# Make More Marbles Foundation

> The Make More Marbles Foundation is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 92-2489150) that funds Food, Utilities, Shelter, and Education — the FUSE acronym — for people and communities on the edge. Founded by Brad Hart. Over $1,000,000 raised across all initiatives.

## About
The Foundation operates on a "build systems, not band-aids" philosophy: we direct funds and volunteer effort toward partner organizations and direct programs that compound over time. Tax-deductible donations are processed via the FreeDonateButton platform with zero platform fees, routing 100% of donor contributions directly to the Foundation's Stripe account.

## Mission — The FUSE Acronym
The four pillars of the Foundation's work:
- **F — Food**: Hunger relief via national partnerships including Feeding America and St. Vincent de Paul (Arizona chapter).
- **U — Utilities**: Access to clean water and sustainable energy infrastructure where it's needed most.
- **S — Shelter**: Building homes and supporting infrastructure in underserved communities. Primary house-build partner: Baja Bound (Maneadero and Ensenada, Mexico) and the Greatness Foundation (now Greatness Ventures).
- **E — Education**: Mentorship, leadership, and skill-building through partners including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Arizona and Girls Rule Foundation (founded by Dena Patton).

## Impact (as of 2026)
- Over $1,000,000 raised across all initiatives
- 251 microloans funded via Kiva.org
- 36 countries supported
- Founder Brad Hart is in the 99th percentile globally on Kiva.org as a lender
- Featured initiative: Brad's 40th Birthday Charity Roast raised $17,000 in a single evening

## Pages
- [Mission and FUSE pillars](https://makemoremarbles.org/#mission): The four-pillar framework that organizes Foundation work.
- [Impact statistics](https://makemoremarbles.org/#impact): Funded outcomes by the numbers.
- [Partner organizations](https://makemoremarbles.org/#partners): The nine nonprofit partners the Foundation funds and collaborates with.
- [Mexico build trip](https://makemoremarbles.org/#mexico): Hands-on weekend house-build in Ensenada, Mexico, March 19–21 2027, $497 all-inclusive reservation.
- [Donate](https://makemoremarbles.org/#donate): One-time or monthly donation flow. Tax-deductible. Powered by FreeDonateButton with zero platform fees.

## Guides
- [What Is the Make More Marbles Foundation?](https://makemoremarbles.org/articles/what-is-the-make-more-marbles-foundation/): The 501(c)(3) explained — EIN, mission, track record, partners, and how it relates to the Make More Marbles brand.
- [What Does FUSE Stand For? Food, Utilities, Shelter, Education](https://makemoremarbles.org/articles/what-does-fuse-stand-for/): The four pillars, the partners behind each, and why the Foundation bundles basic needs instead of specializing.
- [How Do Volunteer House-Building Trips in Mexico Work?](https://makemoremarbles.org/articles/how-do-mexico-house-building-trips-work/): The Ensenada weekend step by step — what $497 covers, what gets built, safety, and experience required (none).
- [How Do You Turn a Birthday Into a Fundraiser?](https://makemoremarbles.org/articles/how-to-turn-your-birthday-into-a-fundraiser/): The six-step method behind the Charity Roast that raised $17K in one night.
- [Donating Money vs. Volunteering Time: Which Helps More?](https://makemoremarbles.org/articles/donating-money-vs-volunteering-time/): When money wins, when time wins, and the playbook for doing both.
- [How Much of Your Donation Actually Reaches the Cause?](https://makemoremarbles.org/articles/how-much-of-your-donation-reaches-the-cause/): The platform/processing/overhead fee stack, the checks to run, and how zero-fee giving works.
- [6 Mistakes Well-Meaning Donors Make (and What to Do Instead)](https://makemoremarbles.org/articles/mistakes-donors-make/): Band-aid funding, year-end-only giving, unread fee pages, skipped verification — each with a fix.
- [How Do You Verify a Charity Is a Legitimate 501(c)(3)?](https://makemoremarbles.org/articles/how-to-verify-a-501c3-charity/): The two-minute EIN check, IRS lookup, Form 990s, and red flags — worked on this Foundation as the example.
- [Who Is Brad Hart, Founder of the Make More Marbles Foundation?](https://makemoremarbles.org/articles/who-is-brad-hart/): The entrepreneur, author, and inventor behind the Foundation — track record, verification sources, and the two-jobs-one-thesis split between the .com and .org sides.
- [Why Is It Called "Make More Marbles"? The Abundance Story Behind the Name](https://makemoremarbles.org/articles/why-make-more-marbles/): The abundance thesis in three words — where the marble metaphor comes from, why FUSE bundles four kinds of scarcity, and how the name filters every giving decision.

## Partner Organizations
- [Anthony Robbins Foundation](https://www.anthonyrobbinsfoundation.org/): Youth, prisoner, and homeless empowerment.
- [Feeding America](https://www.feedingamerica.org/): National hunger relief.
- [Kiva.org](https://www.kiva.org/): Microloans worldwide; founder is a top 1% global lender.
- [Greatness Foundation / Greatness Ventures](https://greatnessventures.com/): Mexico house builds and a community of mission-driven leaders.
- [Baja Bound](https://bajabound.org/): House builds in Maneadero and Ensenada, Mexico, for the agricultural working poor.
- [Operation Underground Railroad](https://ourrescue.org/): Anti-human-trafficking rescue operations.
- [Girls Rule Foundation](https://girlsrulefoundation.org/): Leadership, confidence, and financial literacy for young women. Founded by Dena Patton.
- [St. Vincent de Paul (Arizona)](https://www.stvincentdepaul.net/): Local food and homelessness initiatives.
- [Big Brothers Big Sisters of Arizona](https://www.bbbsaz.org/): One-to-one youth mentorship.

## Legal and Tax Status
- Legal name: Make More Marbles Foundation
- IRS classification: 501(c)(3) public charity
- EIN: 92-2489150
- All donations tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by U.S. law
- Donor receipts are issued automatically via Stripe after each contribution

## Founder
- **Brad Hart** — Founder. Entrepreneur, author, and inventor. Also the founder of [Make More Marbles](https://makemoremarbles.com), the broader brand encompassing AI-powered business systems (Optimus OS), the mastermind community, and AIMS materials science research.

## Contact
- Email: support@makemoremarbles.org
- Related brand: [makemoremarbles.com](https://makemoremarbles.com)
- Donation platform technology: [FreeDonateButton.org](https://freedonatebutton.org)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What does FUSE stand for?
FUSE stands for Food, Utilities, Shelter, and Education — the four pillars the Foundation funds. The acronym is also a metaphor: lighting the FUSE for global abundance.

### Is the Foundation a registered 501(c)(3)?
Yes. The Make More Marbles Foundation is a U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity. EIN: 92-2489150. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by U.S. law.

### How much has the Foundation raised?
Over $1,000,000 across all initiatives. 251 Kiva microloans have been funded directly. Initiatives have reached 36 countries.

### Where do donations go?
Donations are processed via FreeDonateButton (a platform built by the Foundation's founder) which charges zero platform fees. Funds route directly to the Foundation's Stripe account and from there to partner organizations and direct programs in the four FUSE categories.

### What's the Mexico build trip?
A hands-on weekend in Ensenada, Mexico, where volunteers build a 16-by-20-foot insulated home with concrete floors, electrical, and a real roof for a family currently living under tarps and pallets. $497 all-inclusive (materials, crew, translation, accommodations, food). Next trip: March 19–21, 2027.