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Twin Cities Public Television
Twin Cities Public Television reported $50.8 million in revenue and $46.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $73.42 went to program services, $11.53 to management and general costs and $15.05 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 86.5% of the total. Government grants made up 18.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $659,344 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 46 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 37% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $46MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $51MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 73.4% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.5% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 15.1% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.16 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 86.5% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 18.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 3.9% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $659,344 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.43% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 46 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 26.5 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 32 of 33 | 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 expenseTpt produces and acquires television programming for distribution to local and national audiences. In 2025, tpt broadcast more than 43,800 hours of programming to local audiences through five over-the-air television channels (tpt 2, tpt life, tpt mn, tpt now, and tpt kids) and nearly 8,760 hours of programming to audiences across minnesota via the statewide minnesota channel television service. Tpt produces a number of original programs, including the longest-running public affairs show in minnesota (almanac), a local music and arts performance series (stage), a 24/7/365 statewide health and…
Tpt operates five free over-the-air broadcast television channels providing a mix of locally produced programs and national pbs content. Regularly scheduled tpt-produced programs include a public affairs show almanac; a series about minnesota's diverse history, minnesota experience; a local food show, relish; and a music and arts performance series, stage. Tpt's program services also incorporate the productions that tpt creates for national Public Television distributed by pbs and apt, including scigirls, hero elementary, america outdoors with baratunde thurston, art + medicine, and…
Twin Cities Public Television operates a series of websites that average 659,396 pageviews per month. Tpt maintains an extensive online collection of local and national television programs and video segments, offering many free shows to stream on the pbs app. It also delivers original content and connects with communities across social media platforms including youtube, facebook, instagram, threads, linkedin, and tiktok
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 & CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $594,776 | $0 | $64,568 | $659,344 |
| CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $310,148 | $0 | $46,004 | $356,152 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $272,576 | $0 | $79,903 | $352,479 |
| CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $274,962 | $0 | $18,240 | $293,202 |
| CHIEF COMPL OFFICER & GEN COUNSEL Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $242,369 | $0 | $21,474 | $263,843 |
| VP, EDUCATION Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $191,852 | $0 | $14,285 | $206,137 |
| FORMER CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER Former, 40.00 hrs/week | $169,806 | $0 | $28,729 | $198,535 |
| SR MGR OF CONTENT (THRU 12/24) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $162,889 | $0 | $34,158 | $197,047 |
46 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Twin Cities Public Television (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.7M (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–1b33 · 32 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5266
- Volunteers Part I, line 689
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| MASHOPOLIS PRODUCTIONS INC Production oversight | $3,333,912 |
| ROCKMAN ET AL Production oversight | $1,340,523 |
| MCCRACKEN MANZEY CONSULTING INC Professional accounting | $1,013,020 |
| FILAMENT GAMES LLC Game development | $332,919 |
| HOT SPAGHETTI PRODUCTIONS Production oversight | $328,900 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 19 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
74 private foundations reported grants to Twin Cities Public Television totaling $2.0M 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 Twin Cities Public Television's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Twin Cities Public Television, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Twin Cities Public Television spent in FY2025, $73.42 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The San Diego Symphony Orchestra AssociationSan Diego, CA · revenue $51M · programs 77.8% · FY2025
- The Franklin InstitutePhiladelphia, PA · revenue $51M · programs 84.6% · 2024
- Window to the World CommunicationsChicago, IL · revenue $50M · programs 66.9% · FY2025
- Pittsburgh SymphonyPittsburgh, PA · revenue $51M · programs 85.3% · FY2025
- Los Angeles Opera CompanyLos Angeles, CA · revenue $50M · programs 78.7% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Minnesota
Questions people ask
How much of Twin Cities Public Television's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Twin Cities Public Television reported that 73.4% of its $46.2 million in expenses went to program services, 11.5% to management and general and 15.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Twin Cities Public Television pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Twin Cities Public Television reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $659,344, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Twin Cities Public Television get its money?
Of $50.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 86.5% came from contributions and grants (including 18.0% from government grants) and 3.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Twin Cities Public Television a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 41-0769851 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 August 31, 2025, object 202640829349301904 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024 (amended), object 202520859349300717 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202411219349300841 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202321789349301237 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202200699349301605 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202121389349301777 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 41-0769851: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.