO BE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND THE SILVER RIVER SCIENCE LAB & EDUCATION CENTER ALL ENHANCE SUPPORT FOR MARION COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR INCLUDED BUILDING STUDENT RESILIENCY TO SUPPORT STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, NEW WORLDS READING INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT LITERACY EFFORTS, AND THE THANK A TEACHER PROGRAM TO ULTIMATELY SUPPORT TEACHER RECOGNITION AND RETENTION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 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 December 1989.

    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.

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