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Wisconsin Public Radio Association Inc

EIN 23-7363536 · Madison, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE PURPOSE OF THE WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO ASSOCIATION (WPRA) IS TO SUPPORT WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO BY ENGAGING IN COOPERATIVE FUNDRAISING, STEWARDSHIP AND ADVOCACY. THE WPRA GENERATES SUPPORT THROUGH PROGRAMS AND PARTICIPATORY ACTIVITIES THAT SHOW THE VALUE PROVIDED BY WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO; PROVIDES PROPER STEWARDSHIP FOR ASSOCIATION FUNDS AND FUNDRAISING AND ENHANCES EFFORTS FOR ASSOCIATION MEMBERS AND WPR STAFF TO COLLABORATE IN CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DONATIONS TO THE ASSOCIATION.

Income
$17.1 million
Spending
$11.5 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
19.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
0
Volunteers
17
Highest pay
$25,548, executive director of wpra

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 85% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 19.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 33% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 31% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 18 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 (1)
  1. $8.4 million spent. THE WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO ASSOCIATION RAISES FUNDS TO SUPPORT WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO (WPR). WPR'S NEWS, MUSIC, CONVERSATION AND ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMS INFORM, INSPIRE AND BUILD COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT WISCONSIN ON TWO NETWORKS -WPR NEWS AND WPR MUSIC - AND 39 STATIONS. MORE THAN 300,000 LISTEN ON AIR EACH WEEK AND WPR'S WEBSITE, WPR.ORG, SERVES MORE THAN 10 MILLION PAGEVIEWS EACH YEAR. WPR'S COMMITMENT TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF NEWS AND CULTURAL CONTENT REFLECTS ITS BELIEF THAT PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES THRIVE WITH AN OPEN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND INFORMATION.PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:WPR NEWS - FEATURING WPR, NPR AND BBC REPORTERS - OFFERS WISCONSINITES AN UNPARALLELED MIX OF JOURNALISM FROM WISCONSIN, THE NATION AND THE WORLD ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. REPORTERS AND LOCALLY HOSTED PROGRAMS BUILD STATEWIDE CONNECTIONS AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES FROM BUREAUS IN MILWAUKEE, MADISON, GREEN BAY, WAUSAU, LA CROSSE, EAU CLAIRE AND SUPERIOR. TALK SHOWS LIKE "WISCONSIN TODAY AND "THE LARRY MEILLER SHOW" DIG DEEPER ON THE ISSUES WITH EXPERT GUESTS AND AUDIENCE INPUT.WPR PARTNERS WITH STATE AND REGIONAL MEDIA PROJECTS, INCLUDING WISCONSIN WATCH AND HARVEST PUBLIC MEDIA, TO EXPLORE COMPLICATED ISSUES WITH A DIVERSITY OF PERSPECTIVES. WPR IS TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF REPORTERS WITH PUBLIC MEDIA'S HIGH STANDARDS OF ETHICS AND INTEGRITY VIA FELLOWSHIPS FOCUSED ON EARLY CAREER JOURNALISTS.REPORTERS, PRODUCERS, HOSTS AND STAFF REGULARLY GATHER INPUT ON COMMUNITY ISSUES, PROGRAMMING DECISIONS AND OTHER CONCERNS OF LISTENERS AND THE BROADER PUBLIC. STAFF AND LEADERSHIP RELY ON STATE AND NATIONAL SURVEY RESULTS TO HELP GUIDE THE PRODUCTION OF NEWS AND INFORMATION COVERAGE.WPR JOURNALISTS OFFER GROUNDED AND ENGAGING COVERAGE, WITH THOUGHTFUL INTERVIEWS AND ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUES AFFECTING WISCONSIN COMMUNITIES. WISCONSINITES RELY ON WPR FOR ACCURATE, UNBIASED NEWS ABOUT PERSONAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT, POLICING, POLITICS, EDUCATION, PRISON REFORM, BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY, CULTURAL LIFE AND MORE.WPR MUSIC OFFERS LOCALLY-HOSTED CLASSICAL MUSIC SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, WITH JAZZ, WORLD AND FOLK MUSIC EACH WEEKEND. ALONG WITH OUTSTANDING MUSIC, LISTENERS STAY INFORMED WITH BRIEF, TOP-OF-THE-HOUR NEWSCASTS FROM NPR AND WPR ON WEEKDAYS. WPR MUSIC ALSO CARRIES LIVE METROPOLITAN OPERA BROADCASTS, MADISON OPERA PERFORMANCES, AND OTHER BROADCASTS FEATURING WISCONSIN-BASED PERFORMERS AND PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.THOUSANDS OF WISCONSINITES ATTEND WPR'S COMMUNITY EVENTS HELD IN CITIES AROUND THE STATE EACH YEAR. WPR ALSO HELPS LOCAL NONPROFITS PROMOTE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT CELEBRATE LOCAL TREASURES AND OUR HOSTS MAKE SPECIAL APPEARANCES THAT ENCOURAGE LITERACY, MUSIC EDUCATION, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND MORE.WPR'S WEBSITE, WWW.WPR.ORG, OFFERS NEWS, COMMUNITY CALENDARS, AND STATION INFORMATION ALONG WITH LIVE WPR NEWS AND WPR MUSIC STREAMS AND MORE THAN 50,000 ARCHIVED AUDIO PROGRAMS. WPR'S MOBILE APP MAKES IT EASY TO READ AND LISTEN TO LIVE AND ARCHIVED CONTENT WHEREVER AUDIENCES ARE. WPR PODCASTS - AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS - INCLUDE A 15-MINUTE NEWS SUMMARY EACH WEEKDAY, IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATIONS AND PODCASTS OF PROGRAMS FOUND ON OUR BROADCAST SCHEDULE. WPR'S CONVENIENT DAILY EMAIL NEWSLETTER HELPS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE STAY ON TOP OF THE NEWS ON THEIR OWN SCHEDULE.

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 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 June 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 November 1974.

    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.