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Whyy Inc

EIN 23-1438083 · Philadelphia, PA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O.

Income
$52.8 million
Spending
$48.3 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
16 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 75%
Employees
326
Volunteers
143
Highest pay
$942,596, president and ceo

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 10% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 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 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    25 of 26 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

    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 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 (3)
  1. $18.4 million spent. BROADCAST/ONLINE SERVICES: WHYY PROVIDES NEWS AND INFORMATION, ARTS AND CULTURE AND CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING ON THREE 24/7 DIGITAL CHANNELS AS WELL AS ONLINE, VIA CABLE, ON-DEMAND SERVICES AND MOBILE DEVICES. BROADCASTING NATIONAL FAVORITES IN ADDITION TO PRODUCING LOCAL RADIO, TELEVISION AND DIGITAL PROGRAMS. WHYY ENGAGES A WEEKLY AVERAGE OF NEARLY 1M TELEVISION VIEWERS AND .5M RADIO LISTENERS; MORE THAN 1M UNIQUE MONTHLY VISITORS TO WHYY WEBSITES AND 633,000 PODCAST USERS EACH MONTH. WHYY- IS THE HOME FOR NATIONAL RADIO AND TELEVISION PROGRAMS SUCH AS MASTERPIECE THEATER, MORNING EDITION, NOVA, THIS AMERICAN LIFE, ALL CREATURES GREAT & SMALL, WAIT WAIT...DON'T TELL ME!, CALL THE MIDWIFE, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, GREAT PERFORMANCES AND MORE. WHYY IS THE PRODUCER OF FRESH AIR WITH TERRY GROSS AND TONYA MOSELY, A PEABODY AWARD-WINNING WEEKDAY SHOW OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS, POPULAR CULTURE AND ISSUES, IS NOW HEARD BY MORE THAN 5 MILLION PEOPLE WEEKLY ON 657 STATIONS IN THE US AND EUROPE WITH 4.5+ MILLION PODCAST DOWNLOADS EACH WEEK. OTHER LOCAL PRODUCTIONS INCLUDE YOU OUGHTA KNOW - A GUIDE TO PEOPLE, PLACES AND EVENTS IN THE PHILADELPHIA REGION; STUDIO 2 - BOTH ON FM AND STREAMED LIVED ON YOUTUBE, PROVIDING A LIVE CALL-IN SHOW ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR REGION - ALL WITH A FRESH PERSPECTIVE, ON STAGE AT CURTIS - BRINGING THE EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTRY OF YOUNG STUDENTS FROM ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING MUSIC CONSERVATORIES, THE CURTIS INSTITUTE OF MUSIC; THE PULSE, A WEEKLY HEALTH AND SCIENCE PROGRAM WHICH CAN BE HEARD ON MORE THAN 130 PUBLIC MEDIA STATIONS IN 29 STATES; CHECK PLEASE! PHILLY - SHOWCASING GUESTS DISHING & RECOMMENDING THEIR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS; THE CONNECTION - FEATURING LONG-FORM INTERVIEWS ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO LIVE A LIFE OF PURPOSE AND MEANING FLICKS - THE SHORT INTERVIEW PROGRAM EXPLORING THE LATEST FILMS AND SERIES FROM HOLLYWOOD; AND ALBIE'S ELEVATOR - WHYY'S ORIGINAL SHOW FOR 3-5YR OLDS FOLLOWING A PUPPET WITH PIZZAZZ THROUGH THE UPS AND DOWNS OF PRESCHOOL PROBLEM SOLVING AND DISCOVERING THE ARTS WITH THE HELP OF HER HUMAN NEIGHBORS. WHYY PODCASTS SUCH AS THE AWARD-WINNING PEAK TRAVEL, PHILADELPHIA REVEALED, UNHOUSED AND UNSEEN, THE STATUE, SCHOOLED AND MARCH ON OFFER CONTENT ONLINE TO FULFILL WHYY'S STRATEGIC FOCUS ON DELIVERING CONTENT ACROSS MULTIPLE PLATFORMS. BRINGING TOGETHER ALL THE MAJOR PROGRAM INITIATIVES LISTED ABOVE, WHYY.ORG IS THE ORGANIZATION'S ONLINE HOME, PROVIDING THE CENTRAL HUB FOR INDEPENDENT, TRUSTWORTHY, FACT-BASED NEWS; ENGAGING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN AND LIFELONG LEARNERS; LINKS FOR OUR NUMEROUS TELEVISION AND RADIO PROGRAMS AS WELL AS OUR NUMEROUS PODCASTS. SPECIAL SECTIONS ARE DEVOTED TO ARTS AND CULTURE, HEALTH AND SCIENCE AND SPECIAL INTEREST BLOGS. WHYY.ORG ALSO PROVIDES ACCESS TO ON-DEMAND PROGRAM CONTENT, FM AND TV SCHEDULES AND GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHYY.
  2. $14.7 million spent. NEWS: WHYY NEWS PROVIDES TRUSTWORTHY, FACT-BASED, INDEPENDENT AND BALANCED LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION TO EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHYY NEWS OFFERS A VOICE TO THOSE NOT HEARD AND A PLATFORM TO SHARE EVERYONE'S STORIES. THE WHYY NEWS REPORTING STAFF CONSISTS OF 21 DAILY NEWS REPORTERS, TWO VISUAL JOURNALISTS AND TWO NATIONAL RADIO SHOW REPORTERS - COVERING A TOP FIVE MEDIA MARKET. THE PULSE, WHYY'S WEEKLY HEALTH AND SCIENCE PROGRAM, NOW AIRS ON MORE THAN 135 RADIO STATIONS NATIONWIDE PLUS ONE STATION IN PARIS. OTHER ONLINE NEWS PROPERTIES INCLUDE BILLYPENN.COM - PHILLY'S ONLINE GO-TO NEWS SOURCE THAT ENGAGES, CONNECTS AND GIVES VOICE TO PHILADELPHIA RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITIES; AND PLANPHILLY WHICH PROVIDES IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORHOODS. WHYY