Greater Chattanooga Public Television Corporation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WTCI ENRICHES LIVES THROUGH QUALITY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT EDUCATE, ENGAGE, AND INSPIRE A LIFETIME OF LEARNING AND EXPLORATION.
- Income
- $2.5 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- -2.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 77%
- Employees
- 26
- Volunteers
- 45
- Highest pay
- $161,524, 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: 36 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 22 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)
- $1.8 million spent. BROADCASTING AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMING - WTCI OFFERS OVER 300 HOURS OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING EACH WEEK TO TELEVISION HOUSEHOLDS WITHIN THE 60 MILE OVER-THE-AIR VIEWING RADIUS AND THROUGH LOCAL CABLE AND SATELLITE TELEVISION SERVICES. IN ADDITION TO DOCUMENTING LOCAL ACTIVITIES, TELLING LOCAL STORIES AND GATHERING LOCAL CONTENT, WTCI BROADCASTS NATIONAL PBS PROGRAMMING AS WELL.
- $170,332 spent. EDUCATION -WTCI PROVIDES 300 HOURS OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING ON-AIR EACH WEEK. FREE ONLINE RESOURCES, CLASSROOM AND TEACHER OUTREACH, TRAINING AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS ENCOURAGE READING, WRITING AND MATH LITERACY AND ENRICHMENT THROUGHOUT THE REGION. PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, MUNICIPAL AGENCIES AND SCHOOLS SUPPORT READING AND WRITING LITERACY THROUGH THE ANNUAL PBS KIDS WRITERS CONTEST OUTREACH, EVENTS, ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES.
- $18,187 spent. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - WTCI EDUCATES, ENGAGES AND INSPIRES A LIFETIME OF LEARNING AND EXPLORATION THROUGH ON-AIR PROGRAMMING, ONLINE RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN A 35 COUNTY REGION. PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, MUNICIPAL AGENCIES, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND EARLY EDUCATION CENTERS AND PROGRAMS SUPPORT ENRICHMENT THROUGHOUT THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. PUBLIC SCREENINGS, TOWN HALL MEETINGS, DEBATES AND INFORMATIVE, EDUCATIONAL LOCAL PROGRAMMING SUPPORT THE ON-AIR AND COMMUNITY-WIDE SERVICES AND OUTREACH SPONSORED BY WTCI.
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 May 1983.
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.