Rob Machado Foundation

What Rob Machado Foundation does

Rob Machado Foundation is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004 by professional surfer Rob Machado and co-founder/Executive Director Justine Chiara. The foundation operates three core environmental programs: a Water Filtration Program that installs free filtered water filling stations at schools and public spaces (42+ stations across 27 sites in Southern California), a Reusable Water Bottles Program that has donated over 55,000 reusable bottles to K-12 students across San Diego, National City, Escondido, and Encinitas Unified School Districts, and a Beach Cleanup Program that organizes monthly community cleanups across San Diego County beaches in partnership with I Love A Clean San Diego.

The foundation's underlying technology is physical infrastructure — drinking-water filling stations and reusable bottles — rather than software. Outcome attribution is enabled through a third-party Wallop Water dashboard that tracks bottles eliminated, CO2 saved, crude oil saved, and water saved at events. The organization is geographically concentrated in Southern California (Los Angeles headquarters, with operational depth in San Diego County and growing festival presence in Ventura, Dana Point, Redondo, Long Beach, and Cardiff-by-the-Sea), despite a mission statement that references environmental programs worldwide.

The business model is non-commercial: revenue is sourced from individual donations (tax-deductible), corporate sponsorships (tiered water station, beach cleanup, and reusable bottle packages with co-branding and newsletter benefits), grants (e.g., $50,000 from BetterWorld Trust, March 2025), and merchandise sales (Rob Machado surfboards and water bottles via an e-commerce storefront). Multi-year sponsorship contracts are typical, and 100% of program proceeds are directed to foundation programs. The entity is small (1–10 employees) and operates without disclosed financials, listed on Charity Navigator and GuideStar for nonprofit transparency.

Name

Rob Machado Foundation

Legal name

Rob Machado Foundation

Website

https://robmachadofoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rob Machado Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 by professional surfer Rob Machado that runs water filtration, reusable bottle, and beach cleanup programs for K-12 students and coastal communities in Southern California, funded by donations, sponsorships, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC), Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB)

Keywords

• Environmental nonprofit programs
• Water filtration stations
• Beach cleanup initiatives
• Plastic waste reduction
• School environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants: Foundation receives grants from organizations like BetterWorld Trust ($50,000 grant for reusable water bottle program) to fund educational and environmental programs
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Companies sponsor specific programs including water stations, beach cleanups, and reusable bottle programs with benefits including co-branding, social media exposure, and newsletter placement
3. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals to support programs; 100% of proceeds benefit foundation programs
4. Merchandise Sales: Sales of merchandise including Rob Machado surfboards and water bottles where proceeds fund programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Rob Machado Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers three core environmental programs: (1) Water Filtration Program — installs donated water filling stations at schools and public spaces to provide free filtered water; (2) Reusable Water Bottles Program — donates reusable bottles to K-12 students across San Diego County school districts; and (3) Beach Cleanup Program — organizes monthly community and corporate volunteer beach cleanups across Southern California. Programs are funded through grants, corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

