Foundation Fund
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE Foundation exists to help community charities. We do this by raising their profile and awareness to help them forge even stronger community partnerships and ultimately raising revenue. Our primary activities include providing brand ambassadors at no cost to the nonprofits. We provide access to Ohio State football and basketball players as brand ambassadors, setting up events that allow the nonprofits to tell their story and reach more people. Additionally, we provide our brand ambassadors to connect with the charities' constituents, helping them increase their profile and providing value to the charities at no cost. Additionally, we seek to forge long-term partnerships with the charities and brand ambassadors. In 2024, we partnered with an LLC to handle any business deals that were not within our exempt purpose to continue to ensure all activites through THE Foundation are according to our exempt purpose.
- Income
- $6.7 million
- Spending
- $6.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 8.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 102
- Highest pay
- $146,388, vice chairman
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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 105% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
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
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
10 of 10Gave 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
0 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, 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 (1)
- $5.5 million spent. We provided brand ambassadors to raise awareness, increase the profile, and help raise resources for the following community nonprofit partners: LifeTown, Buckeye Cruise for Cancer, A Kid Again, After-School All-Stars, Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, USO, Nationwide Children's Hospital, and the Columbus Urban League. We had over one hundred student-athlete brand ambassadors serving multiple charity partners. Our premiere event was our Summer Gala in August. We partnered with Buckeye Cruise for Cancer to help raise awareness for the James Cancer Hospital. The brand ambassadors spent quality time, signing autographs, throwing the football, and having conversations about leadership. We also had many appearances at Lifetown where our brand ambassadors worked with the kids who would go there to learn life skills. Many of these kids come from under-resourced backgrounds and some are mentally handicapped. Our brand ambassadors volunteered in each simulated store such as a bank, art store, movie theatre, pet shop, doctor's office, and salon. They taught the kids how to budget money, talk to a doctor, and use art in therapeutic ways. The kids love having the brand ambassadors around and they visit multiple times a year. Our Co-founder Cardale Jones had a charity softball game raising money for Ohio State's The James Cancer Center. Our brand ambassadors attended the game, signed autographs, and interacted with cancer patients. It was a meaningful experience for everyone who attended. We have also had the Boys and Grisl Club and USO visit our brand ambassadors during practice. We had a football free kids football camp as well hosted by THE Foundation and our brand ambassadors played football with kids who are underprivileged. Many of our brand ambassadors visit the Nationwide Children's hospital on a frequent basis and they worked with the kids during The Memorial Golf Tournament at a golf clinic with Jack Nicklaus. We also hosted a Summer Big Brothers Big Sisters basketball shootout with our brand ambassadors. During Christmas, we had a gift-wrapping and delivery project by our brand ambassadors to kids who are terminally ill through the A Kid Again charity partner. This was a great way for our brand ambassadors to get out in the community and put a smile on many kids' faces. Our programs have already helped so many kids who, despite their struggles, look up to our brand ambassadors and we give them the opportunity to be together. Our brand ambassadors also love this experience as well. In addition to serving the nonprofit partners, we teach our brand ambassadors business and life skills including branding, marketing, accounting, contracts, taxes, and the importance of giving back to their community. Our ultimate mission is to forge life-long relationships between our brand ambassadors and our charity partners creating a lifetime of impact.
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 2024.
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 February 2022.
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: Folx Foundation Inc (Miami Beach, FL), EIN 86-3600057. 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.