Coast Forensic League
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
O TO PROMOTE THE BEST INTEREST OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES, THE TEACHING PROFESSION, AND THE PARTICIPANT STUDENTS BY PROVIDING INTERSCHOLASTIC SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENTS.
- Income
- $99,549
- Spending
- $91,861
- Reserves
- 17.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 89%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 17.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 30, 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)
- $87,121 spent. O COAST FORENSIC LEAGUE (CFL) ORGANIZES SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THIS IS SPELLED OUT IN ARTICLE II SECTION B OF ITS ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, WHICH STATES THAT "COAST FORENSIC LEAGUE SHALL PROMOTE THE BEST INTEREST OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES, THE TEACHING PROFESSION, AND THE PARTICIPANT STUDENTS BY PROVIDING INTERSCHOLASTIC SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENTS." CFL SERVES HIGH SCHOOLS IN SAN MATEO, MONTEREY, SAN BENITO, SANTA CLARA, AND SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES (SEE ARTICLE II SECTION 1 OF THE BYLAWS). THE TERM 'FORENSIC' IN THE NAME OF THIS ORGANIZATION REFERS TO SPEECH AND DEBATE.O ALL CFL MEMBERS ARE EITHER PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS OR NONPROFIT PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT ARE ACCREDITED IN CALIFORNIA (SEE ARTICLE II SECTION 1 OF THE BYLAWS). SPEECH AND DEBATE PROGRAMS AT CFL MEMBER SCHOOLS ARE SUPPORTED BY THEIR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIONS AS PROMOTING AN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND EACH PROGRAM HAS A TEACHER ADVISER. TO JOIN CFL, EACH SPEECH AND DEBATE PROGRAM MUST OBTAIN WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM ITS SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR (SEE CFL MEMBERSHIP FORM).O IN THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR, CFL ORGANIZED 15 TWO-DAY SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENTS, TYPICALLY ON THE WEEKENDS. THE TOURNAMENT SEASON RUNS FROM SEPTEMBER TO MARCH. TOURNAMENTS ARE NORMALLY HELD ON HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUSES. IN TOTAL, CFL SERVES ABOUT 3,000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR FROM 50 SCHOOLS. ABOUT 200 COMPETITORS WILL ATTEND A GIVEN TOURNAMENT.O THE TOURNAMENTS ARE RUN BY LEAGUE OFFICERS (LISTED IN PART IV OF THE 990-EZ FORM). THE OFFICERS ARE ELECTED ANNUALLY BY THE MEMBERS AND ARE UNPAID VOLUNTEERS. THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS ARE LISTED IN ARTICLE XXI OF THE BOARD CODE. ORGANIZING TOURNAMENTS TAKES OVER 90% OF THE TIME CFL OFFICERS SPEND VOLUNTEERING FOR THE LEAGUE.O SPEECH AND DEBATE IS AN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY DESIGNED TO TEACH STUDENTS PUBLIC SPEAKING AND EVIDENCE-BASED, LOGICAL ARGUMENT. IN DEBATE EVENTS, A STUDENT IS ASSIGNED A TOPIC ROOTED IN SUBJECTS SUCH AS ECONOMICS, PHILOSOPHY, SCIENCE, OR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND IS ASKED TO DEFEND ONE SIDE OF AN ISSUE AGAINST AN OPPONENT WHO TAKES THE OPPOSITE POSITION. IN PLATFORM SPEECH EVENTS, A STUDENT PREPARES AN ORIGINAL SPEECH ON A SOCIETAL PROBLEM OF THEIR CHOICE AND PROPOSES THEIR SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. IN EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEECH EVENTS, A STUDENT IS ASSIGNED A DOMESTIC OR FOREIGN POLICY ISSUE, AND, AFTER 30 MINUTES OF PREPARATION AND RESEARCH, DELIVERS A SPEECH ANALYZING THE ISSUE. IN ALL SPEECH AND DEBATE EVENTS, STUDENTS ARE THEN EVALUATED BY JUDGES WHO DETERMINE HOW WELL STUDENTS ARGUED, SPOKE, AND LEVERAGED THEIR SOURCE MATERIALS.O SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENTS PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE AGAINST STUDENTS AND BE EVALUATED BY JUDGES FROM OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS AND THUS TO BE EXPOSED TO NEW STYLES OF SPEAKING AND ARGUMENTATION. THE JUDGING POOL AT TOURNAMENTS CONSISTS OF SCHOOL TEACHERS, SPEECH AND DEBATE COACHES, PARENT VOLUNTEERS, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.O CFL SEEKS TO ENSURE THAT ITS TOURNAMENTS ARE AFFORDABLE TO ALL STUDENTS. THE STANDARD ENTRY FEE AT A CFL TOURNAMENT IS $13 PER STUDENT. FOR COMPARISON, A TYPICAL TOURNAMENT RUN INDEPENDENTLY BY A SCHOOL WILL COST $100 PER STUDENT OR MORE. THESE ENTRY FEES PROVIDE THE BULK OF THE REVENUE CFL USES TO CARRY ON ITS ACTIVITIES (SEE PART I OF FORM 990-EZ). SINCE THESE ENTRY FEES ARE VOTED ON BY THE SAME MEMBER SCHOOLS WHICH THEN PAY THEM WHEN THEY REGISTER FOR TOURNAMENTS, THERE IS NO INCENTIVE TO RAISE THE ENTRY FEES ANY HIGHER THAN IS NECESSARY TO COVER THE COSTS OF RENTING TOURNAMENT FACILITIES AND COVERING OTHER TOURNAMENT COSTS. IN ADDITION, ARTICLE II SECTION B OF THE CFL ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION STATES THAT CFL SHALL HAVE "A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON SUPPORTING HIGH SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS WHO ARE SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED." CFL GRANTS 100% MEMBERSHIP DUES AND TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEE WAIVERS TO ANY SCHOOLS WITH A HIGH PROPORTION OF STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE LUNCH.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 November 2017.
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.
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