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Cyber Defense Center

EIN 88-0950608 · Castle Rock, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceNot ratedThe short tax form does not cover thisImpact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The Cyber Defense Center is a not-for-profit charity organization with a mission of improving collective cyber defense for community protection We focus on workforce development with a purpose through our ACSEBD program and community outreach and mutual aid through our DEFEND program The Cyber Defense Center believes in the transformatative POWER OF PEOPLE In cyber defense Our mission is to uplift and upskill this critical workforce and provision these advanced COLLECTIVE DEFENSE resources for underserved communities The Cyber defense Center also performs essential industry research We believe cyber defense should be built on openness ethics and community Therefore our research exists not to serve narrow interests but to uplift society and secure the technologies we all depend on As a core tenet of our research the CYBER DEFENSE CENTER stays future focused We are not just defending todays networks we are shaping tomorrows cyber defense

Income
$106,881
Spending
$50,320
Reserves
98.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%

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

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 87% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 98.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 53% of income.

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

Governance

This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.

Source: Form 990EZ 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 (7)
  1. $3,000 spent. ASCEND Multiple Internships providing active student mentorship and workforce development provided to underserved students through our FORCE LABS forcelabsorg community lab program
  2. ACSEND OTSEC training and workforce development programs initiated Cyber Defense Associate Certification CDAC prepared for DOE grant reimbursement - CESER program
  3. $6,700 spent. DEFEND GridSim gridsimorg electricity subsector program initiated Partnering with DOE National Lab NREL to build first electricity subsector simulation outside of a National Lab for training threat and defense modeling and testing purposes
  4. Community Outreach Accomplishments include building a community for fun-raising raising money for partner veteran and neurodiverse community charities
  5. Sponsor CTFs Capture the Flag challenges summer camps and GenCyber mentorships with regional and local universities Present at partner universities
  6. Incubate and initiate over 40 new community projects research and innovations
  7. Collaborate and present at the energy modernization summit with the DOE participate in Podcasts and perform mentorship sessions with Women in Technology

Source: Form 990EZ 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 September 2022.

    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.

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.