National Cable Satellite Corporation

Also known as C-Span

Washington, DC · EIN 84-0751854 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
Latest filing: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

National Cable Satellite Corporation reported $46.0 million in revenue and $46.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.53 went to program services, $18.96 to management and general costs and $0.51 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 74.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $732,843 (VICE-PRESIDENT AND CO-CEO (THRU 5/24)). 99 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 28% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.

Where $100 of spending went

The fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $46M

Program services$80.53 $37M
Management & general$18.96 $8.7M
Fundraising$0.51 $235K

For 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 March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $46M

Contributions & grants (non-government)$0.61 $280K
Program service revenue$74.89 $34M
Investment income$24.48 $11M
Other revenue$0.02 $7,716

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

FY2025 filing. Median across 876 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure	FY2025	Median
Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)	80.5%	78.5%
Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)	19.0%	13.6%
Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)	0.5%	6.0%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h	$0.84	$0.10
Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12	0.6%	57.5%
Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12	0.0%	1.7%
Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12	74.9%	20.8%
Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F	$732,843	$385,706
Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)	1.59%	2.03%
People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2	99	8
Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses	58.1	36.6
Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b	14 of 16	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 expense

$37M expenses · 100.0% of program spending · grants $55,481 · revenue $34M

The television and radio networks operated by ncsc provide coverage of both houses of the US congress and other governmental and public affairs events. These events are also available via ncsc websites which host more than 250,000 hours of content

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
VICE-PRESIDENT AND CO-CEO (THRU 5/24) Officer, 45.00 hrs/week	$694,857	$0	$37,986	$732,843
VICE-PRESIDENT AND CO-CEO Officer, 45.00 hrs/week	$565,314	$0	$45,557	$610,871
MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week	$368,376	$0	$61,471	$429,847
MANAGER/DIRECTOR (THRU 8/24) Officer, 45.00 hrs/week	$405,463	$0	$23,026	$428,489
MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week	$343,330	$0	$79,778	$423,108
CFO/TREASURER (FROM 12/24) Director/trustee, officer, 45.00 hrs/week	$350,089	$0	$43,545	$393,634
MANAGER/DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week	$324,080	$0	$57,453	$381,533
MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week	$323,984	$0	$42,213	$366,197

99 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from National Cable Satellite Corporation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.4M (Part IX, line 5).

6 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked

RevenueExpenses

Filing	Revenue	Expenses	Programs	Net assets	Top pay
FY2025 ⓘ	$46M	$46M	80.5%	$223M	$732,843
FY2024 ⓘ	$46M	$46M	76.6%	$223M	$703,627
FY2023 ⓘ	$49M	$44M	76.6%	$208M	$763,576
FY2022 ⓘ	$54M	$57M	80.0%	$212M	$945,785
FY2021 ⓘ	$64M	$58M	79.0%	$216M	$913,784
FY2020 ⓘ	$64M	$63M	80.6%	$187M	$842,727

Governance 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–1b16 · 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 4No
Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
Employees Part I, line 5201
Volunteers Part I, line 616

Largest outside contractors

FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only

REGENCY COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION Construction services	$2,132,349
NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE INC Closed captioning	$438,595
FOX NEWS MEDIA Production services - network pool servi	$346,750
DALET DIGITAL MEDIA SYSTEMS USA INC Software license	$305,241
MEDIA CAPTIONING SERVICES INC Closed captioning	$275,587

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 19 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

1 private foundation reported grants to National Cable Satellite Corporation totaling $18 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 National Cable Satellite Corporation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for National Cable Satellite Corporation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

Report a correction Respond as National Cable Satellite…How this works

Similar-sized charities in this cause

Fractured Atlas
New York, NY · revenue $46M · programs 96.6% · FY2025
The Hobby Center Foundation
Houston, TX · revenue $46M · programs 86.2% · FY2025
Houston Symphony Society
Houston, TX · revenue $45M · programs 82.5% · FY2025
Sundance Institute
Park City, UT · revenue $46M · programs 75.4% · FY2025
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust
Miami, FL · revenue $45M · programs 81.1% · FY2025

All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia

Questions people ask

How much of National Cable Satellite Corporation's spending goes to programs?

In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, National Cable Satellite Corporation reported that 80.5% of its $46.0 million in expenses went to program services, 19.0% to management and general and 0.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does National Cable Satellite Corporation pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation National Cable Satellite Corporation reported for one person in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 was $732,843, for the role of VICE-PRESIDENT AND CO-CEO (THRU 5/24) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does National Cable Satellite Corporation get its money?

Of $46.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, 0.6% came from contributions and grants and 74.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is National Cable Satellite Corporation a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 84-0751854 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 March 31, 2025, object 202620489349301642 · read the filing · XML
FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, object 202510459349301326 · read the filing
FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, object 202410469349302731 · read the filing
FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, object 202310469349300216 · read the filing
FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, object 202200469349301890 · read the filing
FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020, object 202130469349301413 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 84-0751854: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.