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Houston Public Media Foundation
Houston Public Media Foundation reported $17.6 million in revenue and $17.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $91.89 went to program services, $1.17 to management and general costs and $6.94 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 78.3% of the total. Revenue rose 10% 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 $17MFor 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 $18MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 91.9% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 1.2% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.9% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.09 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 78.3% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 21.3% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | Not reported | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | Not reported | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 2.6 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 18 of 18 | 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 expenseIn 2025, we continued to report on issues and events that mattered to our neighbors, our community, and our world. We produced in-depth coverage of the 89th legislative session and subsequent special sessions, houston's city budget and capital improvement and infrastructure planning, the bodies found in our bayous, centerpoint energy's request for a rate increase, ongoing disaster recovery efforts, and much more. We established a partnership with local news affiliate abc13 to bring daily weather updates from their award-winning weather team and to activate around-the-clock coverage in times…
The Houston Public Media team continues to attend community events and school functions to share educational content and resources with children. A typical set-up will include life-size standees kids can take pictures with, video clips from pbs kids shows, laptops to allow kids to try out safe and educational pbs kids games, and take-home goodies, like activity books, stickers, and pencils. In 2025, we shared pbs kids shows and resources with families at the port houston community resource fair, the mayor's back to school and health fair, ridgemont elementary academic night, back to school…
In march 2025, Houston Public Media's newest show and first show designed as a daily multi-platform, streamed talk show, launched on news 88.7, youtube, houstonpublicmedia.org, and across podcast platforms. Hello houston brings together renowned meteorologist frank billingsly, award-winning broadcaster ernie manouse, and producer celeste diaz schurman to tell houston's stories through profiles, interviews, and thought-provoking discussions. The show encourages listeners and viewers to connect, inviting people to call in, text, and engage on social media. In september, houston matters joined…
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–1b18 · 18 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 15aNo
- 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 50
- Volunteers Part I, line 623
Private foundation grants it received
33 private foundations reported grants to Houston Public Media Foundation totaling $406K 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 Houston Public Media Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Houston Public Media Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Houston Public Media Foundation spent in FY2025, $91.89 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Colorado BalletDenver, CO · revenue $18M · programs 78.1% · FY2025
- Rochester Broadway Theatre LeagueRochester, NY · revenue $18M · programs 93.6% · 2024
- Hale Center Foundation for the Arts and EducationPleasant Grove, UT · revenue $18M · programs 79.8% · 2024
- Lower East Side Tenement MuseumNew York, NY · revenue $18M · programs 75.9% · FY2025
- Indiana Historical SocietyIndianapolis, IN · revenue $17M · programs 74.7% · 2024
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Texas
Questions people ask
How much of Houston Public Media Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Houston Public Media Foundation reported that 91.9% of its $17.2 million in expenses went to program services, 1.2% to management and general and 6.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
Where does Houston Public Media Foundation get its money?
Of $17.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 78.3% came from contributions and grants and 21.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Houston Public Media Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 74-1670740 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 202631879349300243 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202540999349300219 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202411069349301651 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202301089349300925 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202201949349300415 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202101109349300000 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 74-1670740: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.