MERITO Foundation Inc FKA MutliCultural Education for Reso

What it reported doing in 2024

In 2024, the MERITO Foundation staff and board immersed 4,950 4th-12th grade students in transformative place-based and project-based learning experiences and engaged over 15,000 adults through outreach and community events. Students participated in hands-on experiences in environmental monitoring, habitat restoration, outdoor recreation and STEAM challenges that helped them develop critical thinking skills and introduced them to environmental advocacy and green entrepreneurship. Outreach and community events included hosting the Earth Day Festival in Ventura, and involving the Spanish speaking communities of West Ventura in the co-design of the Parkway Preserve adjacent to the Ventura River. Each of these experiences was offered at no cost to the youth and communities we serve. Our work helped improve the health of our coast, our ocean, and the regions youth. The 4,950 students participated in Merito's 9-month ocean, climate & environmental education programs, including: Ventura River Action Network (V-RAN) in partnership with VUSD; From the Avenue to the Channel Islands (ATCI) in partnership with De Anza MS; Vamos a la Playa! (VLP) thanks to a Whale Tail Grant, the Port of Hueneme, and the Education & Engagement component of the Oxnard Beautification Project (OBP) for the City of Oxnard. We also expanded our outreach by providing watershed education in Bakersfield. Outdoor activities were supported by in-class instruction about the scientific concepts that were applied during the immersive outdoor experiences.Over 1,600 students participated in the collection of environmental data during the field experiences of our programs, following protocols set by research organizations. Monitoring ranged from water quality, macro-invertebrates, micro-plastics, marine debris, sandy beaches and rocky inter-tidal habitats, and aquatic bird populations. Stewardship activities included dune restoration assisting CA State Parks under the CA Department of Parks & Recreation. The data collected by the students is available to the public in the new V-RAN Story Map. Also, nearly 100 adults participated in monthly Sea Ramble events in Ventura, with Patagonia combining scenic bike rides with beach clean-ups, and piloting data collection for Southern CA Plankton Watch.1,130 students at De Anza Middle School enjoyed a variety of outdoor adventures this year through our From the Avenue to the Channel Islands (ATCI) program Funded by the Outdoor Equity Grant, created through AB 209 and administered by the CA Department of Parks & Recreation, Office of Grants and Local Services. The ATCI program combines environmental and ocean science education with activities like biking to the Ventura River Estuary, exploring tide pools, restoring dunes, outrigger canoing, sailing, camping, hiking, star gazing, and snorkeling at Catalina and Santa Cruz Islands. For many students, these trips were filled with unforgettable first time experiences.Merito engaged 1,937 students and 21 teachers from 14 schools in Oxnard, Hueneme, and El Rio through the Oxnard Beautification Project (OBP), an initiative of the City of Oxnard. Students learned the science to understand the impacts of trash and the urban heat island effect. After participating in hands-on field experiences at their local beaches, wetlands, and rivers, the students created outreach campaigns using their own art and digital media to educate their communities not to litter and to care for their local parks during the Beautiful Oxnard Challenge. The top student-authored projects were recognized by Mayor John C. Zaragoza and awarded stipends. Merito increased educator capacity to integrate ocean and climate science through Professional Development (PD) sessions. We provided tools and hands-on training to 69 educators to help them bring ocean, climate, energy, and environmental science to their classrooms through in-person, online, and field sessions. From exploring Santa Cruz Islands kelp forests to hands-on tra

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 87.4%; rating input score 87
• Program expense ratio: 89.2%; rating input score 89
• Fundraising efficiency: $63.09 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 44.4%; rating input score 44; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 2%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.24; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 19.1%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 33.4% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 17.8% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 25.8% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings