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Filing year 2024

PBS FOUNDATION

Arlington, Virginia·EIN 20-1476451·NTEE A113 · Arts, Culture & Humanities·501(c)(3)
Total revenue
$53.7M
Total assets
$71.3M
Total expenses
$38.8M
Reported officers
30
Mission

THE FOUNDATION ENLISTS PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING THROUGH ESTABLISHING SPECIAL INITIATIVES FUNDS AND AN ENDOWMENT FUND TO ENSURE PBS'S CONTINUED EXCELLENCE, AND TO PROMOTE AND ENHANCE OUTSTANDING PUBLIC BROADCASTING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. WORKING COLLABORATIVELY AND COOPERATIVELY WITH MEMBER STATIONS, THE FOUNDATION ENDEAVORS TO SECURE THE EXTRAORDINARY FUNDING NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE PBS'S COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.

Executive compensation, broken down

Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 11 reported individuals · Filing year 2024

Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide.

Executive Director
Above 90th percentilevs Arts, Culture & Humanities peers in Virginia
$460k
$488k
Base
$347k
Bonus
$63k
Other
$1k
Benefits
$17k
Vp, Individual Giving
Board Vice President
75th to 90th percentile
$278k
$295k
Base
$198k
Bonus
$32k
Other
Benefits
$30k
VP & Deputy Director (thru 06/2024)
Board Vice President
75th to 90th percentile
$277k
$294k
Base
$153k
Bonus
Other
$105k
Benefits
$2k
Sr.dir, Principal Gifts (thru 06/2024)
Highest Compensated Employee
75th to 90th percentile
$251k
$267k
Base
$104k
Bonus
Other
$118k
Benefits
$13k
Sr.dir, Principal Gifts
Highest Compensated Employee
75th to 90th percentile
$251k
$267k
Base
$213k
Bonus
$10k
Other
Benefits
$11k
Sr.dir, Principal Gifts
Highest Compensated Employee
75th to 90th percentile
$247k
$263k
Base
$189k
Bonus
$9k
Other
Benefits
$33k
President & Director
Median to 75th percentilevs Arts, Culture & Humanities peers in Virginia
$131k
$140k
Chief Operating Officer
25th percentile to median
$97k
$103k
Treasurer
25th percentile to median
$94k
$99k
Chief Legal and Governance Officer
Officer (Unspecified)
$86k
$91k
Corporate Secretary
Secretary (Operational)
Median to 75th percentile
$60k
$63k

Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.

Estimated with Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.

Plus 19 unpaid individuals.

Browse compensation in Arts, Culture & Humanities

Pay in context

Top pay as a share of expenses

In 2024, the highest total compensation at PBS FOUNDATION equaled 1% of the organization's total expenses. The median for arts, culture & humanities organizations is 11%.

This organization (2024)
1%
Sector median
11%
Middle half of sector
5% to 20%

Based on 17,098 arts, culture & humanities organizations, each measured at its most recent filing year with reported expenses and compensation.

Funded by

Private foundations whose Form 990-PF Part XV grants matched this organization.

Climbed 10%
over 2 years

From $418k in 2022 to $460k in 2024.

$418k
2022
$442k
2023
$460k
2024
In today's dollarsEst.
Up 3% in real terms$472k to $488k

Estimated with Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.

Pay for the position

Chief Executive Officer pay rose 10% from 2022 to 2024, while revenue rose 203%.

$418k in 2022 to $460k in 2024.
  • Board Vice President pay fell 3% from 2022 to 2024.
  • Highest Compensated Employee pay fell 2% from 2023 to 2024.

Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2022 and 2024.

Highest reported compensation in each year. Volunteer board members and partial-year payouts are filtered out.
Financial trend

Revenue and expenses over time

PBS FOUNDATION reported revenue and expenses across 3 filing years.

RevenueExpenses
$17.7M
$15.9M
2022
$20.7M
$16.8M
2023
$53.7M
$38.8M
2024
Total revenue and total expenses from IRS Form 990 filings.
Sector benchmark

What Arts, Culture & Humanities executives earn in Virginia

Comparable arts, culture & humanities organizations in Virginia pay their highest-earning executive a median of $63,750.

25th percentile
$25k
Median
$63,750
75th percentile
$120k
90th percentile
$213k

These are arts, culture & humanities sector-wide figures, not this organization's reported pay. Based on 441 organizations across 441 filings (2021 – 2024).

See full Arts, Culture & Humanities pay data for Virginia
FAQ

Common questions about PBS FOUNDATION

What does the Chief Executive Officer of PBS FOUNDATION earn?

In 2024, the Chief Executive Officer of PBS FOUNDATION received $459,665 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Chief Executive Officer roles among Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations in Virginia: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.

How does Chief Executive Officer pay at PBS FOUNDATION compare with similar nonprofits?

Compared with the same role at Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations in Virginia, the 2024 pay of the Chief Executive Officer at PBS FOUNDATION falls in the top 10%. In 2024, the highest total compensation at PBS FOUNDATION equaled 1% of the organization's total expenses. The median for arts, culture & humanities organizations is 11%.

What are PBS FOUNDATION's revenue and expenses?

In 2024, PBS FOUNDATION reported $53.7M in total revenue and $38.8M in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.

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