Lakota Communications Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
460357012
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Porcupine, SD, USA
Phone
6058675002
Rating
76
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Radio

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$377,381
Expenses
$428,121
Assets
$888,796
Liabilities
$9,520

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • WILLIAM A MEANS (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • THOMAS C CASEY ('24 EXEC DIR): $38,112 total reported compensation
  • OITANCAN ZEPHIER (EXECUTIVE DI): $5,588 total reported compensation
  • MORRIS C BREWER SR (VICE PRESIDE): $1,200 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Community radio station

What it reported doing in 2024

Kili broadcasts covers 30,0000 square miles and broadcasts to the lakota people living in the pine ridge, cheyenne river and rosebud reservations; rapid city, sd; the southern black hills and the panhandle of Nebraska. The broadcasts seek to preserve native american culture and instill pride in the people's unique heritage by broadcasting tribal council meetings, seminars and forums, sports, cultural activities, election coverage, shows on health care and health related issues, and social problems prevalent on the reservation. Kili radio considers itself the "voice of the lakota nation- and is on the air 20 hours a day, seven days a week. Committted to being a strong community radio station, programming includes news and information, public affairs broadcasting, cultural celebration and enterainment with a variety of music formats including traditional and indian contemporary.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 72% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 63
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 82
  • Sustainability: 35
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 73.9%; rating input score 74
  • Program expense ratio: 64.7%; rating input score 65
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 56
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -13.4%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.08; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 11.4%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8.2% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 14.3% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 73.9% of revenue deployed · 64.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 8 board members independent · 5 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $277K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $38K · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2017 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 9 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 19/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 28/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 45/100.