The On Being Project

What The On Being Project does

The On Being Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization founded in 2003 by Krista Tippett and headquartered in Minneapolis with an additional office in New York City. It produces long-form conversational audio and written content centered on spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, and the arts. Its two flagship products are 'On Being with Krista Tippett,' a Peabody award-winning conversation show that originated on public radio and now podcasts in special seasons, and 'Poetry Unbound,' an immersive single-poem podcast hosted by Pádraig Ó Tuama, supported by an active Substack and a published book line.

The underlying production stack is modest: audio is hosted and distributed through Simplecast and reaches audiences on all major podcast platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Overcast), with parallel distribution on YouTube, a Substack-based newsletter (The Pause), and book retail via bookshop.org. The organization has built a 20+ year archive — 531+ On Being episodes and 222+ Poetry Unbound episodes — organized into thematic Libraries covering Body/Healing/Trauma, Science & Being, Spiritual Genius, Civil Conversations & Social Healing, Ecology & Nature, Across Generations, and Beauty. Supporting products include the Hope Portal (a seven-week reflection course), the Social Healing Fellowship, the Better Conversations Guide, and the Foundations for Being Alive Now onboarding pathway.

Revenue is generated entirely through donations and charitable contributions; all content is distributed free of charge. The primary funding partners named are Fetzer Institute, Hearthland Foundation, Kalliopeia Foundation, and Osprey Foundation, with additional giving routed through individual donors. The audience is global — listeners describe themselves as reaching 'around the world' — and the go-to-market is product-led and community-led, anchored by organic discovery, public-radio heritage, and recurring live events at theaters, universities, and houses of worship in partnership with cultural institutions such as Seattle Arts & Lectures, Northrop at the University of Minnesota, Union Theological Seminary, and the Perfect Earth Project.

Name

The On Being Project

Legal name

The On Being Project

Website

https://onbeing.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The On Being Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization producing the Peabody award-winning 'On Being with Krista Tippett' and 'Poetry Unbound' podcasts, serving a global audience interested in spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, poetry, and civil discourse through free audio, newsletters, courses, and live events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Media and Podcasts

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spoken Word & Performance Poetry Workshops (EDAMAMAM), Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries (MPADADAG)

Keywords

• Public radio programs
• Podcast content production
• Poetry publishing
• Spiritual inquiry media
• Social healing conversations

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Charitable Contributions: On Being Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The primary revenue stream is individual donations and charitable contributions from its far-flung community of listeners and supporters. The website features a 'Support On Being' donation page inviting gifts at any amount, with contact for patronage at higher catalytic levels at [email protected]. Donations are tax-deductible in the U.S.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The On Being Project is a nonprofit media organization that produces long-form public-radio and podcast conversations, short-form poetry programming, thematic digital collections, and published books. Its principal offerings are On Being with Krista Tippett and Poetry Unbound; the content is distributed freely through digital channels and supported primarily by donations.

Product overview

The On Being Project is a nonprofit media organization producing a portfolio of conversation- and poetry-based content. Its core products are 'On Being with Krista Tippett' (a long-form Peabody award-winning conversation show on spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, and the arts) and 'Poetry Unbound' (an immersive poetry exploration podcast hosted by Pádraig Ó Tuama). Supporting offerings include The Pause newsletter, the Hope Portal seven-week reflection course, thematic Libraries drawn from a 20-year archive, the Social Healing Fellowship, the Better Conversations Guide, and Poetry Unbound published books. The organization distributes its content via podcast platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Overcast) and publishes through Simplecast hosting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• On Being with Krista Tippett: Peabody award-winning conversation show exploring spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, and the arts.
• Poetry Unbound
• The Pause
• Lab for the Art of Living

Products and services

• On Being with Krista Tippett A Peabody award-winning conversation show that originated on public radio and is now presented through podcast seasons, featuring cross-disciplinary dialogues on spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, and the arts for general listeners.
• Poetry Unbound A short-form podcast series in which host Pádraig Ó Tuama explores a single poem in unhurried episodes, accompanied by a Substack newsletter, occasional gatherings, and published books for listeners seeking poetry and contemplative reflection.
• Poetry Unbound Books Published poetry volumes extending the Poetry Unbound program into print and digital books, including Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems to Open Your World, 44 Poems on Being with Each Other, and Kitchen Hymns, available through book retailers such as bookshop.org.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Perfect Earth ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Perfect Earth Project, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting chemical-free ecological gardening founded and led by Edwina von Gal, co-hosted a live conversation with Michael Pollan and Krista Tippett at the W Hotel New York, Union Square, as part of its 'Grounded Conversations' series. This represents a co-programming partnership that brings On Being's content into new event contexts aligned with ecological and contemplative themes.
• Into the Crowd (Union Theological Seminary)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInto the Crowd is a new project at Union Theological Seminary that 'brings nourishing stories of faith into our broader public life.' The project produced the event at Riverside Church marking the 59th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'Beyond Vietnam' speech, featuring Michelle Alexander and Lucas Johnson as guests on the On Being podcast. Led by Casey Donahue, Into the Crowd partnered with On Being to produce this episode.
• Seattle Arts & LecturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle Arts & Lectures invited On Being to present a conversation with Isabel Wilkerson at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, WA. This represents an institutional partnership for live event programming.
• Northrop at the University of MinnesotaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthrop at the University of Minnesota co-presented a live conversation with Ada Limón at the Ted Mann Concert Hall in Minneapolis, in collaboration with Ada Limón's publisher, Milkweed Editions. This event generated an On Being episode.
• The Great Northern FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Great Northern Festival partnered with On Being to present the conversation with J. Drew Lanham, an ornithologist and author, expanding On Being's reach into environmental and nature-focused audiences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The School of Life: The School of Life produces content and courses on meaning, relationships, and contemplative living, distributed via video, podcasts, and books. Both serve audiences seeking substantive engagement with life's deeper questions, blending content, community, and educational products.
• Sounds True: Sounds True is a multimedia publisher of audio, books, and courses on spirituality, contemplative practice, and personal growth. Both produce long-form contemplative audio content and published books for similar audiences interested in meaning and inner life.
• The Moth: The Moth is a nonprofit that produces a Peabody-recognized podcast and live events centered on thoughtful human storytelling. Both operate the nonprofit-podcast-plus-live-events model, with mission-driven editorial and donor-supported revenue.

Emerging players

• The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings): The Marginalian is an independent digital publication exploring philosophy, poetry, and the humanities through curated essays. Both share the contemplative-essay format, thematic archive structure, and audience interested in meaning, creativity, and cross-disciplinary wisdom.

Broad incumbents

• PBS: PBS is a major U.S. public media nonprofit producing long-form cultural, educational, and documentary programming. Both share the nonprofit public-media funding model, mission of substantive non-commercial content, and broad multi-platform distribution.
• TED: TED is a nonprofit media organization producing long-form conversation and idea-based content distributed globally across digital platforms. Both share the nonprofit funding model, host-as-curator editorial identity, and emphasis on cross-disciplinary inquiry.
• NPR (National Public Radio): NPR is the largest U.S. public-radio nonprofit and was the original distribution home for On Being. Both share the public-radio-to-podcast pipeline, listener-supported nonprofit funding, and long-form interview programming with globally recognized hosts.

Regional players

• Interlochen Public Radio (IPR): Interlochen Public Radio is a regional public-radio network distributing arts, culture, and classical music programming. Both operate nonprofit public-radio-rooted audio distribution models serving audiences interested in substantive cultural content.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/onbeing
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/speakingoffaith
• Facebookfacebook.com/onbeing
• Instagraminstagram.com/onbeing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 On Being Project