Iowa Catholic Radio

What Iowa Catholic Radio does

Iowa Catholic Radio is a non-profit Catholic radio apostolate founded in 2004 and headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. The organization operates a multi-station broadcast network of 8 FCC-licensed FM signals (89.3, 89.9, 90.9, 95.7, 96.7, 103.5, 105.3, 105.5) covering communities across Iowa, expanded from 3 signals via its 'Growing the Faith' capital campaign. Its core product portfolio includes flagship programming such as The Catholic Morning Show, Daily Gospel Reflections with Fr. Nick Smith, daily Mass broadcasts from multiple parishes, and original podcasts (Be Not Afraid, Catholic Women Now, Man Up, Great Men of the Bible). Distribution extends beyond FM to a mobile application (iOS pilot via TestFlight, Android forthcoming), website live streaming, and podcast platforms including Simplecast, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

The organization's business model is donation-funded, providing all content free to listeners. Revenue streams include individual donations (one-time, Monthly Donor Club, vehicle donations), business sponsorships across categories such as agriculture, automotive, financial services, and Catholic-aligned organizations (Catholic Charities, Knights of Columbus, Benedictine College), and the Iowa Catholic Radio Foundation endowment. The go-to-market approach is community-led, relying on a Parish Ambassador volunteer network to embed the station within local Catholic parishes, complemented by event-based engagement (e.g., the 2026 Karlo Broussard speaker tour) and social media presence.

Iowa Catholic Radio operates with a lean team of approximately 10-15 staff and is governed by a Board of Directors. Key leadership includes Chief Mission Officer Joe Teeling and Executive Director Deacon Mark Campbell (though one source lists Matthew Willkom as executive director, reflecting a possible recent transition). The organization reaches 450+ souls statewide and reported a 43% increase in podcast downloads. It is not a venture-backed or equity-financed entity, operating instead as an independent 501(c)-style non-profit sustained by listener generosity and sponsor underwriting.

Name

Iowa Catholic Radio

Legal name

Iowa Catholic Radio

Website

https://iowacatholicradio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Iowa Catholic Radio is a non-profit Catholic radio network operating 8 FM signals across Iowa, providing free Catholic programming, podcasts, and mobile apps to Iowa Catholics, funded by donations, sponsorships, and an endowment foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Catholic Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Catholic Broadcasting (MPABALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religious Radio Broadcasting (MPAIAEAF), Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), Religious/Faith-Based Radio Networks (MPABABAC)

Keywords

• Catholic radio broadcasting
• Faith formation media
• Religious podcast production
• FM radio network
• Catholic livestream services

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Voluntary donations from listeners and supporters through semi-annual fundraisers, one-time gifts, and monthly recurring donations via the Monthly Donor Club
2. Business Sponsorship/Underwriting: Corporate sponsors underwrite specific programming or time slots, gaining brand visibility and association with Catholic content while supporting the mission
3. Iowa Catholic Radio Foundation: Endowment fund managed by the Iowa Catholic Radio Foundation that provides financial support for Catholic broadcasting throughout Iowa
4. Vehicle Donation Program: Accepts donations of vehicles (cars, trucks, RVs, boats, motorcycles) as alternative giving option for supporters

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Iowa Catholic Radio operates a Catholic radio broadcast network of 8 FM signals across Iowa, supplemented by mobile apps, website live streaming, and an on-demand podcast library. Programming centers on daily Mass broadcasts, Catholic talk shows, gospel reflections, faith-and-finance segments, and original podcasts. All content is provided free to listeners, with the operation funded by donations and Catholic-friendly business sponsorships.

Product overview

Iowa Catholic Radio is a Catholic broadcast media apostolate operating as a unified platform of interconnected products and features centered around evangelization through radio and digital media. The core offering is the Iowa Catholic Radio Network — a multi-station FM radio network spanning 8 signals (89.3, 89.9, 90.9, 95.7, 96.7, 103.5, 105.3, 105.5) across Iowa — supplemented by a mobile app (iPhone/Android), live streaming, and a comprehensive on-demand podcast platform. The flagship program is The Catholic Morning Show, alongside original podcasts (Be Not Afraid, Great Men of the Bible, Catholic Women Now, Man Up), daily Mass broadcasts, Daily Gospel Reflections with Fr. Nick Smith, and Making It Personal with Bishop William Joensen. Supporting features include a Fish Fry Finder, Parish Ambassador Program, Growing the Faith Campaign, Community Event Calendar, Monthly Donor Club, and Prayer + Faith resources. The network also broadcasts affiliated third-party Catholic programming including The Bible in a Year, The Catechism in a Year, Catholic Answers Live, and Sunday Dive.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Catholic Morning Show: Morning show hosted by Bo Bonner airing at 7AM Central Time, featuring Catholic news, weather, sports, and interviews with local and national guests.
• Iowa Catholic Radio Foundation

