Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Oliveseed Foundation

EIN 82-1693564 · Palo Alto, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak24 out of 100GovernanceWeak46 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD A POSITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT FOR YOUTH, MEANINGFUL LIVELIHOODS FOR WOMEN, AND CLEAN WATER TO DRINK. WE FOCUS ON THE INDIGENOUS AMAZIGH AND MAASAI COMMUNITIES OF MOROCCO AND KENYA.

Income
$261,163
Spending
$309,677
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
0.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
0
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$6,000, founder & executive direct

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

Weak: 24 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 51% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 28% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 46 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a 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

    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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (4)
  1. $112,130 spent. LITERACY & EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT:EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT FOR UNDERSERVED YOUTH IS OUR CENTRAL PILLAR. IN KENYA, WE DEVELOP HIGH-QUALITY LIBRARIES AND SCIENCE LABS FOR SCHOOLS IN GREATEST NEED. WE DEVELOPED OUR 6TH SCHOOL LIBRARY IN THE MAASAI MARA IN 2024 AND EXPANDED OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO INCLUDE MORE STUDENTS WHO WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO ATTEND SCHOOL. OVER 6000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR IN KENYA DIRECTLY BENEFIT FROM THESE PROJECTS. IN MOROCCO IN 2024, WE HELD A NATIONWIDE SHORT STORY COMPETITION FOR RURAL TEENS, WITH PUBLISHED BOOKS. AS AN EXTENSION OF THIS SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM, WE ALSO HELD AN ESSAY COMPETITION ON "CHALLENGES FACING THE NEXT GENERATION" FOR YOUTH IN BOTH MOROCCO AND KENYA, BOOSTING LITERACY, CRITICAL THINKING, AND YOUNG LEADERSHIP. IN BOTH COUNTRIES, THE TEENS PRESENTED THEIR FINDINGS TO A NATIONAL AUDIENCE OF EDUCATORS.
  2. $110,795 spent. CLEAN WATER INITIATIVES (MAASAI MARA, KENYA):WHERE WE WORK IN KENYA, MOST PEOPLE GET THEIR DRINKING WATER FROM OPEN PITS OR RIVERS SHARED WITH WILDLIFE AND CATTLE, AND 80% OF HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE THE RESULT OF DRINKING DIRTY WATER. IN 2024, WE COMPLETED DEVELOPMENT OF A PURIFIED WATER FACILITY READY FOR SALES TO LOCAL BUSINESSES; THIS WILL HELP FUND EDUCATION PROJECTS AND WILL EMPLOY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ALSO IN 2024, WE BUILT LARGE SOLAR-PUMPED GROUNDWATER AND WATER STORAGE SYSTEMS FOR 3 COMMUNITIES, PROVIDING CLEAN WATER TO PEOPLE RIGHT IN THEIR VILLAGE. THESE VILLAGE WATER PROJECTS PROVIDE CLEAN WATER FREE TO 10,000 PEOPLE.
  3. $39,039 spent. OLIVESEED WOMEN'S WORK CENTER (MAASAI MARA, KENYA):MOST ADULT WOMEN IN THE RURAL MAASAI MARA DID NOT HAVE THE CHANCE TO GO TO SCHOOL AND HAVE NO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. TO ADDRESS THIS NEED, WE BUILT A SOLAR-POWERED WOMEN'S WORK CENTER WITH INCOME-GENERATING ENTERPRISES FOR WOMEN FROM 20 FAMILIES. WE PROVIDE VOCATIONAL TRAINING, SUPPLIES, SALES CHANNELS, AND WORK SPACE. THE WOMEN MAKE BEADWORK TO SELL AT SAFARI CAMPS AND SEW CLOTHING AND OTHER ITEMS TO SELL, MAKING AN INCOME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES AND SUPPORTING THEIR FAMILIES. IN 2024, WE EXPANDED OUR DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH-QUALITY SEWN SANITARY KITS TO KEEP TEEN GIRLS IN SCHOOL. THE WOMEN PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED 1450 SANITARY KITS TO LOCAL GIRLS THIS YEAR, ALONG WITH HEALTH AND HYGIENE EDUCATION
  4. $22,816 spent. THESE EXPENSES ARE OUR SUPPORT FOR THE G&A COSTS OF THE GROUND OPERATION MANAGING AND IMPLEMENTING ALL OUR KENYAN PROJECTS IN LITERACY & EDUCATION, CLEAN WATER, AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT. WE ESTABLISHED A REGISTERED NONPROFIT IN KENYA CALLED OLIVESEED KENYA (OSK) FOR LOCAL STAFF TO CARRY OUT THIS PROJECT WORK. OSK ALSO PROVIDES FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTING, CONDUCTS PROJECT ASSESSMENTS, HANDLES COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND PROVIDES SECURITY FOR THE WOMEN'S CENTER AND WATER FACILITIES. IN ADDITION, OSK OWNS AND MAINTAINS NECESSARY ASSETS INCLUDING VEHICLES AND THE LAND FOR THE WOMEN'S CENTER. THE OSK BOOKS ARE INDEPENDENTLY AUDITED EACH YEAR, IN COMPLIANCE WITH KENYAN LAW.

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 2024.

    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 February 2018.

    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.