KVAN Radio
KVAN Radio is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) community radio station in Tucson, Arizona, broadcasting on 91.7 FM and streaming globally. It features trademarked CosmoPop® music alongside spiritual and activist programming, operated entirely by volunteers under Global Change Media.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersTucson, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What KVAN Radio does
KVAN Radio is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) community radio station operated by Global Change Media, a Tucson, Arizona–headquartered nonprofit organization founded in 1977. Launched in 2022, the station broadcasts on 91.7 FM in the Tucson metro area, streams globally at kvan.fm, and distributes through dedicated iPhone and Android applications. Its on-air identity centers on CosmoPop®, a federally trademarked music genre of "visionary higher consciousness" music created by co-founder Van of Urantia, paired with programming such as spiritual talk, the civic-activist series "Change Point: Activist Journeys in Southern Arizona," literary and community-voices features, and curated music showcases drawn from the affiliated Global Change Music nonprofit record label.
The station is staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers and "Human-Rights Missionaries," with no paid employees, and its physical studio is co-located with sister entity The Sea of Glass—Center for The Arts at 330 E 7th St, Tucson. The broader Global Change Media ecosystem—comprising the Global Change Music record label, the Musicians-That-Need-to-be-Heard Network, and the Sea of Glass performing-arts venue—provides an integrated artist-development and broadcast pipeline that supplies KVAN's content.
Revenue is generated through listener donations, on-air business underwriting acknowledgments (with payments processed via Square and managed through a single named contact, Mycenay Plyler), and in-kind contributions of time and services. Following the 2025 death of founder Van of Urantia, no public succession plan or strategic repositioning has been disclosed.
KVAN Radio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KVAN Radio
- Legal name
- KVAN Visionary Radio
- Website
- https://kvan.fm
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- KVAN Radio is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) community radio station in Tucson, Arizona, broadcasting on 91.7 FM and streaming globally. It features trademarked CosmoPop® music alongside spiritual and activist programming, operated entirely by volunteers under Global Change Media.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KVAN Radio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Radio Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community/Low-Power Nonprofit Radio (LPFM/Community Radio) (MPABADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG), Non-Interactive Digital Radio (Lean-Back Streaming) (MPAIACAB), Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ)
Keywords
Where KVAN Radio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tucson
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
KVAN Radio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations and Financial Contributions: Listener donations from the community to support nonprofit operations. Operated by Global Change Media, a nonprofit organization.
- Underwriting/Sponsorships: Business underwriting opportunities allowing local businesses to support the station and reach KVAN's global audience through on-air acknowledgments of support.
- Volunteer Time and Services: Community members donate time, goods, services, and expertise to support station operations.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
KVAN Radio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KVAN Radio operates a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community radio station on 91.7 FM in Tucson, Arizona, streaming globally via kvan.fm and dedicated mobile apps, broadcasting original CosmoPop® music, Global Change Music label releases, and spiritually themed transformational talk programming. The station provides airplay to independent musicians through the Musicians-That-Need-to-be-Heard Network and is funded by listener donations, volunteer contributions, and business underwriting.
Product overview
KVAN Visionary Radio is a nonprofit community radio station operating as a service of Global Change Media. The station broadcasts on 91.7 FM from Tucson, Arizona and streams globally at kvan.fm, available via a dedicated mobile app for iPhone and Android. The core offering centers on original CosmoPop® music — a proprietary genre created by founder Van of Urantia — and Global Change Music from a curated portfolio of artists featured through the nonprofit Global Change Music record label. Programming spans talk shows (Spirit Talk, Global Change Teachings For The New Millennium, KVAN Community Voices, Literary Lunch Hour, Change Point: Activist Journeys in Southern Arizona, CosmoWorship, and DJ-hosted shows), a library of featured music videos and concert recordings (including the Sacred Healing CosmoPop Concert 2022), and business sponsorship via Underwriting Opportunities. The station is supported by donations and volunteer contributions, and is connected to the broader Musicians-That-Need-to-be-Heard Network, all operating under Global Change Media's 501(c)(3) nonprofit structure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CosmoPop®: A visionary higher consciousness music genre created by Van of Urantia, described as music of the future for minds of the future.
- Global Change Music
Products and services
- KVAN Visionary Radio (91.7 FM / kvan.fm stream) The core nonprofit community radio broadcast delivering original CosmoPop® music, Global Change Music label releases, and spiritually themed transformational talk programming to Tucson-area listeners on 91.7 FM and to a global audience via internet streaming. Targeted at conscious, spiritually minded listeners and supporters of independent transformational music.
- KVAN Mobile App (iOS and Android) Native mobile applications for iOS and Android that stream KVAN Visionary Radio programming on demand for global listeners who want mobile access to the station's original CosmoPop® music and spiritually themed talk content.
- Global Change Music (Nonprofit Record Label) An affiliated nonprofit record label releasing original transformational and CosmoPop® music by independent artists, providing the catalog of releases aired on KVAN Visionary Radio. Targets independent musicians seeking distribution for spiritually themed or transformational work that mainstream labels exclude.
