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Houston Urban Debate League

EIN 26-2702012 · Houston, TX

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceFair62 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO DEVELOP AND SUPPORT COMPETITIVE DEBATE PROGRAMS IN HOUSTON-AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HUDL BUILDS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT ENHANCE AND SUPPLEMENT THE INVESTMENT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN DEBATE ACTIVITIES BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL, MONITORING, AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORT.

Income
$148,191
Spending
$202,599
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
0
Volunteers
100

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 33% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 37% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 118% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    24 of 24 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (1)
  1. $182,172 spent. HOST INSTRUCTIONAL ACADEMIC SEMINARS LED BY ATTORNEYS, COLLEGE PROFESSORS AND OTHER EXPERTS ON TOPICS RELEVANT TO COMPETITIVE DEBATE. THIS INCLUDES A SUMMER INSTITUTE AND THREE WEEKEND SEMINARS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT PREPARE THE STUDENTS TO DEBATE AT TOURNAMENTS. STUDENTS RECEIVE IN DEPTH DEBATE TRAINING AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN FIVE DIFFERENT DEBATE FORMATS. THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS THIS YEAR'S SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS.PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAVEL TO STATE AND NATIONAL DEBATE TOURNAMENTS TO CITY CHAMPIONSHIP FINALISTS AND RUNNERS-UP. APPROXIMATELY 350 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN HUDL'S CITY CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT. THE CHAMPIONS IN EACH FORMAT WERE AWARDED $1,500 IN SCHOLARSHIP MONEY TO BE USED AT THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY OF THEIR CHOOSING. RUNNERS-UP IN THE FOUR DIVISIONS WERE AWARDED $750 IN SCHOLARSHIP MONEY TO BE USED AT THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY OF THEIR CHOOSING. HOST DEBATE TOURNAMENTS AND CLASSES. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 1,000 STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SOME ASPECT OF DEBATE INCLUDING CLASSES, TOURNAMENTS AND SEMINARS. HUDL BUILDS AND SUSTAINS THESE PROGRAMS WITHIN THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ("HISD") AND IN OTHER HARRIS COUNTY SCHOOLS AND MAKES DEBATE AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS FREE OF COST. ADDITIONALLY, DEBATE TEAMS ARE OFTEN PAIRED WITH VOLUNTEER DEBATE MENTORS WHO SERVE AS ROLE MODELS AND ASSIST THE DEBATE COACHES. HISD AND THE HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ("HCDE") SUPPORT THE TOURNAMENTS BY FUNDING THE DIRECT TOURNAMENT COSTS AND POSITIONS FOR THE LEAGUE DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY LEAGUE DIRECTOR AT HISD AND THE CASE DEBATES COORDINATOR AND CASE DEBATES VISTA AT HCDE. HISD AND HCDE ALSO PAY STIPENDS FOR A COACH AT APPROXIMATELY $1,400 MONTHLY TO SERVE AN ACADEMIC YEAR. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDED SIX DEBATE TOURNAMENTS, AND HCDE FUNDED THREE DEBATE TOURNAMENTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.

    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 August 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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