The Family Radio Network

What The Family Radio Network does

The Family Radio Network, Inc. is a Wisconsin-based non-profit 501(c)(3) Christian radio ministry operating six FM stations across the state: 91.9 WEMI Appleton/Oshkosh, 91.5 WEMY Green Bay/Manitowoc, 92.9/102.5 WEMK Milwaukee, 88.5 WGNV Central Wisconsin, 91.3 WSTM Sheboygan, and 99.9 WGNW Eau Claire. Broadcasting since 1977 (with roots to 1969 as Evangel Ministries, Inc.), the network distributes contemporary Christian music and faith-based programming through traditional FM radio, a proprietary mobile app on iOS and Android, smart speaker voice integrations (Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa), and online streaming at thefamily.net. Beyond audio distribution, it operates community engagement programs including the 34-year Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive (distributing $6.7M in supplies since 1992 to 139 crisis programs across 22 communities), the PB&J Drive, a Prayer Wall, The Birthday Club for children, and the ShoutOut listener voice-message feature.

The organization's core technology is conventional broadcast infrastructure — FCC-licensed FM transmitters at six call signs — layered with a digital extension stack (mobile app, voice-assistant skills, web streaming). Governance is provided by a volunteer board (President John Nygaard, Vice-President Doug Schacht, Secretary Alanna Feddick-Goodwin, Treasurer Bill Lichtfuss) and a lean executive team of approximately 20 staff led by CEO Zach Cochran, CFO/CHRO Kathy Schmidt, COO Paul Cameron, and CBDO Corey Irish. The network holds ECFA accreditation and Charity Navigator listing, signaling financial accountability compliance for faith-based nonprofits.

Revenue is generated entirely through community-supported mechanisms rather than commercial advertising markets: tax-deductible listener donations (single and recurring), day sponsorships priced at $840/day or $70/month, business sponsorships during drive-time blocks sold by a small direct sales team, and legacy/planned giving programs (charitable gift annuities, bequests, beneficiary designations). Day-to-day operations are funded by a distributed base of Wisconsin individual donors and a portfolio of regional business sponsors spanning retail, financial services, healthcare, and faith-adjacent nonprofits.

Name

The Family Radio Network

Legal name

The Family Radio Network, Inc.

Website

https://thefamily.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Family Radio Network is a Wisconsin non-profit 501(c)(3) Christian radio ministry operating six FM stations across the state, distributing contemporary Christian music, faith-based programming, and community engagement programs to Wisconsin listeners funded by donations and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious/Faith-Based Radio Networks (MPABABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religious Radio Broadcasting (MPAIAEAF), Local Religious/Faith-Based Stations (MPABACAL), Religious Music & Worship Broadcasting (MPABALAN)

Keywords

• Christian radio broadcasting
• FM radio network
• Religious media programming
• Nonprofit radio ministry
• Wisconsin radio stations

Headquarters

HQ city

Appleton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Listener Donations: Tax-deductible donations from listeners who support the Christian radio ministry. The station conducts on-air fundraisers and accepts single and monthly gifts.
2. Day Sponsorships: Day sponsorships at $840/day or $70/month cover a day's operating expenses. Short sponsor messages are aired approximately once per hour on selected days. Often used to honor special occasions or individuals.
3. Business Sponsorships: Business sponsorships during morning or afternoon drive-times or program association. Provides name recognition for businesses, nonprofits, and church groups through radio announcements.
4. Legacy and Planned Giving: Bequests through wills, charitable gift annuities, beneficiary designations on life insurance/retirement accounts, and stock donations. Tax ID: 39-1280969.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Family Radio Network operates a multi-station Christian radio broadcasting ministry across Wisconsin, delivering contemporary Christian music, faith-based talk programming, and community engagement content through six FM frequencies (Appleton, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Wausau, Sheboygan, Eau Claire). Programming is extended to listeners via a proprietary mobile app, smart speaker integrations (Google Assistant, Alexa), and online streaming, while community engagement is anchored through the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive and PB&J Drive.

