SPNN
SPNN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community media center in Saint Paul, MN, providing Twin Cities residents with access to professional television and podcast studios, editing suites, and structured documentary filmmaking programs, funded through memberships, foundation grants, and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersSaint Paul, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What SPNN does
SPNN (St. Paul Neighborhood Network) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community media and technology center founded in 1984 as Cable Access Saint Paul (CASP) and headquartered at 550 Vandalia St #170, Saint Paul, MN. Operating for over 40 years, it provides the Twin Cities community with access to professional-grade media production facilities, including a four-camera HD television studio, a five-microphone podcast studio equipped with Broadcast Pix switcher and three robotic cameras, and two editing suites with iMacs and full Adobe Creative Suite access. Members can check out video, photo, and audio equipment, and the organization offers structured training in field production, video editing, podcasting, and studio production.
The organization's core programs span a documented-making pipeline from beginner to advanced: Doc U (15-week beginner documentary program), Spotlight Shorts (intermediate media arts for emerging artists crafting short documentaries for local nonprofits), New Angle Fellows (7-month fellowship with $3,500 stipends for underrepresented filmmakers), and Fresh Vantage ($15,000 post-production grants for marginalized emerging Minnesota filmmakers). Youth programming includes the Createch SPNN drop-in media space for ages 11–19 and a paid Media Internship Program connected to the City of Saint Paul's Right Track youth employment initiative. SPNN also operates the CTEP (Community Technology Empowerment Project) AmeriCorps program, placing up to 25 members at 25+ Twin Cities host sites to teach digital literacy.
SPNN's business model is a hybrid of subscription membership (annual fees from $25 for limited-income individuals to $150 for non-profits and non-Minnesota residents), fee-for-service class registrations and youth camps, hourly studio rental ($50/hour for podcast studio beyond monthly allocation), event and space rental, individual donations via the annual Quirky Quiz Show fundraiser, and foundation grants from McKnight, Jerome, Minnesota State Arts Board, and Raymond J. Christensen Foundation. Content is distributed through Comcast cable access channels reaching 52,000+ Saint Paul households, plus YouTube and Vimeo. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by Board President Rachelle Strasburg (VP of Sales and Marketing at Sholom), with Executive Director Bonnie Schumacher leading operations. No parent company, VC backing, or M&A activity is present.
SPNN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SPNN
- Legal name
- Saint Paul Neighborhood Network
- Website
- https://spnn.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SPNN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community media center in Saint Paul, MN, providing Twin Cities residents with access to professional television and podcast studios, editing suites, and structured documentary filmmaking programs, funded through memberships, foundation grants, and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SPNN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Media Services
- NAICS
- Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Media Digital Platforms & Streaming (Apps, On-demand, Podcasts) (MPABADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH), Short-Form Documentaries (MPADADAC), Lecture Capture, Live Streaming & Class Recording (EDAFABAD)
Keywords
Where SPNN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SPNN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees ranging from $25-$150 depending on residency, income level, and organization type. Members receive access to studios, equipment checkout, and editing suites.
- Class Fees: Fees for classes including orientation, field production, video editing, podcast studio, and production studio training. Classes offered weekly and as one-on-one trainings.
- Event/Space Rental: Hourly rental of studio spaces for non-members and organizations needing production facilities. Podcast studio available at $50/hour after free monthly allocation.
- Donations and Fundraising: Individual giving, annual Quirky Quiz Show fundraiser, and sponsorships. Annual goal of $25,000 from individual giving mentioned.
- Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including McKnight Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, and Raymond J. Christensen Foundation for documentary programs and operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Limited Income membership at $25/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Student and Senior membership at $35/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Saint Paul Resident membership at $50/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Minnesota Resident membership at $75/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Non-profit and Non-MN Resident membership at $150/year |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | PSA Day Camp at $50/youth |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Photography Day Camp at $30/youth |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Podcasting Day Camp at $40/youth |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Studio Activity at $200 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Photography Activity at $150 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Four Week Workshop at $2,500 |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Podcast Studio Usage at $50/hour post-allocation |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
SPNN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SPNN is a nonprofit community media and technology center that provides membership-based access to professional television and podcast studios, editing suites, and media production equipment. It also delivers structured documentary filmmaking education programs for youth and adults, runs the CTEP AmeriCorps digital literacy program across the Twin Cities, and produces/distributes community-created content through Comcast cable access and online streaming platforms.
Product overview
SPNN is a community media and technology center serving the Twin Cities for over 40 years. Its product portfolio centers on a membership-based model offering access to professional media production facilities (television studio, podcast studio, editing suites) and structured educational programs. The core programs include Doc U (beginner documentary), Spotlight Shorts (intermediate media arts), New Angle Fellows (advanced fellowship with stipend), and Fresh Vantage grants for filmmakers. Youth programming includes the Media Internship Program and Createch drop-in media lab. SPNN also operates CTEP AmeriCorps for digital literacy education, provides video production services to community partners, and offers event rental options. The organization functions as a platform-plus-services model, combining facility access memberships with structured training programs and grants.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fresh Vantage: A post-production grant program offering $15,000 grants to marginalized emerging filmmakers from Minnesota.