NEWS HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED WITH MORE THAN 40 JOURNALISM AWARDS FOR ITS EXPLANATORY AND INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM, INCLUDING NATIONAL AND REGIONAL MURROW AWARDS AS WELL AS KEYSTONE MEDIA AWARDS. WHYY NEWS HOSTED MORE THAN 70 IN-PERSON CIVIC DIALOGUE EVENTS REACHING MORE THAN 2,200 INDIVIDUALS, THANKS IN LARGE PART TO THE NEWSROOM'S COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT TEAM. THIS INCLUDES WHYY'S BRIDGING BLOCKS PROGRAM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA, WHICH HELD 31 EVENTS DURING THE SAME PERIOD. THIS YEAR, WHYY NEWS RECEIVED THE SECOND PART OF A TWO-YEAR, $300,000 GRANT TO INCREASE COVERAGE OF DELAWARE GOVERNMENT. WHYY AND CONTENT PARTNER, HOY EN DELAWARE, WORK TOGETHER TO PROVIDE REGULAR MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM, IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, AND SPECIAL ENTERPRISE AND INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM TO AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT DELAWARE.
  3. $3.2 million spent. EDUCATION PROGRAMS: SINCE ITS FOUNDING MORE THAN 70 YEARS AGO, WHYY HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO EDUCATION. RENOWNED FOR BROADCASTING EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, WHYY IS COMMITTED TO LIFELONG LEARNING FOR ALL AGES. IN ADDITION TO A 24/7 KIDS PROGRAM CHANNEL, WHYY PROVIDES MORE THAN 70 HOURS OF CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING ON ITS MAIN CHANNEL EACH WEEK. ITS EDUCATION INITIATIVES SUPPORT CHILDREN, PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND OTHER ADULTS. THE EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED 2,545 CHILD EXPERIENCES, 3,102 BOOKS DONATED TO HOME LIBRARIES, 569 CAREGIVERS, AND 149 STORY TIMES DURING THE YEAR. THE WHYY YOUTH MEDIA PROGRAM HAS REACHED MORE THAN 27,000 STUDENTS TO DATE, SERVING MORE THAN 2,000 EACH YEAR. ITS FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, MEDIA LABS, OFFERS HANDS-ON MEDIA ARTS TRAINING NOT ONLY AT WHYY'S PHILADELPHIA STUDIOS BUT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN MORE THAN 60 SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE REGION, INCLUDING 24 WITH ACTIVE INSTRUCTOR SUPPORT. WHYY CONTINUES TO HELP INCREASE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WITH WIDELY SUCCESSFUL AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS AND SUMMER CAMPS. WHYY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING HAS TAUGHT YOUNG PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THEIR ENVIRONMENT, PROBLEM SOLVE, TELL STORIES, AND SUCCEED IN CREATIVE PROFESSIONS. WHYY PROVIDED INSTRUCTION IN MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION TO THOUSANDS OF TEACHERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THIS YEAR. WHYY OPENED ITS FIRST NEW JERSEY MEDIA LAB ON THE CAMDEN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS. WHYY'S EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROVIDES AN ONLINE TOOLKIT TO HELP STATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY IMPLEMENT THESE TRAININGS INTO THEIR WORK. WHYY'S PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT (YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM) TO DATE HAS PROVIDED NEARLY 400 PAID INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS AGES 16-19 WHO HAVE COMPLETED AT LEAST ONE YEAR IN A WHYY YOUTH MEDIA EDUCATION PROGRAM. STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM ARE PAID TO WORK AS VIDEO PRODUCERS, REPORTERS, SOCIAL MEDIA PRODUCERS, ETC. FOR ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, COMCAST, AND AL DIA. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT WHYY ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY SUPPORT FROM CORDRAY CORP, DOLFINGER MCMAHON FOUNDATION, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES LLC, FOX CHASE BANK, FRED ROGERS PRODUCTIONS CO., HAMILTON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST, HERMAN GOLDNER COMPANY, HORNER FOUNDATION, INDEPENDENCE PUBLIC MEDIA FOUNDATION, LEO MODEL FOUNDATION, M&T BANK, MCLEAN CONTRIBUTIONSHIP, PA JOB TRAINING GRANT, PA STATE GRANT 2024, PBS: AMERICAN REVOLUTION, PENN TREATY SSD, PHILADELPHIA CONTRIBUTIONSHIP EITC, PINCUS FOUNDATION RENEWAL, PNC BANK FOUNDATION, THE HIVE AT SPRINGPOINT, WEISS MARKETS, WETA: AMERICAN REVOLUTION, WILLIAM PENN FOUNDATION, ZELDIN FAMILY FOUNDATION, AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS.

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

  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 October 13, 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 June 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 February 1959.

    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 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.