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Plug and Play Community Foundation

EIN 99-0776936 · Sunnyvale, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak48 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 20% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

The Plug and Play Community Foundation advances its mission of building the next generation of impactful entrepreneurs and innovators through three program pathways: Access, Elevate, and Impact.

Income
$456,093
Spending
$392,712
Spent on programs
20%
Reserves
2.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
2
Volunteers
3
Highest pay
$64,419, secretary and director

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

Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 24% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    20% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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: 84 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • 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, 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 (3)
  1. $54,880 spent. Access (Workforce Development and Career Exposure): The Access pathway provides workforce development through internship and exposure-ship programs connecting early-career individuals as early as high school as the way up to career shifters to technology startups. In 2025, the Foundation served 10 nonprofit partner organizations, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, Urban League of the San Francisco Bay Area, The Hidden Genius Project, Mission Bit, 10,000 Degrees, Foundation for a College Education, Cristo Rey, Rotary Club of San Jose, Hack the Hood, and StreetCode Academy expanding opportunities for their participants and broader beneficiary communities. Programming included 9 educational sessions, workshops, and engagement events designed to expose participants to careers in technology and innovation. The long-term objective is to increase access to high-growth career pathways and strengthen the talent pipeline for the innovation economy through paid placement opportunities.
  2. $24,819 spent. Elevate (Small-Medium Business Innovation and Technology Adoption): The Elevate pathway supports small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) by identifying operational challenges and connecting them with startup technology solutions. Through workshops, events, and curated introductions, the Foundation educates SMB owners about emerging technology tools and facilitates collaboration with startup companies developing relevant solutions. Select SMBs may receive grants to pilot technology solutions for an 8-week testing period, enabling businesses to evaluate adoption and improve operational efficiency. Programming so far included 5 educational sessions, workshops, and engagement events with SMBs, startups, and organizations serving SMBs. The long-term goal is to strengthen SMB competitiveness, encourage and educate the SMB ecosystem on responsible technology adoption, and foster partnerships between emerging technology companies and local businesses.
  3. Impact (Early-Stage Impact Innovation Support): The Impact pathway supports early-stage, mission-driven technology startups addressing societal challenges such as education technology, small business technology, food insecurity, responsible technology, health equity, community development, financial inclusion, and emergency response. Activities include investment support, founder advisory sessions, and educational programming through events and one-on-one mentorship. The long-term objective is to accelerate scalable technology solutions that create positive social and economic impact. Returns from impact investments are intended to support an evergreen funding model that sustains and expands the Foundation's charitable programming. The foundation did an open call of applications and received 543 applications to view for investment and provide feedback.

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

  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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.