Houston Public Media Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA FOUNDATION MISSION IS TO MARSHAL RESOURCES, RELATIONSHIPS, AND PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT TO BRING ARTS AND CULTURE, EDUCATION, AND TRUSTED NEWS TO THE HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA BROADCAST AREA.
- Income
- $17.6 million
- Spending
- $17.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 1.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 78%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 23
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 2518 of 18 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.
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 August 31, 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)
- $6.0 million spent. IN 2025, WE CONTINUED TO REPORT ON ISSUES AND EVENTS THAT MATTERED TO OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND OUR WORLD. WE PRODUCED IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND SUBSEQUENT SPECIAL SESSIONS, HOUSTON'S CITY BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING, THE BODIES FOUND IN OUR BAYOUS, CENTERPOINT ENERGY'S REQUEST FOR A RATE INCREASE, ONGOING DISASTER RECOVERY EFFORTS, AND MUCH MORE. WE ESTABLISHED A PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL NEWS AFFILIATE ABC13 TO BRING DAILY WEATHER UPDATES FROM THEIR AWARD-WINNING WEATHER TEAM AND TO ACTIVATE AROUND-THE-CLOCK COVERAGE IN TIMES OF SEVERE WEATHER. HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA'S NEWS 88.7 NOW FEATURES ABC13'S UP-TO-THE-MINUTE WEATHER REPORTS AND FORECASTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY, ENHANCING OUR ABILITY TO KEEP LISTENERS INFORMED, PREPARED, AND SAFE. IN MAY 2025, HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA WON A REGIONAL EDWARD R. MURROW AWARD FOR ITS DIGITAL COVERAGE OF HURRICANE BERYL, WHICH HIT THE HOUSTON AREA IN JULY OF 2024. OUR DIGITAL AND SOCIAL TEAMS PROVIDED UP-TO-THE-MINUTE COVERAGE OF THE STORM AND ITS IMPACT ON OUR REGION ONLINE AND ON THE AIR. REPORTERS IN THE FIELD CAPTURED PHOTOS, INTERVIEWS AND UPDATES WHICH OUR DIGITAL PROFESSIONALS USED TO CREATE VIDEOS, GRAPHICS, AND ONLINE CONTENT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY INFORMED. ALSO IN LATE 2025, HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA LAUNCHED A SECOND REGIONAL BUREAU IN NEIGHBORING GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS. IN A REGION AS SPRAWLING AS THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA, PEOPLE NEED NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPECIFIC AREA THEY LIVE AND WORK IN. REPORTER JULIANNA WASHBURN IS STAFFING THE NEW BUREAU, KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORS THERE INFORMED ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM EDUCATION AND CITY COUNCIL NEWS TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
- $4.9 million spent. THE HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA TEAM CONTINUES TO ATTEND COMMUNITY EVENTS AND SCHOOL FUNCTIONS TO SHARE EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND RESOURCES WITH CHILDREN. A TYPICAL SET-UP WILL INCLUDE LIFE-SIZE STANDEES KIDS CAN TAKE PICTURES WITH, VIDEO CLIPS FROM PBS KIDS SHOWS, LAPTOPS TO ALLOW KIDS TO TRY OUT SAFE AND EDUCATIONAL PBS KIDS GAMES, AND TAKE-HOME GOODIES, LIKE ACTIVITY BOOKS, STICKERS, AND PENCILS. IN 2025, WE SHARED PBS KIDS SHOWS AND RESOURCES WITH FAMILIES AT THE PORT HOUSTON COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIR, THE MAYOR'S BACK TO SCHOOL AND HEALTH FAIR, RIDGEMONT ELEMENTARY ACADEMIC NIGHT, BACK TO SCHOOL BASH AT ROBINSON-WESTCHASE LIBRARY, AND HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT 4'S DINOSAUR TRAIN: NATURE TRACKERS EVENT