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Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations Inc

EIN 41-1388406 · Saint Paul, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak44 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AMPERS (ASSOCIATION OF MINNESOTA PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL RADIO STATIONS), FOUNDED IN 1972, EXISTS TO HELP MEMBER STATIONS BETTER SERVE THEIR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES BY GENERATING REVENUE, DEVELOPING AND SHARING PROGRAMMING, AND ACTIVELY WORK TO CHANGE THE (SEE SCHEDULE O)NARRATIVE REGARDING HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES THROUGH ACCURATE STORYTELLING AND REPORTING.

Income
$1.4 million
Spending
$1.6 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
2.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 62%
Employees
8
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$213,464, president & 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

Weak: 44 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 46% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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 (1)
  1. $1.4 million spent. AMPERS IS THE LARGEST ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN THE UNITED STATES. AMPERS CONSISTS OF 17 INDEPENDENTLY LICENSED AND MANAGED, LOCALLY RESPONSIVE, COMMUNITY-BASED RADIO STATIONS THAT SERVE BIPOC (BLACK, INDIGENOUS, PEOPLE OF COLOR), RURAL, AND STUDENT COMMUNITIES NOT TYPICALLY REACHED THROUGH TRADITIONAL MEDIA IN MINNESOTA. THE MAJORITY OF REVENUE AMPERS SECURES FOR ITS MEMBER STATIONS GOES DIRECTLY TO THE STATIONS. MOST OF THE FUNDS DO NOT FLOW THROUGH NOR DO THEY APPEAR IN THE ORGANIZATION'S FINANCIALS. IN ADDITION TO SECURING REVENUE FOR ITS MEMBER STATIONS, AMPERS PRODUCES PROGRAMMING. THE ORGANIZATION CREATES AND DISTRIBUTES "VETERANS' VOICES," A RADIO SERIES THAT ALLOWS (SEE SCHEDULE O)VETERANS TO SHARE THEIR PERSONAL MEMORIES AND STORIES ABOUT SERVING IN THE MILITARY. AMPERS ALSO PRODUCES AND DISTRIBUTES PROGRAMS LIKE "MN90: MINNESOTA HISTORY IN 90 SECONDS" A FUN AND ENTERTAINING YET EDUCATIONAL LOOK AT MINNESOTA HISTORY. "MINNESOTA NATIVE NEWS" IS AN AWARD-WINNING WEEKLY FIVE-MINUTE NEWSCAST WITH CONTENT RELEVANT TO NATIVE AS WELL AS NON-NATIVE RESIDENTS OF MINNESOTA. IN FY25, AMPERS LAUNCHED "NORTH STARS STORIES", STATEWIDE NEWS DELIVERING STORIES AND PERSPECTIVES NOT FOUND IN TRADITIONAL MEDIA. AMPERS HELPS ITS MEMBER STATIONS TO PROVIDE EVEN MORE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES BY MAINTAINING AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS THE STATIONS TO EASILY SHARE THEIR ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE PROGRAMMING. AMPERS ALSO SERVES AS THE CURATOR FOR ALL ARTS & CULTURAL PROGRAMMING ARCHIVING THEM AND MAKING THEM ALL AVAILABLE ONLINE THROUGH ITS WEBSITE AS WELL AS SOCIAL MEDIA. THE ORGANIZATION IS ALSO PARTNERING WITH THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS TO SHARE THE STRUGGLES THAT MINNESOTA'S VETERANS FACE AS WELL AS THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM AND HOW VETERANS CAN GET THOSE SERVICES.

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 November 6, 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 January 1981.

    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 November 4, 2026.

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