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Non-profit

On Being Project

Website:

www.onbeing.org
Location:

Saint Paul, MN
Tax ID:

46-2775553
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2023):

Revenue: $1,714,730
Expenses: $5,443,750
Assets: $7,418,103
Type:

Faith-based Media Group
Formation:

2013
President:

Krista Tippett

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The On Being Project is a faith-based media organization that produces podcasts exploring topics such as “religion, faith, and human existence.” Its main podcast, On Being with Krista Tippett, is hosted by the organization’s founder Krista Tippett who converses with spiritual leaders, activists, authors, poets, musicians, and others on these topics. The organization is funded by grants from the federal government, philanthropic foundations, and donor-advised fund providers. Others include Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, ImpactAssets, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the American Online Giving Foundation, Donor Advised Charitable Giving, and the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund. 1  2

Background

The On Being Project is a media initiative that claims to be committed to “social healing.” 3 It was established by Krista Tippett in 2001 as the “First Person, Speaking of Faith” public radio program on American Public Media. 4 Tippett wanted to share conversations about “religion, faith, and human existence.” 5

In 2010, the show was renamed to On Being. In 2013, Tippett left American Public Media and established an independent nonprofit organization, the On Being Project, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and aligned with New York Public Radio. The program hosted weekly radio shows for over 20 years and frequently collaborated with StoryCorps. In 2022, it transitioned from public radio to a podcast format. 6  7

In 2014, then-President Barack Obama presented Tippett with the National Humanities Medal for “thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.” 8

Work Areas

The On Being project produces the On Being with Krista Tippett podcast and the Poetry Unbound podcast. It hosts gatherings at its Minneapolis studio and as of 2026 was incubating a new set of tools and resources called the Lab for the Art of Living. 9

The On Being with Krista Tippett podcast is a “blend of religion, spirituality, ethnics, mortality, and mental well-being.” Tippett has spoken to theologians and religious leaders, scientists, authors, poets, and musicians. 5  10 Her guests have included well-known spiritual leaders and activists Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama; Richard Blanco, inaugural poet for former President Barack Obama; pastor and civil rights leader Otis Moss III; civil rights activists Nikki Giovanni and Joan Baez; and memorial episodes honoring environmental and conservation activist Jane Goodall and environmental activist Joanna Macy. 1  11  12  13  14  15  16

The Poetry Unbound podcast series is hosted by Padraig O Tuama, a poet, theologian, conflict resolution mediator, and author. Each episode includes a reading and review of a single poem. 17  18

The On Being Project publishes a monthly newsletter, The Pause, with information about the On Being with Krista Tippett podcast episodes and events. 19

The Lab for the Art of Living is a section of the On Being Project with practices, tools, and resources that provide “life-giving, hope-generating words, ideas and practices.” 20

The On Being Hope Portal is a series of seven short audio sessions on YouTube that make up a “reflection/course experience curated by Krista.” It pulls from her archive of public radio and podcast conversations. 21

Funding

In 2024, the On Being Project received $437,839 in government grants, over 22% of its total revenue. 22 Other 2024 revenue sources included $1,035,901 in contributions and grants and $402,270 in event revenue. 23 Its contributions and grants from philanthropic foundations and donor-advised fund platforms include Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, ImpactAssets, Greater Horizons, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the American Online Giving Foundation, Donor Advised Charitable Giving, and the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund. 2

In its initial years, the On Being Project relied on a few large grants from philanthropic foundations including the Henry Luce Foundation, the Kalliopeia Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. 5

In 2020, billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, gifted the On Being Project $5 million, describing it as one of “116 Organizations Driving Change” in her 2020 Yield Giving essay. 24  25

Leadership

Founder Krista Tippett was president of the On Being Project as of 2026. She is a journalist and a former diplomat who studied theology in college. She graduated from Brown University and worked as a reporter for the New York Times and Newsweek in Berlin, Germany. In the mid-1990s she returned to school and earned a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School. In addition to her public radio show, as of 2026 Tippett had published three books: Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living; Einstein’s God; and Speaking of Faith. 26  27

In 2019, Tippett invited Lucas Johnson to help her lead the On Being Project. 7 Johnson earned a Master of Divinity from Emory University in 2010. Before joining the On Being Project, he held leadership roles with interfaith peace organizations Fellowship of Reconciliation and the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, working with activists challenging mass incarceration, police violence, arms proliferation, and international human rights abuses. 28

