Sacramento Urban Debate League
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
To promote debate and debate related activities among high school students in the Sacramento region.
- Income
- $200,741
- Spending
- $101,166
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 13.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 68%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 6
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.6 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 35% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 50% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 163% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 (1)
- $89,404 spent. SUDL provides policy debate education and competition for low-income students and students of color in the Sacramento, California metropolitan area. SUDL does so by creating debate teams at local public high schools, training coaches, coaching students, and traveling with students to compete at weekend tournaments. According to the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL), debate is an academic sport that builds reading, research, communication, and critical thinking skills. Each year high school policy debaters throughout the country debate a single complex policy question, or resolution, for an entire year.Debaters conduct extensive research on a Resolution online and in libraries and then develop arguments for and against the Resolution with the assistance of SUDL coaches and teachers. Debaters hone their arguments in after school practices and compete at weekend tournaments. Two-person teams participate in a series of 75-minute debates and each team alternates sides, arguing for a Resolution in one round and against it in the next. Competitive debate has generally not been available to students of urban public schools; urban debate programs seek to remedy this.Significant research studies demonstrate the many benefits of policy debate and how it develops literacy in addition to preparing students to be successful during and after high school. These benefits come from the reading, writing, speaking, research, communication, creativity, collaboration, civic awareness, and critical thinking that debate demands from its participants. Studies demonstrate a significant rise in GPA and college enrollment rates for debaters when compared to their peers, a decrease of dropout rates, and an increased readiness for 21st century careers. Debate also improves student literacy by encouraging large amounts of in-depth research, reading, and then writing briefs which students must complete in preparation for their competitions.During 2025, SUDL coached over 50 students at four high schools. SUDL also chaperoned debaters at 16 weekend debate tournaments, 10 of which were held in-person and the remainder of which were held on-line. Seniors had a 100% high school graduation rate in 2025.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 June 2014.
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.
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.