Product overview

The Family Radio Network is a non-profit Christian radio network operating as a multi-station radio broadcasting platform. The core offering consists of six FM radio stations (91.9 Appleton, 91.5 Green Bay, 92.9/102.5 Milwaukee, 88.5 Central WI, 91.3 Sheboygan, 99.9 Eau Claire) broadcasting Christian contemporary music and programming. The network is complemented by a mobile application (The Family Radio Network App) available on iOS and Android that provides live streaming, on-demand listening, the ShoutOut feature for voice message submissions, and access to recent songs and host information. Smart speaker integration via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa enables voice-activated streaming. The network also operates community engagement programs including The Birthday Club for children, a Prayer Wall for spiritual requests, and charitable initiatives like the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive and PB&J Drive. Revenue is generated through day sponsorships, business sponsorships, and legacy/planned giving programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Family Radio Network App Mobile application for iOS and Android that streams all six Family Radio Network stations live, surfaces on-air host information, recent songs, and features voice-message interactions. Intended for Wisconsin listeners who want portable access to the network's Christian music and programming.
• 91.9 FM Appleton (WEMI) Primary flagship radio station of The Family Radio Network broadcasting Christian contemporary music and faith-based programming to the Appleton/Oshkosh/Fond Du Lac/Ripon market on 91.9 FM.
• 91.5 FM Green Bay (WEMY) Radio station acquired in 1998 that broadcasts Christian contemporary music and programming to the Green Bay/Manitowoc market on 91.5 FM (95.5 Manitowoc).
• 92.9/102.5 FM Milwaukee (WEMK) Radio station that broadcasts Christian contemporary music and programming to the Milwaukee metropolitan area on 92.9/102.5 FM (added in 2025).
• 88.5 FM Central WI (WGNV) Radio station serving Central Wisconsin (Wausau, Stevens Point, Antigo, Waupaca) with Christian contemporary music and Hope, Strength & Encouragement programming on 88.5 FM.
• 91.3 FM Sheboygan (WSTM) Radio station broadcasting Christian contemporary music and faith-based programming to the Sheboygan/Lakeshore market on 91.3 FM.
• 99.9 FM Eau Claire (WGNW) Radio station broadcasting Christian contemporary music and programming to the Eau Claire, Wisconsin market on 99.9 FM, purchased by The Family in 2020.
• Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive Annual community outreach program collecting hygiene and cleaning supplies through host sites such as Festival Foods and Walgreens, then distributing them to 139 crisis programs across 22 Wisconsin communities. The 2026 drive raised $742,775.
• PB&J Drive Annual peanut butter and jelly food drive that collects donations through community collection sites and distributes them to food banks and pantries in Appleton, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Eau Claire, and other Wisconsin communities.
• Day Sponsorship Individual giving program that lets individuals or businesses sponsor a day of broadcasting at $840/day or $70/month in honor of a special occasion or loved one, with short sponsor messages aired approximately once per hour on the selected day(s).
• Business Sponsorship Advertising partnership program for businesses, nonprofits, and churches to associate their name with Family Radio programming during morning or afternoon drive-times or with specific programs. Pricing varies by Wisconsin market (Appleton/Oshkosh, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Wausau/Stevens Point, Sheboygan, Eau Claire) and is sold by name-account account executives.
• Legacy Planning Planned giving program offering bequests through wills, charitable gift annuities, life insurance and retirement account beneficiary designations, and stock donations. Tax-deductible to The Family Radio Network, Inc. (Tax ID 39-1280969) via the Evangel Ministries Foundation.

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Festival FoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFestival Foods serves as the primary host location for Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive collection boxes across their Wisconsin stores. The partnership enables collection of hygiene and cleaning supplies from community members, which are then sorted and distributed to local crisis programs.
• WalgreenscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWalgreens hosts Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive collection boxes at their Wisconsin store locations, providing convenient drop-off points for community donations of hygiene supplies.
• Ansay & AssociatesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNetwork partner and sponsor of The Family's PB&J Drive, supporting the annual peanut butter and jelly donation campaign to help families in need.
• Northstar DentalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive, contributing to the 34-year annual campaign supporting Wisconsin crisis programs.
• Security Luebke RoofingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive, supporting the annual campaign and local community outreach efforts.
• Brokaw Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive, contributing to the annual hygiene supply collection for Wisconsin crisis programs.
• Prevail BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive, supporting Wisconsin community crisis programs.
• Fox Communities Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal sponsor supporting PB&J Drive efforts in the Appleton and Green Bay areas.
• 139 Crisis Programs in 22 Wisconsin CommunitiescoreOthersLocal crisis programs and homeless coalitions that receive hygiene and cleaning supplies collected during the annual Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive. Programs use donations to direct resources toward staffing, housing, food, education, and counseling.
• Menasha Packing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides collection boxes for the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive, supporting the annual campaign logistics.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves18 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WAY-FM Media Group: Non-profit Christian radio network operating stations across multiple U.S. states with a contemporary Christian format and donor-funded model. Closely comparable in size, mission, and operating model to The Family.
• Moody Radio: Listener-supported Christian radio network operated by Moody Bible Institute, broadcasting teaching, praise, and worship music across multiple U.S. markets. Comparable as a faith-based non-profit radio ministry with multi-station operations and donor funding.
• Bott Radio Network: One of the largest Christian radio networks in the U.S., operating more than 100 stations across multiple states with listener-supported funding. Directly comparable as a multi-market, faith-based, donation-driven radio network serving regional and statewide audiences.
• VCY America: Listener-supported Christian radio network headquartered in Milwaukee, broadcasting Christian music, teaching, and talk across multiple states. A direct Wisconsin-based competitor with a similar non-profit donation model.
• Relevant Radio: Catholic-focused listener-supported radio network operating across the upper Midwest (including Wisconsin). Highly comparable as a regional non-profit faith-based radio network competing in the same Wisconsin market.

Broad incumbents

• K-LOVE (Educational Media Foundation): The largest contemporary Christian music radio network in the U.S., with hundreds of signals and a national digital footprint. Comparable as a non-profit listener-supported Christian radio broadcaster, though significantly larger in scale and national reach.
• Air1 Radio (Educational Media Foundation): Sister network to K-LOVE under the Educational Media Foundation, broadcasting positive/Christian music nationwide. Comparable as a non-profit faith-based contemporary music radio network funded by listener donations.
• Salem Media Group (Relevant Radio / Salem Radio Network): Large multi-format U.S. radio operator with significant Christian and conservative talk programming, plus digital and publishing assets. Comparable in the religious/Christian radio space, though a publicly traded for-profit rather than a non-profit.
• EWTN Radio: Catholic global media network with radio operations across the U.S. operated by the Eternal Word Television Network non-profit. Comparable as a non-profit faith-based radio broadcaster with listener/donor funding.

Regional players

• Worship Network / Faith Radio: Regional Christian radio networks (e.g., Faith Radio in Florida/Michigan) that combine contemporary Christian music with community engagement and listener-supported funding. Comparable in format and non-profit model, though operating in different geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-sr5I3F92rAIjF7q3hmedw
• Facebookfacebook.com/thefamilyfm
• Instagraminstagram.com/thefamilyfm
• Xx.com/thefamilyfm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-family-radio-network-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Family Radio Network