Marine Corps Association Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO SUSTAIN AND EXPAND PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES ESSENTIAL TO THE MARINE CORPS ASSOCIATION'S (MCA) MISSION BY ENGAGING EVERYONE INSPIRED BY THE MARINE CORPS.
- Income
- $2.8 million
- Spending
- $2.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 64%
- Reserves
- 3.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 22
- Highest pay
- $305,465, usmc (ret), president & ceo
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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1564% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 29 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
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 22 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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, 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 (3)
- $1.4 million spent. COMMANDERS' FORUMS: THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES FUNDING TO ASSIST COMMANDERS IN DEVELOPING AND PROVIDING FORUM OPPORTUNITIES SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO ENHANCE THEIR MARINES AND SAILORS' KNOWLEDGE OF THE MILITARY HISTORICAL AND OPERATIONAL LESSONS AND HOW THOSE CAN BE APPLIED TO CURRENT CHALLENGES. THE FORUMS CAN RANGE FROM PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH NOTED AUTHORS AND SCHOLARS TO A CLASSICAL BATTLE STUDY. PARTICIPATION IN THE BATTLE STUDIES WILL HELP PREPARE A UNIT FOR CURRENT OPERATIONS THROUGH THE STUDY OF MILITARY HISTORY. PARTICIPANTS IN BATTLE STUDIES MAY WALK THE GROUND WITH EXPERTS IN ORDER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM THESE FAMOUS BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS. IN ADDITION, MCAF ACTIVELY SEEKS TO PROVIDE RELEVANT, PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION FOR ACTIVE-DUTY MARINES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO STAY ABREAST OF CURRENT ISSUES. THESE FORUMS FEATURE PROMINENT SPEAKERS, KEY DECISION MAKERS AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND OFFER KEY INSIGHTS AND UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES ON CURRENT MILITARY TOPICS. EVENTS ARE HELD AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, ALLOWING ACTIVE-DUTY MARINES AND OUR MEMBERS NATIONWIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE, AND GAIN AN APPRECIATION OF CURRENT ISSUES. IN 2024, NEARLY 9,100 MARINE LEADERS (NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS, STAFF NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS, AND COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AT MULTIPLE GRADES) PARTICIPATED IN THESE COMMANDERS' FORUMS EVENTS. THE FUNDS PAY FOR SPEAKING FEES, HONORARIUMS, BATTLEFIELD TOUR GUIDES AND OTHER COSTS THAT MARINE UNITS CAN TYPICALLY PAY FOR FROM THEIR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FUNDING.
- $286,677 spent. THE MARINE EXCELLENCE AWARDS PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED TO RECOGNIZE THE PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF MARINES AND SAILORS (SERVING IN MARINE CORPS UNITS) AND TO RECOGNIZE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE IN MARINE CORPS OFFICER AND ENLISTED FORMAL SCHOOLS. THESE AWARDS ARE ALSO GIVEN FOR EXCEPTIONAL WRITTEN WORK. AWARDS ARE A VALUABLE INCENTIVE AND AN APPROPRIATE MEANS OF RECOGNIZING MARINES AND SAILORS WHO EXCEL IN THEIR COMMANDS, FORMAL SCHOOLS, AND LEADERSHIP COURSES. MCAF IS THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR OF AWARDS GIVEN TO THE U.S. MARINE CORPS. EACH YEAR MCAF GIVES AWARDS TO APPROXIMATELY 3,500 DESERVING MARINES AND SAILORS, 94 PERCENT OF WHICH GO TO ENLISTED MEN AND WOMEN. THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE AWARDS GIVEN TO OUTSTANDING MARINES: THE HONOR GRADUATE FROM DRILL INSTRUCTOR SCHOOL, RECRUIT TRAINING AWARDS (HONOR GRADUATE RECRUIT, HIGH SHOOTER AND HIGH PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST), THE BASIC OFFICER TRAINING COURSE HONOR GRADUATE, OFFICER CANDIDATES SCHOOL HONOR GRADUATE, AND STAFF NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER ACADEMY HONOR GRADUATE). IN 2024, OVER 3,500 MARINES RECEIVED AWARDS RECOGNIZING THEIR EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE AND THEIR CREATIVE AND PERSUASIVE WRITTEN WORK.
- $69,100 spent. THE COMMANDERS' UNIT LIBRARY PROGRAM PROVIDES COMMANDERS WITH FUNDS TO ESTABLISH AND SUSTAIN THEIR UNIT PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY WHEN THE UTILIZATION OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS IS NOT PRACTICABLE. THE PROGRAM ALLOWS COMMANDERS TO SELECT BOOKS FROM THE MARINE CORPS COMMANDANT'S PROFESSIONAL READING LIST, WHICH ALL MARINES ARE REQUIRED TO READ DURING THEIR SERVICE IN THE CORPS. THE BOOK LIST CONTAINS TIMELESS MILITARY CLASSICS AS WELL AS RECENT BOOKS ON EMERGING AREAS OF INTEREST IN CURRENT MILITARY OPERATIONS AND CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING. SOME UNITS WITH UNIQUE AND EMERGING CAPABILITIES (E.G. UNMANNED VEHICLES/DRONES, CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS) CAN RECEIVE BOOKS SPECIFIC TO THEIR MISSION. IN 2024, 127 MARINE CORPS UNITS (BATTALIONS, SQUADRONS, REGIMENTS, GROUPS, ETC.) RECEIVED BOOKS TO ENHANCE THEIR UNIT LIBRARIES, MAKING PROFESSIONAL READING AVAILABLE TO OVER 39,000 MARINES. IN TOTAL IN 2024, THE MARINE CORPS ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION SPENT OVER $1,700,000 IN SUPPORT OF APPROXIMATELY 51,000 MARINES.
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
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 April 2009.
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.
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