For a long while now I've wondered about NPR's finances...how much money they bring in from private and commercial sources, what their overhead is, etc.

Finally, I'm pointed to GuideStar, a national database of non-profit organizations. (via Mickey Kaus)

Registration is free, and it gives you access to things like the Form 990 for the NPR Foundation, the organization that collects all that money from your calls and mailed-in donations and is supposed to pass it on to the actual radio organization.

Dammit, I love the internet.

Anyway, the statements listed at the end of the 990 are the most interesting. Here is the NPR Foundation's bottom line at the beginning of fiscal year 2003 and at the end:

Beginning of Year: $22,766,749
End of Year: $27,090,432

That means they ended the year with $4,323,683 more than they started.

So how much money did they pass along to NPR radio?

In the fiscal year 2003, the NPR Foundation contributed $1,500,000 to NPR.

Hmm...okay.

What about overhead? How much does the President of the foundation, Kevin Klose, make?

Well, he's listed as not receiving compensation under the actual line item, but in the statement at the back of the document we find:

Mr. Kevin Klose
Compensation: $309,080
Contributions to Employee Benefit Plans: $62,962
Expense Account and Other Allowances: $5,957

For a total of: $377,999

Man, don't these high-salaried executives just make you sick?

By the way, Mr. Klose's salary is over 25% of the amount given to NPR to fund their radio activities!

As Kaus points out, "Your pledge dollars at work!"