Silicon Valley De-Bug
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Silicon Valley De-Bug is a grassroots community organization based in San Jose, California comprised of young people and families from disadvantaged communities coming together to give voice to our typically unseen and unheard experiences through education, training, and media production. Silicon Valley De-Bug provides a safe space for our constituency to then act on pressing social issues and implement the solutions identified.
- Income
- $3.5 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 8.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 28
- Volunteers
- 250
- Highest pay
- $106,381, executive director
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
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 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 (3)
- $1.7 million spent. Participatory Defense NetworkThe Organization launched the Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project ("ACJP"), an innovative program that enables families and communities to have an impact on their local juvenile and criminal justice systems. Led by the very families impacted by the court systems, originated "participatory defense" a community organizing model for youth, families, and community members to impact the outcome of cases and transform the landscape of power in the court system. The participatory defense framework combines multiple strategies including case advocacy, leadership development of youth and families affected by the justice system, and community organizing to develop and implement equitable justice policies. (continued on Schedule O) Participatory Defense Network (continued) Since 2008, the Organization's participatory defense activities have resulted in 10,208 years of "time saved" potential court sentences and incarceration time to youth and community members. The tremendous power of participatory defense has contributed to families being made whole, loved one's home, and numerous youths going to college instead of spending their transitional years in prison. Because the Organization's organizational compass has always been guided by the ones most affected by the criminal justice system, their organizing campaigns have been led, championed, and won by the very families touched by the criminal justice system. Through the leadership of the Organization families, they have won changes in policing, charging of gang enhancements, separation of immigration and criminal justice policies, and improvements of conditions in detention. The Organization has grown their Participatory Defense Network from eleven hubs to now over 40, all trained in the principles, strategies, and tactics of participatory defense. On any given day of the week, there is a participatory defense meeting happening around the country, where families are supporting each other to navigate through the criminal, juvenile and immigration systems that threaten to tear families apart. The Organization is winning by keeping families and communities whole, while fueling a ground up movement to end mass incarceration.
- $461,030 spent. Media and StorytellingThe Organization believes storytelling and media creation is a vehicle for individual transformation and can shape the way issues and moments are understood, conceptualized, and imagined by the larger public. To facilitate this process, the Organization produces a bi-lingual magazine, a multimedia website, and a multitude of other media products drawing upon the creativity, analysis, and innovation of our community. And though our media products are delivered through numerous forms (such as articles, videos, books, music, art, and design) the Organization's storytelling is driven by a guiding principle that those most proximate to the issue can share the most powerful, captivating, and insightful story.
- $1.1 million spent. Community OrganizingThe Organization believes people are stronger together than alone, and that collective action can challenge systems and institutions that oppress, while also modeling the possibility of a world that exists from our values. Their organization is part of a larger, long-standing tradition of communities of color organizing to fight for and create a society that is inclusive, liberatory, and provides an opportunity for all. The Organization's organizing approach is guided by the call, strategy, and vision of the lived experiences of their community. As such, they organize around criminal justice reform, immigrant rights, police accountability, racial justice, and economic justice. (continued on Schedule O) Community Organizing (continued) Their organizing and community-building work comes in many forms all aimed at how the collective can protect, support, and lift up the aspirations of those who are part of their community. The Organization's community organizing work is an expression of the youth and families' directions, and often where story-telling work is applied. The participants come in the form of goal-oriented campaigns aimed at making system-wide changes that can measurably change the lives of those within the Organization as well as the larger community. Their campaigns have been local policy-setting, state legislation, and moving the national political landscape. Led by youth and families most directly impacted by the issues they address; they have campaigns to Push for alternatives to incarceration and detention that prioritize rehabilitation, services, programs, and counseling. Push for protection for tenants from unjust evictions. Call for law enforcement accountability and stop police killings. Challenge racist criminal justice policies and practices that fuel mass incarceration
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2014.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.