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Community Radio for Northern Colorado

EIN 84-1577682 · Greeley, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong96 out of 100GovernanceStrong94 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

COMMUNITY RADIO FOR NORTHERN COLORADO'S (CRNC) MISSION IS TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY BY CULTIVATING THE MIND AND SPIRIT - INFORMING, INSPIRING, AND ENTERTAINING. CRNC STRIVES TO MEET ITS MISSION BY OPERATING TWO PUBLIC MEDIA SERVICES - KUNC, AN NPR-AFFILIATED NEWS AND INFORMATION PUBLIC RADIO STATION AND THE COLORADO SOUND, A LOCALLY HOSTED MUSIC DISCOVERY PUBLIC RADIO STATION. IN ADDITION, CRNC HAS AN ACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRESENCE FOR BOTH OF ITS CONTENT SERVICES.

Income
$6.3 million
Spending
$6.1 million
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
12.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 81%
Employees
46
Highest pay
$215,330, ceo & president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 12.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 19% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 94 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 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

    9 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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. $3.8 million spent. PROGRAMMING & PRODUCTION: CRNC PROVIDES PROGRAMMING THAT STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY, INFORMS, INSPIRES AND ENTERTAINS THROUGH ITS PUBLIC RADIO STATIONS, KUNC AND THE COLORADO SOUND. KUNC PRESENTS NEWS AND INFORMATION THROUGH CURATION OF PROGRAMMING FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING NPR. KUNC PROVIDES A BLEND OF INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL, AND REGIONAL NEWS TO THE COMMUNITY. CRNC MAINTAINS AN AWARD-WINNING NEWS DEPARTMENT THAT IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING QUALITY JOURNALISM AT A REGIONAL LEVEL. THE COLORADO SOUND IS A MUSIC DISCOVERY PUBLIC RADIO STATION APPEALING TO CURIOUS MUSIC LISTENERS WHO APPRECIATE VARIOUS GENRES AND HAVE A LOVE FOR LEARNING ABOUT MUSIC. THE COLORADO SOUND STRIVES TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR COLORADO MUSICIANS AND THE COLORADO MUSIC SCENE.
  2. $556,819 spent. BROADCASTING: CRNC TRANSMITS ITS PROGRAMS THROUGH A VAST NETWORK OF STATIONS AND TRANSLATORS IN NORTHERN COLORADO WITH A POPULATION BASE OF OVER TWO MILLION AND ITS CURRENTLY LISTENED TO BY OVER 260,000 LISTENERS ALONG THE FRONT RANGE, IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS, AND IN THE MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES. THE FRONT RANGE SIGNAL IS KUNC (91.5 FM) AND THE COLORADO SOUND IS (105.5 FM). COVERAGE IS SUPPLEMENTED BY 4 STATIONS AND 13 TRANSLATORS, REPLICATIONG THE KUNC OR COLORADO SOUND PROGRAMMING SIGNALS. THESE SIGNALS ARE LOCATED IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES INCLUDING STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, BRECKENRIDGE, ESTES PARK, STERLING AND BOULDER. CRNC CONTINUALLY STRIVES TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICE AREA BY INCREASING OUR BROADCASTING CAPABILITIES. CRNC ALSO OFFERS STREAMING OF ITS PROGRAMMING THROUGH THE WEBSITE AND DIGITAL APPS.
  3. $746 spent. PROGRAMMING INFORMATION & SPECIAL EVENTS: CRNC IS DEDICATED TO STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY. CRNC ENGAGES WITH THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR PUBLIC MEDIA PROGRAMMING AND TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY OF OUR PROGRAM SERVICES. CRNC PARTNERS WITH NUMEROUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE AND SPONSOR EVENTS WITHIN NORTHERN COLORADO. CRNC MAINTAINS WEBSITES AT KUNC.ORG AND COLORADOSOUND.ORG TO PROVIDE EASY ACCESS TO PROGRAM INFORMATION AND PROGRAMMING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 2001.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.