Vpm Media Corporation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO USE THE POWER OF MEDIA TO EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN AND INSPIRE, USING PUBLIC TELEVISION AND PUBLIC RADIO TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT CENTRAL VIRGINIA, CHARLOTTESVILLE, THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY, THE NORTHERN NECK AND MECKLENBURG COUNTY REGIONS.
- Income
- $19.8 million
- Spending
- $22.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 66%
- Reserves
- 9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 79%
- Employees
- 118
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $463,965, 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
Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1566% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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 2517 of 17 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
7 of 7Has a 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 (3)
- $335,616 spent. EDUCATIONAL ENGAGEMENT: VPM EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE & EDUCATION PROGRAM WORKS WITH MORE THAN 50 COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THE GREATER RICHMOND, CHARLOTTESVILLE, AND HARRISONBURG COMMUNITIES TO HELP FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS PREPARE YOUNG CHILDREN AGES 0-8 FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL. FOCUSING ON FAMILIES WHO ARE THE FURTHEST FROM OPPORTUNITY. SCIENCE MATTERS WORKS WITH OVER 50 COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THE GREATER RICHMOND, CHARLOTTESVILLE, AND HARRISONBURG COMMUNITIES TO ENCOURAGE K-12 STUDENTS, TEACHER, PARENTS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO VALUE SCIENCE AND UNDERSTAND ITS IMPORTANCE TO OUR FUTURE.
- $11.0 million spent. PUBLIC TELEVISION: VPM CONNECTS NEARLY 2 MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY TO INSIGHTFUL PROGRAMMING IN ARTS AND CULTURE, HISTORY, SCIENCE, NEWS AND EDUCATION. IN RICHMOND, CHARLOTTESVILLE AND THE HARRISONBURG AREA, VPM OPERATES PUBLIC TELEVISION STATIONS VPM PBS, VPM PLUS, VPM PBS KIDS, LIFESTYLE CHANNEL VPM CREATE AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM CHANNEL VPM WORLD.
- $3.5 million spent. PUBLIC RADIO: VPM OPERATES RICHMOND PUBLIC RADIO STATIONS VPM NEWS (WCVE 88.9 FM) AND VPM MUSIC (WWBT 107.3 FM, WWLB 93.1 FM AND 88.9-HD2), AS WELL AS MIXED FORMAT STATIONS IN THE NORTHERN NECK (WCNV 89.1 FM) AND SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA (WMVE 90.1 FM). FROM ITS RICHMOND-AREA NEWSROOM, VPM NEWS DELIVERS COVERAGE OF STATEWIDE POLITICS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION AND LEGAL ISSUES, AS WELL AS THE NEWS OF THE DAY FROM NPR. VPM MUSIC IS HOME TO A 24/7 BLEND OF CLASSICAL, JAZZ AND WORLD MUSIC.
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1964.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.