The National Association for Urban Debate Leagues
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ADVANCING DEBATE EDUCATION IN URBAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO AMPLIFY YOUTH VOICES AND TO DEVELOP CONFIDENCE FOR FUTURE SUCCESS.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 5.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 20
- Volunteers
- 27
- Highest pay
- $237,537, executive director
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
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 37% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 57% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 27 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (4)
- $763,628 spent. IN 2025, NAUDL SERVES AS A BACKBONE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTING 20 DEBATE LEAGUE PARTNERS ACROSS 20 CITIES IN METROPOLITAN AND PREDOMINANTLY UNDERSERVED AREAS NATIONWIDE. THROUGH THE URBAN DEBATE NETWORK, NAUDL COLLABORATES WITH THESE FORMAL PARTNERS TO ESTABLISH, STRENGTHEN, AND SUSTAIN DEBATE PROGRAMS, PRACTICES, AND COMPETITIONS SERVING APPROXIMATELY 12,000 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL DEBATERS FROM 800 SCHOOLS. THE URBAN DEBATE NETWORK SERVES SCHOOLS WHERE 71% OF STUDENTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, ADVANCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH FROM COMMUNITIES WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT.
- $406,055 spent. URBAN DEBATE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (UDNC): NAUDL'S MARQUEE EVENT, AND THE PINNACLE OF THE SEASON, THIS TOURNAMENT WELCOMES 80 PLUS OF THE NETWORK'S TOP POLICY DEBATERS TO COMPETE AND NETWORK ON A RENOWNED COLLEGE CAMPUS. EACH LEAGUE IS ELIGIBLE TO HAVE TWO QUALIFYING TEAMS (FOUR STUDENTS) REPRESENT THEM IN THE COMPETITION. THE 2025 TOURNAMENT WAS HELD AT EMORY UNIVERSITY IN ATLANTA, GA. NO ENTRY FEES ARE CHARGED FOR STUDENTS PARTICIPAING IN THE TORUNAMENT. NAUDL COVERS A PORTION OF ALL TRAVEL AND HOTEL, AS WELL AS FOOD AND OTHER TOURNAMENT COSTS, FOR ALL TEAMS.DEBATE EN ESPANOL (DEE): DEE IS A CURRICULUM AND COMPETITION CREATED FOR, AND BY, SPANISH-SPEAKING DEBATERS, COACHES AND JUDGES, ENSURING LANGUAGE IS NOT A BARRIER TO ACCESS. DEE WAS ADDED AS A NEW DIVISION FOR THE FIRST TIME TO THE UDNC IN 2025 AND IS ALSO A CRITICAL AVENUE TO INCREASE OVERALL ACCESS AND INVOLVEMENT IN DEBATE ACROSS THE NETWORK. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, DEE PROGRAMMING HAS GROWN FROM TWO LEAGUES TO NINE.
- $70,000 spent. NAUDL FELLOW: THE NAUDL FELLOWS INTERNSHIP IS A SCALABLE (VIRTUAL) WORKPLACE SKILLS/MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR QUALIFIED URBAN DEBATE ALUMS (AT LEAST TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE COMPLETED). PROJECTS ENGAGE FELLOWS IN MULTIPLE ROLES AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD AN INITIATIVE, FUNCTION OF PROCESS WITH NAUDL OR A LEAGUE. NAUDL SENIOR STAFF PROVIDED ONGOING OVERSIGHT, COACHING AND ASSESSMENT. ADDITIONALLY, GROUP ROUNDTABLES ARE HOSTED (VIA ZOOM), FEATURING PROFESSIONAL VOLUNTEERS, IN THE WIDELY-ACCEPTED EIGHT COMPETENCIES FOR CAREER-READINESS. IN 2025, WE HAD 8 FELLOWS INTERNSHIPS AND SPENT $50,000. ADDITIONALLY IN FY25, NAUDL RELEASED A RESTRICTED GRANT OF $20,000 TO SUPPORT THE NAUDL FELLOW PROGRAM THROUGH THE ALUMNI SUCCESS PROGRAM AND SCHOLARSHIPS/ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR URBAN DEBATERS OR DEBATERS OF EXTREME FINANCIAL NEED. NAUDL HAS BEEN TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THE ACADEMIC AND CAREER SUCCESS OF THE STUDENTS WE HAVE BEEN SERVING IN THE MANNER WHICH CREATES THE MOST BENEFIT FOR THE LARGEST NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
- $68,348 spent. "I RESOLVE" SEEKS TO SHOWCASE THE POWER OF DEBATE FOR A PUBLIC AUDIENCE WHILE EXPLORING SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES IN OUR SOCIETY. ITS VALUE IS IN THE PERSPECTIVE, VOICE AND VALUES OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS: HIGH SCHOOL DEBATERS. THE 90-MINUTE PROGRAMS ARE CENTERED AROUND STUDENT ARGUMENTS AND SUBSEQUENT FEEDBACK, DISCUSSION, AND Q&A VIA A PANEL OF DISTINGUISHED CIVIC AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. PRESENTERS ARE JOINED BY AN AUDIENCE OF STUDENT PEERS, SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LEAGUE LEADERS, NAUDL AND LEAGUE DONORS, PARTNERS, AND DEBATE CHAMPIONS. IN FY25, WE HAD I RESOLVE EVENTS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: SILICON VALLEY/BAY AREA, DALLAS AND WASHINGTON DC. SPORTS DEBATE GROUNDBREAKING SERIES USES SPORTS TOPICS AND THE LEAGUES, RULES, AND INSTITUTIONS OF THE SPORTS INDUSTRY, AS A FRAMEWORK TO SPARK INTEREST IN DEBATE AND ACCELERATE RECRUITMENT. IT ALSO URGES STUDENTS TO RESEARCH, DEVELOP, AND ADVOCATE FOR SOLUTIONS AROUND THESE ISSUES, ENHANCING CIVIC EDUCATION WHILE ALSO INTRODUCING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO CAREER PATHWAYS IN SPORTS AND SPORTS MEDIA. SPORTS DEBATE WAS PILOTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TULSA DEBATE LEAGUE IN APRIL 2025.
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 May 2006.
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.
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