Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Motley Fool Foundation

EIN 84-1970428 · Alexandria, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 77 cents.

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

What it says it does

WITH A VISION OF "FINANCIAL FREEDOM FOR ALL, AND A MISSION "TO CREATE PATHWAYS TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM FOR THOSE LIVING PAYCHECK-TO-PAYCHECK," THE FOUNDATION CREATES IMPACT BY HELPING MORE AMERICANS GET ON THE PATH TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM AND BECOME THEIR GREATEST FINANCIAL SELVES.

Income
$1.9 million
Spending
$2.0 million
Spent on programs
54%
Reserves
68.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 84%
Employees
0
Volunteers
32
Highest pay
$281,270, executive director (to 9/24)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, 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 (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 68.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 40% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    54% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 77 cents.

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

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 9 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 September 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 (3)
  1. $589,583 spent. AT THE FOOL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, WE BELIEVE INVESTING IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL WAYS TO BUILD WEALTH AND FINANCIAL FREEDOM. THE FREEDOMETER WILL BE AN INTERACTIVE, EASY-TO-USE ONLINE RESOURCE THAT BREAKS DOWN CORE INVESTING CONCEPTS INTO APPROACHABLE, BITE-SIZED LESSONS. OUR GOAL IS TO HELP EVERY LEARNER NO MATTER THEIR STARTING POINT FEEL CONFIDENT THAT INVESTING IS SOMETHING THEY CAN GENUINELY DO.THE FIRST PHASE IN FY24 INCLUDED CREATING THE INITIAL MODEL, CONDUCTING BETA TESTS, COLLECTING TEST-USER FEEDBACK, AND GENERATING IDEAS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. THE SECOND PHASE IN FY25 INCLUDED FURTHER PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, CONTENT CREATION, AND MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF FOCUS GROUP TESTING.DEVELOPMENT WILL CONTINUE IN FY26, AND THE TOOL WILL ULTIMATELY BE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND BUSINESS USERS.
  2. $452,095 spent. THE FOUNDATION CREATED A VENTURE PHILANTHROPY IMPACT FUND, THE IF FUND, TO ACCELERATE AND EXPAND PROGRAMMING WITH OTHER VETTED 501(C) (3) ORGANIZATIONS.FOR THE FUND, THE FOUNDATION APPLIES A VENTURE CAPITAL APPROACH TO FIND AND SUPPORT OTHER INNOVATIVE, DEVELOPING NONPROFITS.THE FOUNDATION IDENTIFIES "DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH," EARLY-STAGE NONPROFITS AGED 1-10 YEARS THAT ARE TRANSITIONING FROM SUCCESSFUL STARTUPS TO ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATIONS AND HAVE INNOVATIVE MODELS FOR LARGE-SCALE IMPACT. CANDIDATES ARE SOURCED FROM THE PUBLIC AND OTHER SOURCES, VETTED BY MULTIPLE TEAM MEMBERS, AND REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY A BOARD COMMITTEE AND THE FULL BOARD.DURING EACH OF THE THREE YEARS OF OUR FORMAL ENGAGEMENT, THE APPROVED ORGANIZATIONS ARE AWARDED A $300,000 UNRESTRICTED GRANT, DELIVERED IN $100,000 ANNUAL INSTALLMENTS. INITIAL GRANTS WERE AWARDED IN FY24. BY CREATING A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE, IMPACTFOOL (IF) NONPROFITS CAN CONFIDENTLY EMBRACE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES AND REALIZE THEIR TRUE POTENTIAL TO DELIVER MAXIMUM IMPACT AT SCALE.THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES EACH ORGANIZATION WITH IF SCALING PARTNERS: MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM WITH EXPERTISE IN NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL IMPACT. THE PARTNERS WORK WITH THE CHOSEN NONPROFIT'S LEADERSHIP TO ADDRESS IDENTIFIED NEEDS, LEVERAGING EXPERTISE FROM THE MOTLEY FOOL STAFF, MEMBERS, AND OUTSIDE EXPERTS. WORK WITH THE IF SCALING PARTNERS FOR THE INITIAL FY24 GRANTEES WAS ONGOING THROUGHOUT FY25. ADDITIONAL GRANTEES WILL BE SCREENED AND GIVEN AWARDS IN FY26.
  3. $10,224 spent. OTHER PROGRAM EXPENSES INCLUDED SMALL GRANTS TO OTHER 501C3 ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL FREEDOM AND FOR DISASTER RELIEF AND OTHER NON-RECURRING ADVERSE EVENTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 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 September 2025.

    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 February 2020.

    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.