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Breakthrough Silicon Valley

EIN 26-2168102 · San Jose, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BREAKTHROUGH SILICON VALLEY PREPARES HIGHLY-MOTIVATED STUDENTS TO BECOME FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE GRADUATES AND INSPIRES EMERGING LEADERS TO BE THE NEXT GENERATION OF EDUCATORS AND ADVOCATES FOR EQUITY.

Income
$2.8 million
Spending
$3.2 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
5.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 81%
Employees
44
Volunteers
298
Highest pay
$195,766, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 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 (3)
  1. $1.0 million spent. 7-9TH GRADE SUMMER PROGRAM - IN SUMMER 2024, BTSV DELIVERED A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC PROGRAM FOR RISING 7TH-9TH GRADE STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM SERVED 242 STUDENTS, A 20% INCREASE OVER 2023, AND PROVIDED INTENSIVE MATH, LITERACY, AND COLLEGE READINESS SUPPORT. AFTER THE PROGRAM, 81% OF STUDENTS REPORTED INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN PURSUING COLLEGE, 70% SHOWED MATH SKILL GROWTH, AND 84% EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO ATTEND COLLEGE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. THE PROGRAM HELPS PREPARE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR LONG-TERM ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND HIGH SCHOOL READINESS.
  2. $769,785 spent. HIGH SCHOOL AND ALUMNI PROGRAM - DURING FY25, BTSV PROVIDED YEAR-ROUND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING, ONE-ON-ONE ADVISING, COLLEGE READINESS WORKSHOPS, AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS TO 477 STUDENTS IN GRADES 712. IN SPRING 2025, 78 STUDENTS GRADUATED FROM BTSV'S HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM. OF THESE GRADUATES, 89% WERE ELIGIBLE FOR A 4-YEAR UNIVERSITY, 72% ENROLLED INTO A 4-YEAR UNIVERSITY, AND 26% ENROLLED INTO COMMUNITY COLLEGE. BTSV MAINTAINED A 97% RETENTION RATE ACROSS GRADE LEVELS, EXCEEDING ITS VISION 2025 STRATEGIC PLAN TARGET.
  3. $347,620 spent. MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM - ACROSS THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR, BTSV SUPPORTED MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING, ONE-ON-ONE ADVISING, COLLEGE READINESS WORKSHOPS, AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS. THE PROGRAM BUILDS SKILLS, CONFIDENCE, AND ACADEMIC PREPAREDNESS FOR FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS, HELPING THEM STAY ON TRACK FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND LONG-TERM COLLEGE SUCCESS. IN FY25, BTSV ACHIEVED A 97% RETENTION RATE ACROSS GRADE LEVELS, REFLECTING THE STRENGTH OF ITS STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS, RESPONSIVE PROGRAM DESIGN, AND COMMITMENT TO ELEVATING STUDENT AND FAMILY VOICE THROUGH ITS STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD AND PARENT COMMUNITY COUNCIL INITIATIVES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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 September 7, 2026.

  2. 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 September 30, 2026.

  3. 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending May 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2009.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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 7, 2026.

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