Marin Academy
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MARIN ACADEMY ASKS EVERY INDIVIDUAL TO THINK, QUESTION, AND CREATE IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND COMPASSION, AND CHALLENGES EACH PERSON TO ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITIES POSED BY EDUCATION IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.
- Income
- $34.2 million
- Spending
- $33.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- -4.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 83%
- Employees
- 167
- Volunteers
- 400
- Highest pay
- $1.4 million, head of school
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 40 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 41% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 0% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 42 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2525 of 28 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 June 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 (1)
- $25.6 million spent. MARIN ACADEMY (MA) IS A CO-EDUCATIONAL INDEPENDENT HIGH SCHOOL SERVING GRADES 9-12. THE SCHOOL ENROLLS APPROXIMATELY 450 STUDENTS EACH YEAR. MARIN ACADEMY PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH A SOLID FOUNDATION IN TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC SUBJECTS IN A COLLEGE-PREPARATORY PROGRAM. WITH A COMMITMENT TO EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION, MA BELIEVES THAT HEALTHY, CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM ARE ESSENTIAL FOR TAKING ADOLESCENTS TO AND BEYOND INTELLECTUAL AND THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE. CRITICAL THINKING (INFORMED, INDEPENDENT, COLLABORATIVE AND CREATIVE) IS A HALLMARK OF THE MARIN ACADEMY EXPERIENCE. AT MA, STUDENTS THRIVE IN A SUPPORTIVE, COMPASSIONATE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH PROMOTES FRIENDLY, OPEN DIALOGUE (CONT. ON SCH. O)BASED ON RESPECT AND TRUST. DURING THE COURSE OF THEIR STUDIES, MARIN ACADEMY STUDENTS EXPLORE COMPLEX IDEAS AND DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES, TEST THEIR VALUES AND JUDGMENTS, AND MAKE THEIR OWN DISCOVERIES. MARIN ACADEMY ASKS EACH INDIVIDUAL TO RECOGNIZE OUR SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO INSPIRE AND FOSTER A PURPOSEFULLY DIVERSE, EQUITABLE AND JUST COMMUNITY, WHERE STUDENTS AND ADULTS OF VARIED BACKGROUNDS, BELIEFS, ATTRIBUTES AND ABILITIES RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER AS INDIVIDUALS WORTHY OF RESPECT. FURTHER, THE SCHOOL EMBRACES OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROMOTE, BOTH WITHIN AND BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF MA, THE VALUES INHERENT IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. THE AVERAGE CLASS SIZE IS 15. MARIN ACADEMY'S CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS INCLUDE AN AMBITIOUS OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAM, A SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM, A REQUIRED WEEK OF EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATION EACH SPRING, AND A HIGHLY-DEVELOPED INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC PROGRAM. THE SCHOOL ALSO SUPPORTS THE NEED FOR ONGOING GROWTH AND CHALLENGES FOR ITS STUDENTS THROUGH A NUMBER OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING: INDEPENDENT STUDY, SENIOR PROJECTS, INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, AND STUDY ABROAD.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 August 1946.
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.
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.