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Prairie Public Broadcasting
Prairie Public Broadcasting reported $10.7 million in revenue and $8.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $72.59 went to program services, $21.78 to management and general costs and $5.63 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 60.9% of the total. Government grants made up 11.6%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $313,064 (President/CEO). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 19% 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 $8.7MFor 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 September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 72.6% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 21.8% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.6% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 60.9% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 11.6% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 4.3% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $313,064 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.58% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 50.5 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 14 of 14 | 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 expensePrairie Public Broadcasting, headquartered in Fargo, ND, is a non-profit organization and community licensee that provides public television services to North Dakota, northwestern Minnesota, southern Manitoba, and parts of Montana and South Dakota; and public radio service to North Dakota and worldwide via online streaming. In addition to broadcasting services, Prairie Public provides a wide range of educational, technological, and online services to educate, involve, and inspire the people of the prairie region. Television schedules, radio schedules, and coverage maps and frequencies are…
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 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $299,529 | $0 | $13,535 | $313,064 |
| Director of Engineering Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $133,996 | $0 | $23,134 | $157,130 |
| Director of Finance Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $128,037 | $0 | $22,714 | $150,751 |
| Director of Radio Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $117,997 | $0 | $22,234 | $140,231 |
| Dir. of Development & Communication Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $105,758 | $0 | $21,454 | $127,212 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Prairie Public Broadcasting (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $482K (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–1b14 · 14 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 5137
- Volunteers Part I, line 620
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Bartholomay Construction Inc Construction | $780,194 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
6 private foundations reported grants to Prairie Public Broadcasting totaling $3,902 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 Prairie Public Broadcasting's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Prairie Public Broadcasting, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Prairie Public Broadcasting spent in FY2025, $72.59 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Oregon Historical SocietyPortland, OR · revenue $11M · programs 77.7% · 2025
- Radio Kingston CorpKingston, NY · revenue $11M · programs 100.0% · 2024
- Penland School Of CraftPenland, NC · revenue $11M · programs 70.6% · FY2025
- Columbia River Maritime MuseumAstoria, OR · revenue $11M · programs 75.1% · 2024
- Cincinnati Public RadioCincinnati, OH · revenue $11M · programs 69.1% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in North Dakota
Questions people ask
How much of Prairie Public Broadcasting's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Prairie Public Broadcasting reported that 72.6% of its $8.7 million in expenses went to program services, 21.8% to management and general and 5.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Prairie Public Broadcasting pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Prairie Public Broadcasting reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $313,064, for the role of President/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Prairie Public Broadcasting get its money?
Of $10.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 60.9% came from contributions and grants (including 11.6% from government grants) and 4.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Prairie Public Broadcasting a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 45-0276899 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202642299349301744 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202512249349301006 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202432279349302173 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202342219349300749 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202222229349300512 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202102229349301560 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 45-0276899: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.