References

  1. “On Being with Krista Tippett.” On Being. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/series/podcast/
  2. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer search “46-2775553. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?sort=best&form%5B%5D=IRS990ScheduleI&q=46-2775553&submit=Apply
  3. “On Being Project Funding.” On Being. Accessed February 19, 2026. https://onbeing.org/on-being-project-funding/
  4. “Where Was God?” On Being – On Being with Krista Tippett. September 22, 2001. Accessed February 19, 2026. https://onbeing.org/programs/where-was-god/#transcript
  5. “Naysayers be damned, public radio’s On Being thrives as ‘social enterprise.’” Current. September 8, 2014. Accessed February 19, 2026. https://current.org/2014/09/naysayers-be-damned-public-radios-on-being-thrives-as-social-enterprise/
  6. “Krista Tippet’s ‘On Being’ Will Leave Public Radio For A Podcast-Only Future.” Inside Radio. March 22, 2022. Accessed February 19, 2026. https://www.insideradio.com/podcastnewsdaily/krista-tippet-s-on-being-will-leave-public-radio-for-a-podcast-only-future/article_0b0b011c-ac55-11ec-97b1-4fb1a8d57ba2.html
  7. “On Krista Tippett.” On Being. Accessed February 19, 2026. https://onbeing.org/our-story/krista-tippett/
  8. “ADVISORY: President Obama to Award 2014 National Nedal of Arts and National Humanities Medal.” The White House. July 22, 2014. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/07/22/advisory-president-obama-award-2013-national-medal-arts-and-national-hum
  9. “On Being Project.” GiveMN. Accessed February 19, 2026. https://www.givemn.org/organization/Onbeingproject
  10. “Krista Tippet’s ‘On Being’ Will Leave Public Radio For A Podcast-Only Future.” March 25, 2022. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://www.insideradio.com/podcastnewsdaily/krista-tippet-s-on-being-will-leave-public-radio-for-a-podcast-only-future/article_0b0b011c-ac55-11ec-97b1-4fb1a8d57ba2.html
  11. “Richard Blanco: How to Love a Country.” On Being with Krista Tippett. November 19, 2020. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/programs/richard-blanco-how-to-love-a-country/#transcript
  12. “Rev. Otis Moss III.” On Being with Krista Tippett. October 15, 2020. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/programs/rev-otis-moss-iii-the-sound-of-the-genuine-traversing-2020-with-the-mystic-of-the-movement-howard-thurman/
  13. “Jane Goodall, In Memoriam.” On Being with Krista Tippett. October 3, 2025. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/programs/jane-goodall-what-it-means-to-be-human/
  14. “Joanna Macy, In Memoriam.” On Being with Krista Tippett. July 22, 2025. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/programs/joanna-macy-and-anita-barrows-what-a-world-youve-got-inside-you/
  15. “Remembering Nikki Giovanni.” On Being with Krista Tippett. December 12, 2024. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/programs/remembering-nikki-giovanni-we-go-forward-with-a-sanity-and-a-love/
  16. “Joan Baez.” On Being with Krista Tippett. November 26, 2024. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/programs/joan-baez-this-gift-of-a-voice/
  17. “Poetry Unbound.” On Being. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/series/poetry-unbound/
  18. “Padraig O Tuama.” The Poets Corner. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://www.thepoetscorner.org/writers/pdraig-tuama
  19. “The Pause.” On Being. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/newsletter/
  20. “Foundations for Being Alive Now” and Lab for the Art of Living side menu. On Being. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/starting-points/foundations-for-being-alive-now/
  21. “Krista Tippett, Hope Portal Introduction, Episode 1.” YouTube – The On Being Project. Posted August 7, 2025. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c832oF0nzQo&list=PLqjezunjhSynObtAmsh1st6APnZqLre28
  22. On Being Project. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part VIII). 2024.
  23. On Being Project. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part I). 2024.
  24. “Gifts.” Yield Giving. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://yieldgiving.com/gifts/?sorting=az
  25. “116 Organizations Driving Change.” Yield Giving – Essays. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://yieldgiving.com/essays/116-organizations-driving-change/
  26. “Krista Tippett.” On Being – Our Team. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/our-story/our-team/
  27. “Why On Being? A reflection on origins intimate and civilizational.” On Being. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://onbeing.org/our-story/krista-tippett/
  28. LinkedIn – Lucas Johnson. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-johnson-b386451b2/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: October 1, 2014

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2023 Jun Form 990 $1,714,730 $5,443,750 $7,418,103 $980,120 N $1,527,732 $146,102 $34,234 $569,835 PDF
    2022 Jun Form 990 $7,513,693 $5,105,928 $10,611,458 $444,455 N $6,923,947 $574,289 $5,299 $550,764 PDF
    2021 Jun Form 990 $6,812,649 $4,413,283 $8,862,676 $970,723 Y $6,479,643 $320,843 $9,852 $836,573 PDF
    2020 Jun Form 990 $6,582,457 $4,353,716 $6,237,366 $744,779 Y $6,233,257 $345,142 $1,417 $533,389 PDF
    2019 Jun Form 990 $4,355,803 $4,433,193 $4,592,141 $1,328,295 Y $3,969,903 $367,983 $5,905 $605,311 PDF
    2018 Jun Form 990 $4,826,925 $3,561,447 $5,137,411 $1,759,503 N $4,495,752 $324,435 $7,291 $436,157 PDF
    2017 Jun Form 990 $2,620,313 $2,913,659 $4,233,803 $2,322,941 N $2,214,129 $462,784 $0 $521,258 PDF
    2016 Jun Form 990 $1,026,302 $1,971,350 $2,352,000 $130,330 N $760,163 $246,171 $0 $390,922 PDF
    2015 Jun Form 990 $4,092,007 $1,608,517 $3,760,809 $414,228 N $3,784,619 $301,248 $0 $388,219 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $2,758,818 $1,619,820 $1,581,093 $718,002 N $2,553,865 $188,450 $46 $214,216 PDF

    On Being Project

    2190 HOYT AVE W
    Saint Paul, MN 55108-1315