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Origins Project Foundation Inc

EIN 83-2843258 · Phoenix, AZ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ULTIMATELY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO INSPIRING WONDER AND EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND US. THE ORIGINS PROJECT FOCUSES ON CELEBRATING KNOWLEDGE, SKEPTICAL INQUIRY, AND CREATIVITY. BY DOING SO, WE HOPE TO HELP PROVIDE BROADER A PERSPECTIVE FOR DEALING WITH THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY.

Income
$479,212
Spending
$242,412
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
20.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 79%
Employees
0

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 20.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 49% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% 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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (2)
  1. $228,561 spent. EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS: WE ARE LIVING IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES. REVOLUTIONARY NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS PRESENT UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE EVEN AS CLIMATE CHANGE, THE THREAT OF NUCLEAR WAR, LOSS OF CRITICAL ECOSYSTEMS, PROLIFERATION OF PLASTICS, AND THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION REMAIN AMONG OUR GREATEST CHALLENGES. THE MISSION OF THE ORIGINS PROJECT FOUNDATION IS TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR SCIENTISTS, SCHOLARS, WRITERS, ARTISTS AND THE PUBLIC TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPLORATIONS ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGES FACING HUMANITY IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS, AND PROMOTE AND INSPIRE POSITIVE AND RATIONAL ACTION.
  2. THE FOUNDATION SEEKS TO EXPLORE AND EXPLAIN PIVOTAL DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE FULL SPECTRUM OF HUMAN CULTURE TO INSPIRE SCIENTISTS AND THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE MOST PRESSING LOCAL AND GLOBAL INTELLECTUAL AND POLICY ISSUES. WE DO THIS IN PART BY HELPING BUILD AN INFORMED CITIZENRY EQUIPPED TO PLAY A PART IN CHANGING THE WORLD. ORIGINS FOUNDATIONS WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH: 1. THE ORIGINS PODCAST: HOSTED BY LAWRENCE KRAUSS, THE PODCAST BRINGS LEADING FIGURES IN SCIENCE, THE ARTS, ECONOMICS, LAW, JOURNALISM, AND PUBLIC POLICY TOGETHER FOR UNIQUE, WIDE RANGING, IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IMPORTANT TOPICS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE, IGNITE CURIOSITY, AND INSPIRE ACTION. 2. ORIGINS EVENTS: THE ORIGINS PROJECT FOUNDATION CREATES COMPELLING, UNIQUE PUBLIC EVENTS WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED SET OF THOUGHT LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE INTELLECTUAL AND CREATIVE SPECTRA FOR ENLIGHTING, AND PROVOCATIVE DISCUSSIONS ON A WIDE RANGE OF SOCIAL ISSUES. IN ADDITION, THE FOUNDATION ALSO ORGANIZES INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL EXPERIENCES THAT TOGETHER LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE TO EXPLORE IMPORTANT ISSUES SEE THE IMPACT OF THOSE ISSUES THROUGH THE EYES OF LOCAL CULTURES AND COMMUNITIES. 3. ORIGINS TRAVEL: ORIGINS TRAVEL ADVENTURES PROVIDE UNPARALLELED ACCESS FOR SMALL GROUPS TO VISIT SITES OF GREAT HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND NATURAL WONDERS AS WELL AS INTERACT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF DISCOVERIES AND IDEAS. THE ITINERARIES INCLUDE VISITS TO PLACES THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, SUCH AS LABORATORIES, RESEARCH SITES, AND FEATURE LECTURES BY SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS WHO ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH MAKING GROUND-BREAKING DISCOVERIES AND CHANGING THE WAY PEOPLE VIEW THEMSELVES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS. THE ADVENTURES ATTRACT A DIVERSE GOUP OF FASCINATING PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND THE CONVERSATIONS AMONGST NEW FRIENDS ON THESE JOURNEYS ADD A RICHNESSTO THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE THAT MANY ORIGINS TRAVELERS DESCRIBE AS 'TRANSFORMATIONAL'. WE ARE ACCOMPLISHING THIS GOAL BY THREE MAIN EFFORTS. (1) PUBLIC EVENTS AT WHICH WE CONNECT MAJOR THOUGHT LEADERS TO THE PUBLIC, (2) PRODUCING THE ORIGINS PODCAST, WITH REGULAR GUESTS FROM SCIENCE, POLITICS, LITERATURE, AND THE ARTS, (3) TRAVEL EXPERIENCES, ALLOWING PARTICIPANTS IN DEPTH OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERACT WITH MAJOR THOUGHT LEADERS.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 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 September 7, 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 7, 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.