Products and services

• Iowa Catholic Radio FM Broadcast Network Statewide Catholic radio broadcast network reaching Iowa listeners via 8 FM signals with 24/7 Catholic programming including daily Mass, talk shows, and faith formation content.
• Iowa Catholic Radio Mobile App Mobile application available on iOS and Android enabling listeners to stream live Iowa Catholic Radio broadcasts, access on-demand podcasts, and listen to programming from anywhere.
• The Catholic Morning Show Flagship weekday morning program hosted by Bo Bonner covering Catholic news, current events, and faith formation for Iowa listeners.
• Be Not Afraid Podcast Podcast and broadcast program produced and co-hosted by Deacon Mark Campbell and Fr. Fabian Moncada, offering Catholic faith formation and devotional content.
• Daily Mass Broadcasts Daily broadcast of the Catholic Mass carried on the network and live stream, giving listeners access to Mass outside of parish attendance.
• Daily Gospel Reflections with Fr. Nick Smith Daily devotional program with Fr. Nick Smith offering reflections on the day's Gospel reading for Iowa Catholic listeners.
• Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen Program co-hosted by Bishop William Joensen and Jeanne Thill, presenting Catholic teaching and faith conversation through a personal episcopal lens.
• Faith and Family Finance Program hosted by Gregory Waddle applying Catholic principles to personal finance, family budgeting, and stewardship.
• Catholic Women Now Program co-hosted by Julie Nelson addressing Catholic women's spirituality, family life, and community topics.
• Man Up Program hosted by Joe Stopulos targeting Catholic men's faith formation, virtue, and discipleship.
• Great Men of the Bible Podcast Scripture study podcast examining key male figures of the Bible for Catholic faith formation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 43% increase in podcast downloads
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Golden Rule PHC&EcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHome services company that sponsors Iowa Catholic Radio programming. Featured on homepage as a sponsor supporting the mission of Catholic radio in Iowa.
• Benedictine CollegecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCatholic college that sponsors Iowa Catholic Radio. Promoted on the Listen Live page as an educational partner supporting Catholic broadcasting.
• Knights of Columbus Financial AdvisorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial services organization with multiple agencies (Bormann Agency, Pfeiffer Agency, Greg Waddle) sponsoring Iowa Catholic Radio. Also hosts Faith and Family Finance show on the network.
• Catholic CharitiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCatholic social services organization sponsoring Iowa Catholic Radio programming. Listed under Non-Profit Partners and Social Services categories.
• SimplecastcoreTechnology or IntegrationPodcast hosting platform used by Iowa Catholic Radio to distribute all original shows including The Catholic Morning Show, Be Not Afraid, and other programming.
• Ascension PressminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatholic publishing company whose podcasts (Bible in a Year, Catechism in a Year, etc.) are distributed through Iowa Catholic Radio's affiliate programming lineup.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Salem Communications / Salem Media Group: Major US owner/operator of Christian and conservative talk radio stations, comparable as a multi-station religious broadcaster with underwriting-driven revenue; serves a broader faith/Christian audience rather than specifically Catholic.
• Moody Radio: Nationally distributed Christian radio network with multiple FM signals and digital streaming; peer in the religious broadcasting space using a similar donor-supported model.
• Bott Radio Network: Large Christian (Bible-teaching) radio network with extensive multi-state FM signal coverage; comparable as a religious radio broadcasting network with underwriter/donor revenue model, though broader Christian rather than Catholic.
• EWTN Global Catholic Network: Global Catholic broadcaster operating EWTN Radio and TV networks plus digital streaming; directly comparable as a Catholic media apostle but at massive national/international scale, serving the same Catholic faith audience.

Direct peers

• Relevant Radio: National Catholic radio network with multiple FM signals, mobile apps, and live streaming, sharing the same Catholic talk/programming model and donor-funded model as Iowa Catholic Radio but at multi-state scale.
• Ave Maria Radio: Catholic radio network operating WUOM-style programming across multiple signals in the Midwest; direct peer using the same Catholic format and listener-donation revenue model in overlapping geography.

Emerging players

• Hallow (prayer app): Catholic prayer/meditation app with very large subscriber base; not direct radio competition but a peer for Catholic audience attention and time-spent, and increasingly relevant to donation-funded Catholic media revenue.

Others

• Auxano / Diocesan Communications shops (e.g., Catholic Diocese of Des Moines communications): Diocesan communications arms that publish Catholic news, livestream Mass, and run faith formation content; adjacent ecosystem player that overlaps with Iowa Catholic Radio's mission of Catholic media evangelization.
• Ascension Presents (Ascension Press): Catholic content producer whose podcasts (Bible in a Year, Catechism in a Year) are already carried on Iowa Catholic Radio; adjacent content partner/echo system comparable as a growth engine for Catholic media.

Regional players

• Cruzes Catholic Radio: Catholic radio network serving Catholic listeners in California and Spanish-speaking communities; direct peer in Catholic radio model with comparable donation/sponsorship funding mechanics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IACatholicRadio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iowa-catholic-radio-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Iowa Catholic Radio