Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Classical 98 1

EIN 27-3067797 · Seattle, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceGood83 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 48% 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

TO ACTIVELY GROW, DIVERSIFY, AND ENRICH THE LOVE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC IN OUR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING A VOICE FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC AND THE ARTS.

Income
$7.4 million
Spending
$5.9 million
Spent on programs
48%
Reserves
15.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 86%
Employees
27
Highest pay
$207,345, 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

Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 199% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    48% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 36 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

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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. $2.5 million spent. CLASSICAL KING 98.1 WAS FOUNDED IN 1948 AND BECAME A PUBLIC RADIO STATION IN 2011. KING FM REACHES MORE THAN 250,000 LISTENERS EACH WEEK, OFFERING COMMERCIAL-FREE CLASSICAL MUSIC 24 HOURS A DAY OVER THE AIR THROUGHOUT THE PUGET SOUND REGION AND GLOBALLY VIA ONLINE STREAMS. KING FM OFFERS LOCAL CLASSICAL CONCERT BROADCASTS ANNUALLY, ENGAGES MORE THAN 16,000 DONORS, AND MOVED INTO A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY IN 2020. KING FM ALSO OFFERS VIDEO MUSIC CONTENT FEATURING LOCAL PERFORMERS. KING FM IS ALSO COMMITTED TO GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLASSICAL MUSIC LISTENERS, OFFERING SEVERAL MUSIC EDUCATION INITIATIVES ON-AIR, ONLINE AND IN THE COMMUNITY. OUR BOARD ADOPTED A NEW STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK IN 2020 THAT CALLS US FOR US TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT STEPS IN DIVERSIFYING OUR PROGRAMMING, OUR STAFF, AND OUR BOARD WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THAT PLAN. CLASSICAL KING 98.1 WAS FOUNDED IN 1948 AND BECAME A PUBLIC RADIO STATION IN 2011. KING FM REACHES MORE THAN 250,000 LISTENERS EACH WEEK, OFFERING COMMERCIAL-FREE CLASSICAL MUSIC 24 HOURS A DAY OVER THE AIR THROUGHOUT THE PUGET SOUND REGION AND GLOBALLY VIA ONLINE STREAMS. KING FM OFFERS LOCAL CLASSICAL CONCERT BROADCASTS ANNUALLY, ENGAGES MORE THAN 16,000 DONORS, AND MOVED INTO A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY IN 2020. KING FM ALSO OFFERS VIDEO MUSIC CONTENT FEATURING LOCAL PERFORMERS. KING FM IS ALSO COMMITTED TO GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLASSICAL MUSIC LISTENERS, OFFERING SEVERAL MUSIC EDUCATION INITIATIVES ON-AIR, ONLINE AND IN THE COMMUNITY. OUR BOARD ADOPTED A NEW STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK IN 2020 THAT CALLS US FOR US TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT STEPS IN DIVERSIFYING OUR PROGRAMMING, OUR STAFF, AND OUR BOARD WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THAT PLAN.
  2. $292,294 spent. CLASSICAL 98.1 USES A WIDE SPECTRUM OF TECHNOLOGIES TO DELIVER THE HIGHEST QUALITY EXPERIENCE ON AIR AND ONLINE. IN ADDITION TO A FULL-POWERED ANALOG FM BROADCAST SIGNAL, KING FM TRANSMITS ADDITIONAL CHANNELS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC USING A STATE-OF-THE-ART HD DIGITAL SIGNAL THAT ALLOWS OVER-THE-AIR CD-QUALITY RECEPTION OF THE MAIN KING FM CHANNEL AND THE CALM BY KING CHANNEL. IN SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION, KING FM REACHES OUT TO A WORLD-WIDE AUDIENCE VIA ONLINE AUDIO STREAMS AND OUR SMARTPHONE APPS ALLOWING AUDIENCES FAR BEYOND THE RANGE OF OUR FM SIGNAL TO APPRECIATE AND ENJOY THE NORTHWEST'S GREAT CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMANCES. KING FM'S LIVE BROADCAST CAPABILITIES BRING THE MUSIC OF NORTHWEST ARTISTS FROM PERFORMANCE VENUES INTO THE HOMES OF LISTENERS. CLASSICAL 98.1 CARRIES CONCERT PRE-RECORDED BROADCASTS FEATURING SEATTLE OPERA, SEATTLE SYMPHONY, THE SEATTLE CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY, AND THE COMPLINE SERVICE AT ST. MARK'S CATHEDRAL AMONG OTHERS. CLASSICAL 98.1 USES A WIDE SPECTRUM OF TECHNOLOGIES TO DELIVER THE HIGHEST QUALITY EXPERIENCE ON AIR AND ONLINE. IN ADDITION TO A FULL-POWERED ANALOG FM BROADCAST SIGNAL, KING FM TRANSMITS ADDITIONAL CHANNELS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC USING A STATE-OF-THE-ART HD DIGITAL SIGNAL THAT ALLOWS OVER-THE-AIR CD-QUALITY RECEPTION OF THE MAIN KING FM CHANNEL AND THE CALM BY KING CHANNEL. IN SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION, KING FM REACHES OUT TO A WORLD-WIDE AUDIENCE VIA ONLINE AUDIO STREAMS AND OUR SMARTPHONE APPS ALLOWING AUDIENCES FAR BEYOND THE RANGE OF OUR FM SIGNAL TO APPRECIATE AND ENJOY THE NORTHWEST'S GREAT CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMANCES. KING FM'S LIVE BROADCAST CAPABILITIES BRING THE MUSIC OF NORTHWEST ARTISTS FROM PERFORMANCE VENUES INTO THE HOMES OF LISTENERS. CLASSICAL 98.1 CARRIES CONCERT PRE-RECORDED BROADCASTS FEATURING SEATTLE OPERA, SEATTLE SYMPHONY, THE SEATTLE CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY, AND THE COMPLINE SERVICE AT ST. MARK'S CATHEDRAL AMONG OTHERS.
  3. $977 spent. CLASSICAL 98.1 IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND TO MAKING CLASSICAL MUSIC ACCESSIBLE TO ALL THROUGH NEW PARTNERSHIPS. LOCAL CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMING ORGANIZATIONS ARE STILL STRUGGLING IN BRINGING AUDIENCES BACK AFTER THE PANDEMIC. THIS IS IMPACTING THEIR FINANCIAL WELL-BEING AS WELL. CLASSICAL KING CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FREE AND LOW COST ANNOUNCEMENTS TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP THEM ATTRACT AUDIENCES TO CONCERTS, EVENTS, AND EXHIBITIONS.

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 March 2011.

    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.