Ideastream
Also known as Ideastream Public Media
Ideastream reported $28.0 million in revenue and $26.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $70.74 went to program services, $12.06 to management and general costs and $17.20 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 83.6% of the total. Government grants made up 25.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $595,624 (PRESIDENT AND CEO). 21 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 34% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $26MFor context, the median across 212 covered youth development charities: $83.69 programs, $11.78 management, $4.53 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $28M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$56.85 $16M
- Government grants$24.18 $7.0M
- Program service revenue$12.54 $3.6M
- Investment income$6.43 $1.9M
Other revenue was negative: −$902K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 70.7% | 82.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 17.2% | 4.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.19 | $0.07 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 83.6% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 25.0% | 5.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 12.9% | 6.6% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $595,624 | $274,234 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.25% | 1.76% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 21 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 38.9 | 15.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 24 of 25 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseSee schedule oideastream public media ("ideastream") is an ohio nonprofit corporation. Publicly supported and locally owned, ideastream's mission is to be a trusted and dynamic multimedia source for illuminating the world around US. Ideastream services include wviz/pbs, with five channels of public television service; wksu, northeast ohio's npr news and information radio service; wclv, northeast ohio's classical music radio service; jazzneo, northeast ohio's local jazz music radio service; ideastream education, with educational resources, services and the award-winning children's series…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT AND CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $488,106 | $0 | $107,518 | $595,624 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $244,462 | $0 | $45,918 | $290,380 |
| CHIEF DEV.&MARKETING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $236,765 | $0 | $36,194 | $272,959 |
| CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $205,610 | $0 | $42,505 | $248,115 |
| CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $206,434 | $0 | $34,673 | $241,107 |
| GENERAL MANAGER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $197,609 | $0 | $23,175 | $220,784 |
| GEN.MGR.,OHIO PUBLIC MEDIA SVCS. Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $169,424 | $0 | $31,359 | $200,783 |
| SR.DIR.OF EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $149,815 | $0 | $20,713 | $170,528 |
21 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Ideastream (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.0M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b25 · 24 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5189
- Volunteers Part I, line 650
Private foundation grants it received
67 private foundations reported grants to Ideastream totaling $677K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Ideastream's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Ideastream, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Ideastream spent in FY2025, $70.74 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Playworks Education EnergizedOakland, CA · revenue $28M · programs 77.3% · FY2025
- BravenChicago, IL · revenue $28M · programs 83.1% · FY2025
- Native American Youth and Family CenterPortland, OR · revenue $28M · programs 90.3% · FY2025
- TreehouseSeattle, WA · revenue $28M · programs 82.2% · FY2025
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish CountyEverett, WA · revenue $27M · programs 86.9% · 2024
Questions people ask
How much of Ideastream's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Ideastream reported that 70.7% of its $26.5 million in expenses went to program services, 12.1% to management and general and 17.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Ideastream pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Ideastream reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $595,624, for the role of PRESIDENT AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Ideastream get its money?
Of $28.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 83.6% came from contributions and grants (including 25.0% from government grants) and 12.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Ideastream a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 34-1943865 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, object 202621599349300602 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202541639349301429 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202432259349301923 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202312169349300121 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202202139349300210 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202102289349301625 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 34-1943865: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.