Friends of Kexp
Also known as Kexp-Fm
Friends of Kexp reported $18.7 million in revenue and $20.7 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $65.73 went to program services, $7.98 to management and general costs and $26.29 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 90.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $287,729 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 28 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 77% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $21MFor 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
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $19MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 65.7% | 82.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.0% | 11.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 26.3% | 4.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.32 | $0.07 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 90.5% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 2.9% | 5.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.1% | 6.6% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $287,729 | $274,234 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.39% | 1.76% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 28 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 10.3 | 15.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 23 of 23 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseKexp operates kexp-fm 90.3 in seattle, wa, and kexc-fm 92.7 in alameda, ca, reaching a combined average of 234,000 weekly listeners with dj-curated music discovery programming, including variety mixes, genre-focused mixes, live performances, and special broadcasts
Kexp delivers global music discovery online through live and on demand radio streaming, podcasts, editorial content, live in-studio session videos, and social media content, reaching more than 2 million people each week
Kexp produces music discovery events and fosters community engagement through concerts, live instudio sessions, artist discussions, and related programs in seattle, the bay area, and other locations, reaching thousands of attendees each year
Highest reported compensation
2025 · 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 | $234,268 | $0 | $53,461 | $287,729 |
| CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ON-AIR & HOST Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $216,490 | $0 | $52,052 | $268,542 |
| CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $237,375 | $0 | $21,828 | $259,203 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $188,834 | $0 | $41,015 | $229,849 |
| CREATIVE DIRECTOR, L.P. & HOST Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,283 | $0 | $45,107 | $211,390 |
| DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC REL & DEV Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $172,990 | $0 | $27,682 | $200,672 |
| CHIEF PROGRAMMING OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $175,332 | $0 | $23,768 | $199,100 |
| INTERIM CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $164,197 | $0 | $26,789 | $190,986 |
28 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Friends of Kexp (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.4M (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · 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–1b23 · 23 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 5156
- Volunteers Part I, line 6339
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| B-BAM INCORPORATED Donor gift fulfillment | $522,675 |
| COMPUNET INC Cyber security and it services | $398,946 |
| ORANGE LOGIC LLC Media asset management | $289,253 |
| BRAINTREE PAYMENTS Donor credit card processing | $241,292 |
| IRON AND OAK LLC Security services | $216,489 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 8 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
21 private foundations reported grants to Friends of Kexp totaling $114K 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 Friends of Kexp's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Friends of Kexp, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Friends of Kexp spent in 2025, $65.73 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Improve Your TomorrowSacramento, CA · revenue $19M · programs 73.4% · FY2025
- Momentous InstituteDallas, TX · revenue $19M · programs 80.6% · FY2025
- MaryhurstLouisville, KY · revenue $19M · programs 89.5% · FY2025
- Girl Scouts of Eastern MassachusettsWaltham, MA · revenue $19M · programs 73.0% · FY2025
- Deal Sephardic Youth CenterOakhurst, NJ · revenue $19M · programs 73.9% · 2024
All youth development charities · Largest charities in Washington
Questions people ask
How much of Friends of Kexp's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Friends of Kexp reported that 65.7% of its $20.7 million in expenses went to program services, 8.0% to management and general and 26.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Friends of Kexp pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Friends of Kexp reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $287,729, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Friends of Kexp get its money?
Of $18.7 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 90.5% came from contributions and grants (including 2.9% from government grants) and 0.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Friends of Kexp a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 91-2061474 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202631689349301758 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202521899349300542 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202401669349301725 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202302029349300105 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202201589349300325 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202102079349300100 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202011959349303951 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 91-2061474: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.