- New Angle Fellows
- Doc U
- Spotlight Shorts
- Createch SPNN
Quantifiable outcome
- 40+ years of continuous community media service
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SPNN
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SPNN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SPNN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Asian Media AccessminorAsian Media Access uses SPNN's studio to teach media production to young people they work with, extending their reach into professional production capabilities.
- BiCitiesminorBiCities has been producing a show for over two decades using SPNN's studio and resources, representing a long-term community media partnership.
- Disability ViewpointsminorMonthly program created by and for the disability community, produced in collaboration with SPNN production staff.
- Higher Ground AcademycoreSPNN works with Higher Ground Academy to teach 9th graders podcasting as part of their English and Economics curriculum.
- League of Women Voters of Saint PaulcorePartnership on candidate and issue forums, with SPNN providing coverage and production for civic engagement content.
- Macalester CollegeminorSPNN hosts off-campus student employees from Macalester as well as interns, creating pipeline for future media professionals.
- Right TrackcoreSPNN youth participants get paid to participate in programs through the Right Track program, providing employment opportunities for Saint Paul youth.
- ComcastcoreCable provider enabling SPNN's broadcast reach to 52,000+ subscribers in Saint Paul through public access channels.
- AmeriCorpscoreThrough CTEP (Community Technology Empowerment Project), AmeriCorps members serve at partner sites to teach digital literacy across the Twin Cities.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SPNN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Austin Community Television (ACTV): Austin's PEG access center offering community media production facilities, classes, and cable broadcast. Closely comparable nonprofit community-media-center structure and revenue model.
- Brooklyn Community Access Television (BCAT): Brooklyn's nonprofit public access network providing cable channel, equipment, training, and community programming. Direct peer with same public-access television model and community-producer focus.
- PhillyCAM: Philadelphia's nonprofit community access media center offering membership-based studio access, equipment, and media education. Comparable nonprofit PEG model serving a single metro with similar programming and youth components.
- Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN): NYC-based community media center offering cable channel access, studio rentals, training classes, and youth programming. Most directly comparable peer as both are nonprofit PEG access centers with membership models, documentary training, and youth programs.
- Cambridge Community Television (CCTV): Cambridge, MA community media center providing cable access, equipment, training, and production facilities to local residents. Mirrors SPNN's nonprofit community-media-center model and educational programming focus.
Broad incumbents
- Twin Cities PBS (TPT): PBS affiliate serving the Twin Cities metro with educational programming, documentary production, and community engagement. Overlaps with SPNN's public-media, education, and documentary missions but at significantly larger scale.
- PRX (Public Radio Exchange): Public media company focused on podcast distribution and content production for public radio stations. Comparable public-media ethos and podcast/audio infrastructure, though operates nationally rather than as a single community center.
- Allied Media Projects: Detroit-based nonprofit network supporting community-based media, technology, and art initiatives. Comparable mission-driven, equity-focused media training organization but operates as a network/fiscal sponsor rather than a single facility.
Others
- National Association of Broadcasters (NAB): Trade association representing broadcasters. While not a peer in the operational sense, SPNN's cable-access model and community-broadcasting mission intersect with NAB's interest in local broadcasting policy and public access channels.
- Reel Abilities Film Festival: Disability-focused film festival network with programming around disability representation in media. Tangentially comparable to SPNN's Disability Viewpoints programming and inclusion-focused mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SPNN social profiles
Digital presenceSPNN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SPNN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
SPNN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SPNN M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SPNN
What does SPNN do?
SPNN is a nonprofit community media and technology center that provides membership-based access to professional television and podcast studios, editing suites, and media production equipment. It also delivers structured documentary filmmaking education programs for youth and adults, runs the CTEP AmeriCorps digital literacy program across the Twin Cities, and produces/distributes community-created content through Comcast cable access and online streaming platforms.
Is SPNN a public or private company?
SPNN is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SPNN founded?
SPNN was founded in 1984. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SPNN based?
SPNN is headquartered in Saint Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does SPNN make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are class Fees, event/Space Rental, donations and Fundraising and foundation Grants.
Who are SPNN's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Austin Community Television (ACTV), Brooklyn Community Access Television (BCAT), PhillyCAM, Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) and Cambridge Community Television (CCTV). Broad incumbents are Twin Cities PBS (TPT), PRX (Public Radio Exchange) and Allied Media Projects. Others are National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and Reel Abilities Film Festival.
Does SPNN have an API?
No public API is recorded for SPNN.
What industry is SPNN in?
SPNN's product category is Community Media Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABADAG, Public Media Digital Platforms & Streaming (Apps, On-demand, Podcasts), with a secondary code of MPABADAH, Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning). Its NAICS code is 51612 and its SIC code is 4833.