Barefoot University
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY CONNECTS FAMILIES TO NATURE AND EACH OTHER. OUR FOREST SCHOOLS NOURISH THE HOLISTIC HEALTH & EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. THROUGH CHILD LED LEARNING, ENGAGING STEM & SCIENCE BASED ACTIVITIES, COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS, CREATING COMMUNITIES, & EQUIPPING FAMILIES TO OBSERVE & EXPLORE OUR NATURAL WORLD, BAREFOOTERS THRIVE.
- Income
- $698,222
- Spending
- $602,268
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 12.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 100%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 4
- Highest pay
- $41,748, vice-preside
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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 (1)
- $498,871 spent. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY IS AN OUTDOOR MEETING COOPERATIVE GROUP, PRIMARILY FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY PROMOTES THE HEALTH AND EDUCATION OF EACH CHILD THROUGH WEEKLY FOCUSES AND CREATES COMMUNITIES FOR HOMESCHOOL FAMILIES. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY IS TO ASSIST CHILDREN IN NURTURING A LOVE OF OUTDOOR LEARNING. THROUGH THIS, THEY WILL DEVELOP VALUABLE SKILLS THAT FACILITATE A SELF-DRIVEN KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATURAL WORLD. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY GROUPS MEET ONCE PER WEEK,OUTSIDE, TO CONDUCT A NATURE, STEAM, OR FOREST SCHOOL THEMED ACTIVITY. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY ALSO INCLUDES ENRICHMENT FIELD TRIPS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS. IN THE PAST, OUR ACTIVITIES HAVE CONSISTED OF A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO; MICROSCOPIC ALGAE STUDY, WHITTLING, TREE CIRCUMFERENCE AND RING COUNTING, WILDFLOWER STUDY, NATIVE GRASS IDENTIFICATION, RAFT AND NATURE BOAT BUILDING, WATER FLOW ECOLOGY STUDY, MUSHROOM SPORE PRINTS, GEOLOGY AND FOSSIL STUDY. ALONG WITH THE ACTIVITIES LISTED ABOVE FINE ARTS AND MUSIC ARE ALSO INCLUDED BUT NOT LIMITED; POTTERY OUT OF NATIVE CLAY, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MADE FROM NATURAL MATERIALS, CAIRNS AND ROCK ART, RAIN AND WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS, AND GRASS WHISTLES. ACTIVITIES ARE FACILITATED BY A VOLUNTEER LEADERS AT EACH LOCATION AND PARENTS ASSIST THE CHILDREN IN ACCOMPLISHING THE ACTIVITIES. EACH BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY BRANCH IS HELD AT A PARK OR OUTDOOR SPACE THAT IS LOCAL TO THAT SPECIFIC BRANCH. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY EVENTS CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 2-4 HOURS DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITY THAT DAY. AS WE EXPAND, OUR BRANCHES WILL BE ABLE TO ADD OR SUBTRACT THE TIME NEEDED FOR EACH ACTIVITY BASED ON THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. EACH ACTIVITY IS FUNDED BY FAMILY MEMBERSHIP TO BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY AND DONATIONS. NINETY PERCENT OF OUR OVERALL EXPENSES ARE ALLOCATED TO THE ACTIVITIES DONE BY CHILDREN. THIS IS IN THE FORM OF SUPPLIES FOR EACH ACTIVITY. IN THE FUTURE, BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND IT'S REACH AND AUDIENCE INTO AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME, INNER-CITY YOUTH. BY SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS AND FOSTERING A LOVE OF NATURE, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN GREATLY REDUCED ANXIETY AND INCREASED COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND FOCUS IN CHILDREN. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY IS STRIVING TO PROVIDE ALL CHILDREN WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS NATURE IN A SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE WAY. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY IS AN OUTDOOR MEETING COOPERATIVE GROUP, PRIMARILY FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY PROMOTES THE HEALTH AND EDUCATION OF EACH CHILD THROUGH WEEKLY FOCUSES AND CREATES COMMUNITIES FOR HOMESCHOOL FAMILIES. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY IS TO ASSIST CHILDREN IN NURTURING A LOVE OF OUTDOOR LEARNING. THROUGH THIS, THEY WILL DEVELOP VALUABLE SKILLS THAT FACILITATE A SELF-DRIVEN KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATURAL WORLD. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY GROUPS MEET ONCE PER WEEK,OUTSIDE, TO CONDUCT A NATURE, STEAM, OR FOREST SCHOOL THEMED ACTIVITY. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY ALSO INCLUDES ENRICHMENT FIELD TRIPS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS. IN THE PAST, OUR ACTIVITIES HAVE CONSISTED OF A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO; MICROSCOPIC ALGAE STUDY, WHITTLING, TREE CIRCUMFERENCE AND RING COUNTING, WILDFLOWER STUDY, NATIVE GRASS IDENTIFICATION, RAFT AND NATURE BOAT BUILDING, WATER FLOW ECOLOGY STUDY, MUSHROOM SPORE PRINTS, GEOLOGY AND FOSSIL STUDY. ALONG WITH THE ACTIVITIES LISTED ABOVE FINE ARTS AND MUSIC ARE ALSO INCLUDED BUT NOT LIMITED; POTTERY OUT OF NATIVE CLAY, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MADE FROM NATURAL MATERIALS, CAIRNS AND ROCK ART, RAIN AND WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS, AND GRASS WHISTLES. ACTIVITIES ARE FACILITATED BY A VOLUNTEER LEADERS AT EACH LOCATION AND PARENTS ASSIST THE CHILDREN IN ACCOMPLISHING THE ACTIVITIES. EACH BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY BRANCH IS HELD AT A PARK OR OUTDOOR SPACE THAT IS LOCAL TO THAT SPECIFIC BRANCH. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY EVENTS CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 2-4 HOURS DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITY THAT DAY. AS WE EXPAND, OUR BRANCHES WILL BE ABLE TO ADD OR SUBTRACT THE TIME NEEDED FOR EACH ACTIVITY BASED ON THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. EACH ACTIVITY IS FUNDED BY FAMILY MEMBERSHIP TO BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY AND DONATIONS. NINETY PERCENT OF OUR OVERALL EXPENSES ARE ALLOCATED TO THE ACTIVITIES DONE BY CHILDREN. THIS IS IN THE FORM OF SUPPLIES FOR EACH ACTIVITY. IN THE FUTURE, BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND IT'S REACH AND AUDIENCE INTO AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME, INNER-CITY YOUTH. BY SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS AND FOSTERING A LOVE OF NATURE, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN GREATLY REDUCED ANXIETY AND INCREASED COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND FOCUS IN CHILDREN. BAREFOOT UNIVERSITY IS STRIVING TO PROVIDE ALL CHILDREN WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS NATURE IN A SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE WAY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 November 2021.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Barry University Inc (Miami Shores, FL), EIN 59-0624364. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.