The Rob Machado Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that operates three environmental programs: the Reusable Water Bottles Program (distributing reusable bottles to students), the Water Filtration Program (installing water filling stations at schools and public spaces), and the Beach Cleanup Program (organizing community beach cleanups). These interconnected programs work together to reduce single-use plastic, provide clean water access, and protect ocean environments through education and direct action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reusable Water Bottles Program Program that donates reusable water bottles to K-12 schools and students across San Diego County to reduce single-use plastic consumption, with over 55,000 bottles distributed to students in San Diego, National City, Escondido, and Encinitas Unified School Districts.
• Water Filtration Program Program that installs donated water filling stations at schools and public spaces to provide free filtered water, eliminating single-use plastic bottles; over 42 stations donated to 27 schools and public places in Southern California.
• Beach Cleanup Program Community-driven initiative that organizes monthly beach cleanups and corporate volunteer programs to remove plastic waste and trash from local San Diego County beaches, collecting thousands of pounds of waste annually and partnering with I Love A Clean San Diego for countywide cleanup events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 55,000 reusable bottles donated to schools
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Jack Johnson All At OnceflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 November 2025Non-Profit Partner for Jack Johnson's 2026 Summer Tour; social action network promoting sustainable food systems, plastic free initiatives, and healthy watersheds
• BYOBottlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic industry effort to turn the tide on plastic pollution; RMF is a proud nonprofit Partner providing water refill stations at events
• 1% for the PlanetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental partner providing funding through member donations to support environmental causes
• Ohana FestflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual music festival partnership providing water refill stations; 24,420 single-use bottles prevented in 2024
• BeachLife FestivalflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner providing water refill stations; 16,000 single-use bottles eliminated at 2026 festival
• Switchfoot BRO-AMflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual surf and music event benefiting local nonprofits serving unhoused, at-risk and disadvantaged youth
• Wallop WatercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWater station partner and sponsor providing dashboard tracking for bottles eliminated, CO2 saved, oil saved, and water saved at events
• REEFminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampsite partner for Camp Shred event providing water refill stations
• Love Tito's FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for BeachLife Festival refill stations
• I Love A Clean San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCleanup partner organizing countywide Creek To Bay cleanup with nearly 100 sites; environmental presentation partner reaching 2,000+ students
• San Diego Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary education partner receiving water bottles for 41,000+ students; Earth Day events and environmental assemblies
• Alila Marea Beach ResortcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for Marea Sessions fundraising concerts; beach cleanup partnership supporting local beach conservation
• Encinitas Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for annual Oktoberfest event with water refill station provision
• X GamesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner providing water refill stations at X Games Ventura, CA
• Camp ShredflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld's largest surf demo event partner; 3,149 single-use bottles eliminated at 2026 event
• C3 BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Marea Sessions fundraising concerts
• Hoehn MotorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Marea Sessions fundraising concerts
• Vitalogy FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting environmental programs

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Plastic Pollution Coalition: Global alliance focused on ending plastic pollution through education, advocacy, and corporate engagement. Directly aligns with RMF's reusable bottle and refill station programs targeting single-use plastic elimination.
• Heal the Bay: LA-based nonprofit protecting Southern California coastal waters through education, community engagement, and beach cleanups. Directly comparable as a regional coastal nonprofit with similar programming and Southern California footprint.
• Surfrider Foundation: National nonprofit focused on protecting oceans and beaches through advocacy, education, and cleanups. Highly comparable to Rob Machado Foundation given overlapping ocean conservation mission, beach cleanup programs, and water-quality advocacy.
• I Love A Clean San Diego: San Diego-based nonprofit organizing countywide cleanups and environmental education. Already a stated partner of RMF; directly comparable in regional cleanup operations and student environmental presentations.

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Conservancy: Major national ocean advocacy nonprofit running the International Coastal Cleanup and broader policy campaigns. Comparable mission (ocean protection, plastic reduction) but operates at a much larger scale with national and international reach.
• Jack Johnson (musician) — All At Once Foundation: Jack Johnson's social action network supporting plastic-free initiatives and sustainable food systems. RMF is a partner for the 2026 Summer Tour; the network offers a comparable celebrity-driven ocean conservation platform with significantly broader reach.

Regional players

• Save Our Shores: California-based nonprofit focused on Monterey Bay and coastal stewardship through beach cleanups and education. Comparable regional beach cleanup and youth education focus, though geographically distinct.

Emerging players

• 5 Gyres: Nonprofit focused on plastic pollution research and education, with strong emphasis on single-use plastic reduction. Comparable mission focus on plastic waste elimination and youth/community engagement.
• Lonely Whale Foundation: Ocean conservation nonprofit known for the Strawless Ocean campaign and youth-focused environmental initiatives. Comparable celebrity-driven branding and youth engagement, though broader in scope.
• Algalita Marine Research Foundation: Long Beach-based nonprofit focused on plastic pollution research and youth education. Comparable Southern California base and shared mission around plastic pollution reduction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/RobMachadoFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/RobMachadoFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rob-machado-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/RobMachadoFoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rob Machado Foundation