Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Community Radio Project

EIN 20-1404425 · Cortez, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 46% 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

COMMUNITY RADIO PROJECT'S MISSION IS TO INFORM, ENTERTAIN AND EMPOWER THE PEOPLE OF THE FOUR CORNERS REGION THROUGH NEWS, ARTS, CULTURE, AND PUBLIC MEDIA SERVICE.

Income
$746,393
Spending
$630,416
Spent on programs
46%
Reserves
4.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 38%
Employees
11
Volunteers
110
Highest pay
$65,400, executive dir.

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

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 23% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    46% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 46 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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (2)
  1. $241,588 spent. COMMUNITY RADIO PROJECT PROVIDES A PUBLIC MEDIA SERVICE THROUGH LOCAL NEWS, INFORMATION, AND MUSIC PROGRAMMING THAT IS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THREE RADIO STATIONS AND ONE RADIO TRANSLATOR, AS WELL AS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND LIVESTREAM, SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, AND MOBILE APP. LOCAL NEWS PRODUCTION IN 2025 INCLUDED APPROXIMATELY 250 NEWSCASTS, 50 INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, NONPROFIT LEADERS, AND OTHER PROMINENT FIGURES, AND NUMEROUS PUBLIC AFFAIRS ANNOUNCEMENTS. MUSIC PROGRAMMING WAS PROVIDED THROUGH 33 VOLUNTEER DJS WHO PRODUCED APPROXIMATELY 3,500 HOURS OF MUSIC ON KSJD, KZET, AND KICO RADIO. THE ONLINE COMMUNITY CALENDAR, WHICH IS ALSO ANNOUNCED ON OUR RADIO STATIONS, IS A VITAL SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS, CLASSES, AND PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE FOUR CORNERS AREA.
  2. $50,794 spent. COMMUNITY RADIO PROJECT OPERATES A 100-SEAT PERFORMANCE VENUE IN DOWNTOWN CORTEZ, COLORADO CALLED THE SUNFLOWER THEATRE. THIS VENUE HOSTS A DIVERSITY OF EVENTS, CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, PUBLIC FORUMS, AND OTHER OFFERINGS THAT ENGAGE, EDUCATE, AND EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY. MANY EVENTS ARE COLLABORATIONS WITH LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT USE THE SUNFLOWER THEATRE FOR FUNDRAISING AND OUTREACH EVENTS. IN 2025, CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS CENTERED ON TEACHING PERFORMING ARTS WERE OFFERED, INCLUDING IMPROVISATIONAL ACTING AND STAND-UP COMEDY CLASSES, AS WELL AS SONGWRITING AND VOCAL PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS. PERFORMANCE SHOWCASES FEATURING PARTICIPANTS IN THESE CLASSES WERE ALSO PROVIDED, AS WELL AS SEVERAL EVENTS FEATURING LOCAL YOUTH. THE SUNFLOWER TROUPE IS A LOCAL VOLUNTEER THEATER GROUP THAT PERFORMS PLAYS AT THE SUNFLOWER THEATRE, AND THE RAVEN NARRATIVES IS A PROGRAM OF COMMUNITY RADIO PROJECT THAT OFFERS LIVE STORYTELLING EVENTS AT THE THEATER.

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 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 2025.

    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 2004.

    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.