Mara Foundation

What it reported doing in 2025

The january 2025 event - casa majani punta de mita in mexicoset within an isolated villa compound in the mexican countryside, the january 2025 jericho event is a week-long wellbeing and personal development retreat designed to provide support for young artists working in literature, film, art, music, and beyond using creativity to unlock confidence. By hosting sessions which gather young creatives to share past experiences and consider future pathways, attendees are given the tools they need to be resilient in the entertainment industry. The participants leave the academy with a strengthened sense of self and purpose, prepared to become part of a support system for their peers who may be facing abuse, harassment, substance misuse, or the intense demands of public-facing careers. At a jericho event, each day is designed to promote a wholistic understanding of mind, body, soul, and community. Each day starts with movement and breath exercises with a tai chi session, aiming to ground the participants in the present moment. These tools are taught to help participants develop emotional regulation and remember the importance of slowing down with intention, key to being able to manage high-stress environments, public performance, and interpersonal challenges.the morning workshop sessions continue the day with intellectual challenges, pushing the participants to deeply consider key social and cultural issues, as well as their application to real life scenarios. Critical thinking skills are promoted through open discussion, even when opinions differ and controversial issues are raised. Philosophical dimensions to topical problems are included to extend conversations into emotional, social, and academic spheres. Workshops extend to issues such as financial health, feminism and gender dynamics, and the balance between privacy and social media pressure. Afternoons enhance this cultivation of the mind by engaging in physical activities, each with the dual purpose of both fitness improvement and community development. These experiences balance the days through exercise and exertion, teaching teamwork, collaboration, persistence, and healthy competition. Activities may include pickleball, swimming, sports-days, and creative challenges. These sessions provide a lightness to the day which is essential to improving concentration and vulnerability within the group. Meals are simple but intentional. With phones removed from the equation, these are moments for important conversations, building critical communication skills necessary for building a network in the entertainment industry. Time and space for reflection on the week's sessions are provided throughout the week. Journaling, arts and crafts, and reading are encouraged, with participants organizing time for each amongst themselves. However, with the peace and quiet provided by the isolated setting, participants can also find the space for alone time. Especially in the modern world of technological overwhelm, this time to get to know oneself is a key feature of a jericho event. However, there are also moments of shared conversation about this reflective work, creating exchanges of vulnerability and authenticity. This where the personal work becomes collaborative, the community becomes honest, and participants start to offer support and advice to one another, growing into the responsibility of a role model.young people look to artists as their primary role models, and jericho supports these extraordinary young people in living up to this duty, giving them tools to lead and inspire others of their generation. However, this can only happen if they themselves survive the industry, if their authenticity stays intact - jericho creates microcosms of connection and support that are designed to ripple out into building a future which we can all be proud to be part of.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 88.7%; rating input score 89
• Program expense ratio: 80.4%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 2 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 29
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -10.3%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.15; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -40.2% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 5.2% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.8% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings