To provide educational tv programming and fm informational and cultural broadcasts

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
62¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 200 volunteers and 98 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.3M a year · 14% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
62%
of spending
Worth a look: 62% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.8M
to officers and key staff · 11% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 11% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $31.9M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.0 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $85K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$20.6M
37% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 37% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$21.8M
+9% vs prior year
Spent
$16.4M
To programs
62%
Net assets
$35.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$21.8M
FY2025▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$11.2M
FY2021$19.8M
FY2022$17.5M
FY2023$11.5M
FY2024$20.0M
FY2025$21.8M
Expenses
$16.4M
FY2025▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$12.0M
FY2021$14.6M
FY2022$16.3M
FY2023$13.4M
FY2024$15.3M
FY2025$16.4M
Net assets
$35.6M
FY2025▼ -5%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$30.3M
FY2021$41.1M
FY2022$36.3M
FY2023$37.0M
FY2024$37.4M
FY2025$35.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1964.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

62 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 62% · $10.2M Management & general 21% · $3.4M Fundraising 17% · $2.8M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

33 people listed on the 990; $1.8M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
President and CEO
$429,143Pt VII · Sec A
SVP/Chief Business Officer(til 2/25)
$242,698Pt VII · Sec A
SVP/Chief Impact Officer
$192,145Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Education
$164,989Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$163,553Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Finance
$149,615Pt VII · Sec A
VP/Chief Audience Officer
$147,473Pt VII · Sec A
VP/Chief Digital Officer
$146,057Pt VII · Sec A

Ronald Hetrick III’s $429K as President and CEO is at the 70th percentile of top reported officer pay among 749 $10–100M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ronald Hetrick III$429,143$327,693$339,495$292,875$234,375$275,764
Ronald Kain JR Nonvoting$242,698$192,841$195,445$189,679——
Cassie Farrelly Nonvoting$192,145—————
Cara Fry Nonvoting———$184,308——
Cara Fry————$151,021$182,262
Ronald Kain JR————$145,714$172,178
Andrea Kolb Nonvoting$164,989$128,329————
Jessica King Nonvoting$163,553—————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Pennon Organization executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Offers educational TV and informational/cultural FM broadcasts.

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3 programs · $9.7M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Radio broadcasting to south central pa and broadcast services to state GOVERNMENT.AVERAGE weekly listeners for FY25: 113,300NUMBER of members as of june 30, 2025: 9,411NUMBER of underwriting sponsors: 144ON air pledges-total pledge dollars: $538,551

$4.0Mprogram expense
02

Pennon organization, a multimedia organization provides public television programming (ANALOG/DIGITAL) throughout south central PA.AVERAGE weekly viewers for FY25: 134,000NUMBER of members as of june 30, 2025: 16,058NUMBER of underwriting sponsors: 69ON air pledges - total pledge dollars: $454,282

$3.6Mprogram expense
03

Educational Services

Number of educational workshops held in FY25: 122NUMBER of educators impacted: 8,700EXPLORE in the classroom - kindergarten classroom visits: 538NUMBER of school districts impacted: 5NUMBER of students impacted: 3,686NUMBER of children and community engagement events (ages 3-14): 41NUMBER of children affected: 3,017HOSTED 4 field trips…

$2.0Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 4 funders →
Grants paid · 15 grants · $7.5M · 2020–2022
WviaPA · FY2021$666,701
Whyy INCPA · FY2021$658,142
Wqed MultimediaPA · FY2021$644,581
WqlnPA · FY2021$642,425
WpsuFY2021$641,700
Whyy INCPA · FY2020$524,061
WpsuFY2020$521,569
WviaPA · FY2020$520,697
WqlnPA · FY2020$520,623
Wqed MultimediaPA · FY2020$519,547

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$21.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$4.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.7M
Money outPt IX
$16.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$10.2M
Managementcol C$3.4M
Fundraisingcol D$2.8M
Owns and owesPt X
$35.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.7M
Total assetsLn 16$56.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$20.6M
PeoplePt VI, VII
33
listed · VII A
PaidVII A10
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.7M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$109K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$4.4M
Other incomeLn 4–11$2.3M
Gains on assetsLn 7$3.5M
Total revenueLn 12$21.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.9M
SavingsLn 2$803K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$31.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$12.2M
Other assetsLn 15$2.1M
Total assetsLn 16$56.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$20.6M
Net assetsLn 32$35.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 598
VolunteersI 6200
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$761K$2.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$32.6M$31.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$13.7M$12.2M
Total assetsLn 16$56.9M$56.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$19.4M$20.6M
Net assetsLn 32$37.4M$35.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.2M$705K$331K$205K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$4.7M$2.7M$1.3M$774K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$248K$149K$56K$43K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$541K$316K$131K$94K
Payroll taxesLn 10$422K$257K$90K$76K
Legal feesLn 11b$114K$6K$108K
Accounting feesLn 11c$81K$46K$22K$13K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$58K$58K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$532K$532K
Investment management feesLn 11f$63K$63K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.5M$695K$703K$73K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$100K$91K$9K
Office expensesLn 13$628K$351K$106K$171K
Information technologyLn 14$78K$47K$22K$9K
OccupancyLn 16$485K$420K$44K$20K
TravelLn 17$93K$48K$43K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$80K$45K$29K$6K
InterestLn 20$538K$358K$109K$72K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$169K$140K$29K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2.0M$1.7M$192K$122K
InsuranceLn 23$116K$68K$35K$13K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.4M$1.8M$72K$495K
All other expensesLn 24e$250K$196K$7K$47K
Total functional expensesLn 25$16.4M$10.2M$3.4M$2.8M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $21.8M$16.4M$5.4M$35.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $20.0M$15.3M$4.8M$37.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $11.5M$13.4M−$1.9M$37.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $17.5M$16.3M$1.2M$36.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $19.8M$14.6M$5.2M$41.1M 990 PDF
FY2020 $11.2M$12.0M−$714K$30.3M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $21,792,720 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $13,626,005$12,385,366
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,139,684$2,736,210
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,904,017$4,414,138
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,361,685$2,257,006
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $20,031,391$21,792,720
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $7,318,119$7,167,176
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $477,308$531,951
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $7,475,670$8,695,249
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $15,271,097$16,394,376
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $4,760,294$5,398,344
Part VI · Governance 12 of 13 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members12
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $21,792,720 across 13 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$35,680
VIII-1b Membership dues$2,798,215
VIII-1e Government grants$1,696,872
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$7,854,599
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$109,442
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$12,385,366
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,449,974 · Unrelated business $286,236$2,736,210
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $909,696$909,696
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $1,283,547$1,283,547
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $3,504,442$3,504,442
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $15,374$15,374
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $115 · Unrelated business $918,570 · Excluded from tax $39,400$958,085
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,450,089 · Unrelated business $1,204,806 · Excluded from tax $5,752,459$21,792,720
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $16,394,376 across 23 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $705,080 · Management $331,208 · Fundraising $205,379$1,241,667
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,661,929 · Management $1,278,232 · Fundraising $773,828$4,713,989
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $149,072 · Management $55,544 · Fundraising $43,334$247,950
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $315,639 · Management $131,480 · Fundraising $94,142$541,261
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $256,819 · Management $89,777 · Fundraising $75,713$422,309
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $6,415 · Management $107,738$114,153
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $45,750 · Management $21,969 · Fundraising $13,300$81,019
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $57,793$57,793
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $531,951$531,951
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $63,330$63,330
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $694,654 · Management $702,536 · Fundraising $73,093$1,470,283
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $90,859 · Management $8,806$99,665
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $351,395 · Management $105,644 · Fundraising $171,249$628,288
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $46,931 · Management $21,535 · Fundraising $9,400$77,866
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $420,475 · Management $43,746 · Fundraising $20,433$484,654
IX-17 TravelPrograms $47,913 · Management $43,466 · Fundraising $1,777$93,156
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $45,317 · Management $29,232 · Fundraising $5,839$80,388
IX-20 InterestPrograms $357,860 · Management $109,000 · Fundraising $71,542$538,402
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $139,600 · Management $29,000$168,600
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,676,505 · Management $192,385 · Fundraising $121,691$1,990,581
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $67,697 · Management $34,993 · Fundraising $13,381$116,071
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,813,377 · Management $72,135 · Fundraising $495,267$2,380,779
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $195,769 · Management $7,367 · Fundraising $47,085$250,221
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $10,210,179 · Management $3,415,793 · Fundraising $2,768,404$16,394,376
Part X · Balance sheet $56,152,520 assets, 18 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $5,647,273; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $227,770$1,890,551
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $533,151$802,989
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,191,500$80,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,326,214$1,371,164
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $150,859$135,644
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $13,738,090$12,168,686
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $30,067,206$29,206,567
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $2,503,714$2,719,929
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,460,028$2,129,717
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $56,858,322$56,152,520
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,242,166$1,050,148
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $649,000$1,428,965
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $5,433,111$6,985,573
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $19,440,533$20,583,105
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $33,387,826$32,771,680
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $4,029,963$2,797,735
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $37,417,789$35,569,415
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $56,858,322$56,152,520
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $35,569,415 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$21,792,720
XI-2 Total expenses$16,394,376
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$5,398,344
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$37,417,789
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$2,112,442
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$9,359,160
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$35,569,415

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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