Public Broadcasting Foundation of Northwest Ohio
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WGTE IS DEDICATED TO ENABLING PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CIVIC IMPROVEMENT BY THE INNOVATIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO EDUCATE, ENLIGHTEN, ENRICH, ENGAGE, ENTERTAIN, EMPOWER, AND EXPLORE.
- Income
- $5.1 million
- Spending
- $5.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 25.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 73%
- Employees
- 33
- Volunteers
- 52
- Highest pay
- $223,612, president & ceo - 07/01/24-03/28/2025
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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 25.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 0% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 15 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
0 of 7Reports no 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 (5)
- $777,228 spent. FM PROGRAMMING AND PRODUCTION: WGTE FM (TOLEDO), WGLE (LIMA), WGBE (BRYAN), AND WGDE (DEFIANCE) ANNUALLY PRODUCE 54 LOCAL AUDIO PROGRAMS AND PODCASTS, ALONG WITH BROADCASTING 8,760 HOURS OF AUDIO NPR AND LOCAL PROGRAMMING TO APPROXIMATELY 775,600 BROADCAST LISTENERS AND MORE THAN 90,000 ONLINE LISTENERS LOCATED IN NORTHWEST OHIO AND SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN.
- $1.4 million spent. TV PROGRAMMING & PRODUCTION: WGTE TV AND WGTE HDTV PRODUCED 196 VIDEO PRODUCTIONS AND PROVIDES ADULT AND KIDS PROGRAMMING TO NEARLY 1,000,000 HOUSEHOLDS WEEKLY ACROSS NORTHWEST OHIO AND SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN.
- $265,070 spent. TV EDUCATION SERVICES: WGTE'S EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOCUS ON IMPROVING READING AND LITERACY SKILLS FOR PRE-K - 3 LOW-INCOME AND MINORITY CHILDREN AND SCHOOL READINESS SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOR PRE-K LOW-INCOME AND MINORITY CHILDREN, INCLUDING HELPING TEACHERS AND FAMILIES TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN'S LEARNING.
- $883,352 spent. TV & FM ENGINEERING:ENGINEERS MAINTAIN, UPDATE, AND MANAGE AUDIO AND VIDEO PRODUCTION AND BROADCAST EQUIPMENT AT THE MAIN CENTER, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING MAINTENANCE AND UPDATE SERVICES TO ONE TV BROADCAST TRANSMITTER, AND FOUR RADIO BROADCAST TRANSMITTERS HOUSED AT FOUR LOCATIONS PLACED ACROSS NORTHWEST OHIO.
- $317,555 spent. PUBLIC INFORMATION:ANNUALLY, WGTE'S PROGRAM GUIDE, "BE CONNECTED," IS PRODUCED AND MAILED TO 8,200 HOUSEHOLDS. TV AND RADIO PROGRAMS ARE PROMOTED VIA BROADCAST, PRINT, AND ONLINE. WGTE ANNUALLY CONNECTS WITH MORE THAN 250,000 USERS ONLINE VIA ALL LEADING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1958.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.