Wamc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WAMC IS CHARTERED BY THE NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF REGENTS TO "FURNISH, PREPARE AND PRESENT NON-PROFIT AND NON-COMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL, INSTRUCTIONAL AND CULTURAL RADIO PROGRAMS AND ALSO NON-PROFIT AND NON-COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS (WAMC'S MISSION IS CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE 0) INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, CHAMBER AND FOLK MUSIC PROGRAMS AND FORUMS ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR LIVE AUDIENCES WHICH MAY ALSO BE BROADCAST."
- Income
- $7.9 million
- Spending
- $8.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 64%
- Reserves
- 8.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 60
- Volunteers
- 500
- Highest pay
- $151,285, coo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 28% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1564% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 31 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 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)
- $5.4 million spent. WAMC, NORTHEAST PUBLIC RADIO, CHARTERED BY THE NYS BOARD OF REGENTS IN 1984, IS A NON-COMMERCIAL PUBLIC RADIO STATION. WITH STATIONS AND TRANSLATORS IN 28 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST, WAMC'S LISTENING AREA REACHES PARTS OF SEVEN STATES, INCLUDING NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, VERMONT, MASSACHUSETTS, CONNECTICUT, AND NEW HAMPSHIRE. WITH MORE THAN 400,000 MONTHLY LISTENERS, WAMC RANKS AMONG THE MOST-LISTENED-TO PUBLIC RADIO STATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. WAMC BROADCASTS TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK WITH A SCHEDULE OF NEWS, INFORMATION, MUSIC, AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING. IN ADDITION TO PROGRAMMING PROVIDED BY NPR, TO WHICH WAMC SUBSCRIBES, THE STATION IS ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC PRODUCERS OF ORIGINAL PUBLIC RADIO STYLE PROGRAMMING IN THE COUNTRY. WAMC PRODUCES AND BROADCASTS NINE LOCALLY-AIRED PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE ROUNDTABLE, WHICH IS A MULTI-AWARD WINNING, NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, ECLECTIC TALK PROGRAM. WAMC ALSO PRODUCES NINE NATIONALLY-SYNDICATED PROGRAMS WHICH ARE BROADCAST BY HUNDREDS OF RADIO STATIONS THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA AND ON ARMED FORCES RADIO. IN ADDITION TO RADIO PROGRAMMING, WAMC ALSO OWNS AND OPERATES THE LINDA (WAMC'S PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO). KNOWN FOR ITS INTIMATE SETTING AND COMMITMENT TO ARTISTIC QUALITY, THE LINDA STANDS OUT AS A HYBRID PERFORMANCE VENUE, BROADCAST STUDIO, AND CULTURAL ARTS CENTER THAT HOSTS A DIVERSE SELECTION OF EVENTS; INCLUDING LIVE MUSICAL PERFORMANCES, FILMS, DOCUMENTARIES, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, DEBATES, SPOKEN WORD AND COMEDY.
Source: Form 990 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 March 1992.
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.