Radio Bilingue Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Radio Bilinge is the leading non-commercial Latino radio network in California and the U.S. Its mission is to serve as a voice to empower Latinos and other underserved communities. As a trusted producer and broadcaster of Spanish, English and indigenous language radio programming, Radio Bilinge utilizes its own extensive network of educational radio stations, repeaters and affiliates to reach linguistically, socially, and economically marginalized communities.Radio Bilinge focuses on meeting the news and informational needs of the most vulnerable Latinos. Its audience consists of traditionally underserved Spanish-speaking and bilingual families and workers, many of whom work in farming, construction, service/hospitality, manufacturing, gardening, day labor, trucking, and other low-wage fields. Radio Bilinge is also committed to serving other disenfranchised minority groups, including the Mixteco and Triqui indigenous communities native to Mexicoa significant population group in immigra
- Income
- $4.0 million
- Spending
- $3.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 33
- Volunteers
- 65
- Highest pay
- $104,500, co-exec dir
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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.0 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 37% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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 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 (1)
- $2.8 million spent. News & Information Programming Radio Bilinges award-winning team of reporters, producers, editors and hosts is responsible for developing and producing original content carried by 100 public radio stations in the U.S. and Mexico. At the heart of RB programming is a slate of national and local news and information programs that fill the gap in coverage of Latino issues in commercial and public media. Lnea Abierta, produced by RB since 1995, is the first and only live national Latino-oriented talk show in Spanish in the U.S. public broadcasting system, featuring rousing conversations with national newsmakers in politics, arts, culture, health care, environment, maternal health, education, history, AI issues, and more; the show also features regular audience call-in participation. Comunidad Alerta is a live interactive current affairs program in Spanish airing Tuesdays through Thursday mornings, focusing on pressing community concerns and interests, such as the arts, Latino/Chicano literature, immigration rights, health care, opioid addiction and recovery, the environment, education, tenant rights, employment opportunities, job training, maternal health, 0-5 services for children, and more. And weekends feature Edicin Semanaria de Noticiero Latino, the only Spanish language news feature magazine in public broadcasting, featuring reports from journalists throughout the U.S. and Mexico.Integral to Radio Bilinges mission is programming that lifts up the voices of the communities it serves. Weekend shows such as La Hora Mixteca and La Hora Triqui are co-hosted by volunteer farmworkers from indigenous Mexican communities. Speaking in their native Mixteco, Zapotec and Triqui languages, these hosts connect with their communities over the airwaves to inform them about issues of concern and to celebrate their shared indigenous languages, music, history and traditions and culture. Other Radio Bilinge programs include Rockin da House and Alza Tu Voz, music and talk shows developed to lift the voices of Latino by giving them airtime during drive time and other popular listening hours to discuss issues such as school participation, leadership, healthy relationships, work, teen pregnancy prevention, civic activism and more. Arts & Cultural Programming Radio Bilinge provides opportunities for community members to experience and enjoy Latino culture in a positive and community-oriented non-commercial format. Radio Bilinge shows such as Onda Tejana, Ritmos del Pueblo, Arriba el Norte and others focus on traditional music genres such as mariachi, son jarocho, trio, Tejano, conjunto, Norteo, banda, Chilenas, salsa, cumbia, Latin jazz and more. Other shows such as Carnaval and Rockin da House provide contemporary music such as jazz, rock en Espaol, ska, reggae and more. Overnight programming features R&B oldies, serving barrio audiences including many incarcerated persons and their families outside with dedications and salutations to stay connected. Radio Bilinges news information shows, such as Lnea Abierta, also produce original reports and conversations on prominent Latino artists, cultural events, and the roots of Latino arts and music. Community EngagementRadio Bilinge is committed to building a healthier, more vibrant future for the Latino communities that are most vulnerable to challenges such as disease, poverty, and systemic inequity. To that end, the network leverages its longstanding expertise in reporting and creative educational content to inform and engage listeners on a wide range of issues, including health, education, economic opportunity, the environment, emergency preparedness, immigration policy, and more. Complementing this are targeted broadcast campaigns that empower working-class Latinos by providing information, resources, and opportunities to take action. Recent Radio Bilinge campaigns with news coverage, interviews with trusted community partners, community call-in Q&As, and educational messaging have centered on health, such as maternal-child health and substance use prevention and treatment, environmental issues like climate change and emergency preparedness, domestic violence prevention, immigration and workers rights, education, and more. RB also collaborates with nonpartisan nonprofits that promote voter registration and participation at the local, state, and national levels. As a sample of this comprehensive service, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affected the Latino community, RB quickly responded to listeners urgent need for more reliable information and expanded daily programming to deliver frequent updates, address misinformation, and accommodate the increase in listener call-ins. And, at a time when strong efforts attempted to exclude undocumented immigrants from being included in the 2020 Census, RB worked with hundreds of nonprofit partners throughout the U.S. to educate and encourage all Latino households to participate. The result was the record participation in the census of those considered hard-to-reach in every California community Radio Bilinge serves. When the nonprofits doing on-the-ground census outreach could no longer knock on doors because of the pandemic, many turned to Radio Bilinge, as a trusted messenger for over four decades, to deliver the message. Reach Radio Bilinge reaches its target audience through its expansive broadcast network throughout California, other states, and parts of Mexico. Radio Bilinge -owned stations in California include KSJV 91.5 FM (Fresno), KMPO 88.7 FM (Modesto-Stockton), KTQX 90.1 FM (Bakersfield), KHDC 90.9 FM (Salinas), KUBO 88.7 FM (El Centro), KVUH 88.5 FM (Mendocino), KWMS 91.3 FM (Williams), 90.7 FM (San Miguel/Paso Robles), KTLU 91.7 FM Tulelake, CA/Merrill OR). Augmenting these California full-power FM stations are several RB repeaters serving Barstow, Coachella, Guadalupe, Hollister, Livermore, Palmdale/Lancaster, Santa Margarita, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, Tassajara and Yuma at th
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
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 September 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 July 1978.
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.