- Musicians-That-Need-to-be-Heard Network A dedicated artist support network affiliated with KVAN that offers independent musicians a structured pathway to obtain airplay on 91.7 FM / kvan.fm and consideration for Global Change Music releases. Targeted at independent artists whose transformational or spiritually themed music is excluded from mainstream radio.
- KVAN Underwriting Program A nonprofit underwriting offering allowing local and regional businesses and organizations to financially support KVAN Visionary Radio programming in exchange for on-air acknowledgment, providing values-aligned brand exposure to KVAN's engaged listenership. Targets local businesses seeking mission-aligned audience reach without traditional advertising.
- Donate or Volunteer Program A direct donation and volunteer participation program enabling listeners and supporters to financially contribute to KVAN Radio or to serve as Human-Rights Missionaries staffing the station's volunteer operations. Targeted at listeners and community supporters who align with KVAN's transformational mission.
Companies that use KVAN Radio
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
KVAN Radio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature2 records
KVAN Radio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Global Change MediacoreParent nonprofit organization that operates KVAN. Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, dedicated to serving humanity by creating and promoting projects that promote positive global change. Founded in 1977 (then known as Gabriel Records).
- Global Change MusiccoreNonprofit record label presenting artists who live a message for global change. Artists featured on KVAN are under this label. Provides airplay and support for progressive musicians excluded from corporate-run music industry.
- The Sea of Glass — Center for The ArtscorePerformance venue in Tucson, Arizona where KVAN Studios are located. Sister venue and partner organization. KVAN broadcasts from studios within this facility.
- Musicians-That-Need-to-be-Heard NetworkminorNonprofit network organized by Van of Urantia to support committed and deserving musicians who are excluded from or choose not to participate in the corporate-run music industry.
- Global Change MultimediaminorPartner organization listed in the footer as globalchange.media, supporting the mission of positive global change.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
KVAN Radio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- KCRW: Long-established Santa Monica-based public/community radio station with member-supported revenue, music programming, and live sessions. Comparable nonprofit community-radio structure at significantly larger scale.
- WNYC (New York Public Radio): Major public radio operator combining news, talk, and music with member-supported funding. Comparable nonprofit station model but at much larger scale and with broader programming mix.
Others
- TuneIn: Internet radio aggregator that distributes broadcast streams (including AM/FM and community stations) to global listeners via apps and web. Indirect distribution infrastructure comparable to KVAN's own streaming/app setup.
- SoundCloud: Global audio streaming platform enabling independent musicians to distribute music directly to listeners without traditional radio or label intermediation. Adjacent as a complementary discovery/distribution channel for the Global Change Music label's artists.
Direct peers
- Pacifica Radio: Nonprofit listener-supported radio network with progressive, community-driven programming and grassroots fundraising. Operates in the same nonprofit/community-radio niche as KVAN with overlapping audience values.
- KEXP: Listener-supported nonprofit community radio station known for music discovery and live in-studio sessions, with global streaming and mobile apps. Closely comparable operating model around community-supported, non-commercial music and talk programming.
- WFMU: Independent, listener-supported nonprofit freeform radio station broadcasting from New Jersey with a global streaming audience. Comparable nonprofit, donation-driven operating model with a strong curatorial identity.
- KGNU Community Radio: Independent nonprofit community radio station broadcasting from Boulder, Colorado, supported by listener donations, underwriting, and volunteers with eclectic music and talk programming.
- WBAI: Listener-supported Pacifica-affiliated community radio station in New York with progressive programming funded by donations and underwriting. Comparable nonprofit, mission-driven community broadcasting model.
- KXCI Community Radio: Independent community radio station broadcasting from Tucson, Arizona on a similar nonprofit model with eclectic music, talk, and underwriting support. Most direct geographic and operational peer.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
KVAN Radio social profiles
Digital presenceKVAN Radio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KVAN Radio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
KVAN Radio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KVAN Radio 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 KVAN Radio
What does KVAN Radio do?
KVAN Radio operates a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community radio station on 91.7 FM in Tucson, Arizona, streaming globally via kvan.fm and dedicated mobile apps, broadcasting original CosmoPop® music, Global Change Music label releases, and spiritually themed transformational talk programming. The station provides airplay to independent musicians through the Musicians-That-Need-to-be-Heard Network and is funded by listener donations, volunteer contributions, and business underwriting.
Is KVAN Radio a public or private company?
KVAN Radio is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was KVAN Radio founded?
KVAN Radio was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is KVAN Radio based?
KVAN Radio is headquartered in Tucson, United States, in the North America region.
How does KVAN Radio make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Financial Contributions are the primary driver. The others are underwriting/Sponsorships and volunteer Time and Services.
Who are KVAN Radio's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are KCRW and WNYC (New York Public Radio). Others are TuneIn and SoundCloud. Direct peers are Pacifica Radio, KEXP, WFMU, KGNU Community Radio, WBAI and KXCI Community Radio.
Does KVAN Radio have an API?
No public API is recorded for KVAN Radio.
What industry is KVAN Radio in?
KVAN Radio's product category is Community Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABADAE, Community/Low-Power Nonprofit Radio (LPFM/Community Radio), with a secondary code of MPABACAG, Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM). Its NAICS code is 51611 and its SIC code is 4832.