SERIES. IN ADDITION, PBS LEARNINGMEDIA OFFERS FREE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR PREK-12 STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS. CREATED IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH EDUCATORS AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, PBS LEARNINGMEDIA PROVIDES TEACHERS AND STUDENTS INSTANT ACCESS TO MORE THAN 30,000 CLASSROOM-READY MATERIALS. LESSONS ARE PAIRED WITH VIDEOS INTRODUCING TOPICS AND EXPLAINING CONCEPTS AND CAN BE USED BOTH AT HOME AND IN THE CLASSROOM. ALL OF THE CONTENT ON PBS LEARNINGMEDIA IS ALIGNED TO STATE AND NATIONAL CURRICULUM STANDARDS. ALSO IN 2025, HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA COLLABORATED WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY TO HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS INTERESTED IN UTILIZING THE TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE AT HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY TECHLINK LOCATIONS. THESE TECHLINK LOCATIONS LET LIBRARY CARD HOLDERS USE VIDEO, PODCAST, AND MUSIC RECORDING STUDIOS, SOUND EQUIPMENT, INSTRUMENTS, PROFESSIONAL EDITING SOFTWARE, AND OTHER EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY TO TURN THEIR IDEAS INTO REALITY. HOWEVER, NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO USE ALL THE GREAT RESOURCES AVAILABLE. TO ADDRESS THIS, HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA EXPERTS HELD WORKSHOPS AT TWO TECHLINK LOCATIONS TO TEACH COMMUNITY MEMBERS THE BASICS OF SOUND RECORDING. HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA PRODUCERS AND SOUND ENGINEERS SHARED THEIR KNOWLEDGE AROUND SOUND DESIGN, TECHNIQUES, WHAT DIFFERENT MICROPHONES DO, HOW TO USE RECORDING AND EDITING SOFTWARE, AND MORE.
- $4.9 million spent. IN MARCH 2025, HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA'S NEWEST SHOW AND FIRST SHOW DESIGNED AS A DAILY MULTI-PLATFORM, STREAMED TALK SHOW, LAUNCHED ON NEWS 88.7, YOUTUBE, HOUSTONPUBLICMEDIA.ORG, AND ACROSS PODCAST PLATFORMS. HELLO HOUSTON BRINGS TOGETHER RENOWNED METEOROLOGIST FRANK BILLINGSLY, AWARD-WINNING BROADCASTER ERNIE MANOUSE, AND PRODUCER CELESTE DIAZ SCHURMAN TO TELL HOUSTON'S STORIES THROUGH PROFILES, INTERVIEWS, AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING DISCUSSIONS. THE SHOW ENCOURAGES LISTENERS AND VIEWERS TO CONNECT, INVITING PEOPLE TO CALL IN, TEXT, AND ENGAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IN SEPTEMBER, HOUSTON MATTERS JOINED HELLO HOUSTON AS A MULTI-PLATFORM SHOW AIRED ON NEWS 88.7, YOUTUBE, PODCAST PLATFORMS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, HOUSTON MATTERS HAS BEEN THE GO-TO GUIDE TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES, ISSUES, AND IDEAS THAT DEFINE GREATER HOUSTON. THIS PAST YEAR, HOST AND PRODUCER CRAIG COHEN TALKED WITH EXPERTS AND ORDINARY HOUSTONIANS ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM THE RACE FOR TEXAS'S 18TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT TO DEVELOPMENT IN FLOOD PLAINS, AND FROM ENERGY INDUSTRY LAYOFFS TO HOUSTONIAN'S BIGGEST PET PEEVES. 2025 WAS ALSO THE FIRST FULL YEAR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA AND KTSU'S PARTNERSHIP THAT BROUGHT KTSU'S THE VIBE, AN URBAN ALTERNATIVE STATION, TO HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA'S 88.7 HD-3 CHANNEL, AND HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA'S NEWSCASTS TO KTSU'S PRIMARY CHANNEL, THE CHOICE. THE PARTNERSHIP HAS EXPANDED THE AUDIENCES, REACH, AND IMPACT OF BOTH STATIONS, AND PROVIDED OUR COMMUNITY WITH EXPANDED SERVICES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 August 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 January 1970.
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.