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CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ACTION INC
Brooklyn, NY · EIN 010775069 · Form 990EZ · FY2023 · NTEE A30 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · imarad.io
revenue
$66K
expenses
$76K
net assets
$80K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

CIMA seeks to advance media access and representation and to support diverse voices and actors in media reform, media production, and media accountability.

profile · synthesized from sources

Center for International Media Action (CIMA) supports community radio and media access initiatives globally, with a focus on technical engineering, policy advocacy, and infrastructure development. The organization works with local groups to establish low-power FM (LPFM) stations, provides renewable energy solutions for broadcast equipment, and promotes diverse voices in media production. It operates in both domestic and international contexts, including rural Alaska and India.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Fiscal Sponsorship Program
Acts as a fiscal sponsor for grassroots media and technology projects, enabling tax-deductible donations and financial oversight
Low Power FM (LPFM) Advocacy and Technical Support
Provides engineering, policy training, and technical assistance to groups establishing community radio stations in the U.S. and internationally
Solar-Powered Translator and Broadcast Infrastructure
Designs and installs renewable energy-powered broadcast systems for remote radio stations, including solar-powered translators in Alaska and Puerto Rico
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Community and Public Broadcasting Services 7 activities
    • Builds and upgrades community radio station infrastructure
      Designs, constructs, and modernizes community radio stations by installing transmitters, antennas, masts, solar power systems, energy storage, and internet connectivity. Projects include rebuilding the KCAW translator in Port Alexander, AK, and establishing WUMO-LP 94.5 FM in Montgomery, Alabama.
    • Develops low-cost broadcast technology solutions
      Designs and deploys affordable studio transmitter links using commercial Wi-Fi gear and encoders, achieving reliable performance for under $1,000 to support low-power radio stations.
    • Organizes radio barnraisings to build community radio stations
      Coordinates volunteer-driven radio barnraising events to construct full community radio stations in underserved areas, having completed such projects in 11 U.S. communities.
    • Produces and distributes community-focused media content
      Creates and shares local media content across community radio networks, including the production of the daily bilingual "Covid Report" and fostering collaborative content creation among stations.
    • Provides low-cost engineering support and technical assistance to community radio stations
      Offers affordable radio engineering services, troubleshooting, and technical surveys to community radio stations with educational or activist missions, including support for stations in India and the U.S.
    • Supports community radio development through planning and equipment
      Provides comprehensive support for launching new radio stations, including planning, construction, equipment procurement, and training, contributing to the establishment of over a dozen stations historically and hundreds of low-power FM stations.
    • Trains community radio operators and technologists
      Provides technical training and mentorship to community radio stations and volunteers to promote self-sufficiency, including personalized instruction in audio recording, production, and content quality, as well as workshops for technologists on communicating with non-technical audiences.
  • Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
    • Funds and provides fiscal sponsorship for community media and energy projects
      Serves as a fiscal sponsor for initiatives such as Sol-Rincon’s solar energy project in Vieques, Puerto Rico, enabling tax-deductible donations and providing financial support, mentorship, and administrative infrastructure for community-led efforts.
  • Solar Energy Access in Underserved Communities 1 activity
    • Implements solar-powered energy systems in underserved communities
      Collaborates with Sol-Rincon to install solar-powered electrical systems for homes in Vieques, Puerto Rico, ensuring continued power during grid outages, such as those caused by hurricanes, and building local technical capacity.
  • Professional Audio/Video Production Services 1 activity
    • Provides audio and video production services and creative development
      Operates Red Room Recordings as a studio for musicians and artists, particularly serving artists of color, and offers professional production services including recording, editing, animation, voice dubbing, and audio forensics for clients such as Nickelodeon/Viacom and Dassault Aircraft Services.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Advocates for Low Power FM radio access and media reform
      Organizes advocacy campaigns such as the Million Radio March on Washington and submits petitions to the FCC, including RM-2493, to promote fair licensing and expand access to noncommercial radio frequencies.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$66K
Contributions & grants$5K7%
Program service revenue$61K93%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$86
expenses
Total expenses$76K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$30K
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$93K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$80K
2 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -53.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Dylan Wrynn President 40 $27K
board members · 1
  • Elizabeth Robinson — Director
relationships · 47

Who they work with

  • Afram South Partner — Collaborated to establish WUMO LP FM 94.5, a low-power community radio station in Montgomery, Alabama.
  • Afram South Partner — Collaborated to establish WUMO-LP 94.5 FM in Montgomery, Alabama.
  • African American Historical Society of Wilmington, Delaware Partner — Supported with studio upgrades for community radio operations.
  • Afro-American Historical Society of Delaware Partner — Collaborative relationship through WHGE-LP 95.3 FM, a licensed subsidiary of the Afro-American Historical Society of Delaware.
  • Afro-American Historical Society of Delaware Partner — Partner organization operating WHGE-LP 95.3, recipient of studio upgrades and programming support.
  • Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) Partner — Collaborated with COPINH to establish Radio Liberada in Honduras in support of popular resistance to a coup.
  • Dassault Aircraft Services Partner — Provided training and educational content development services for Dassault Aircraft Services.
  • Deccan Development Society Partner — Partner organization that owns Sangham Radio, supported through technical assistance by International Media Action.
  • Democracy Matters Partner — Collaborated with Democracy Matters on civic engagement and media initiatives.
  • Democracy Matters Partner — Collaborator in past and present civic engagement and democratic reform efforts.
  • Food & Water Watch Partner — Collaborated with Food & Water Watch on advocacy and public awareness campaigns.
  • Food & Water Watch Partner — Collaborator in past and present environmental and social justice campaigns.
  • Free Enterprise Institute Government — Critiqued the Free Enterprise Institute's advertising campaign, highlighting corporate influence over public institutions.
  • Germantown Life Enrichment Center Partner — Partner organization operating WRLG-LP 92.9, part of the SCARP Network.
  • Germantown United Community Development Corp Partner — Partner organization operating WRGU-LP 92.9, part of the SCARP Network.
  • KCAW Partner — Partnered with KCAW to rebuild its translator station in Port Alexander, AK.
  • Lava Space Partner — Collaborated with Lava Space on artistic and activist projects.
  • Lava Space Partner — Collaborator in past and present community and artistic initiatives.
  • LinkedIn Partner — Shares professional content via LinkedIn profile
  • Local Community Radio Act Government — Advocated for the passage of the Local Community Radio Act through the U.S. Congress.
  • Pacifica Foundation Partner — Collaborated with Pacifica Foundation through early work at KPFA, a noncommercial radio station.
  • Pacifica Radio Network Network — WUMO LP FM 94.5 is an affiliate of the Pacifica Radio Network.
  • Philatinos Radio Partner — South Philly-based partner radio station producing content in the SCARP Network.
  • Phillycam Partner — Partner organization operating WPPM-LP 106.5 in Center City.
  • Prometheus Radio Project Partner — Collaborated on the first Prometheus Radio Barnraising where the radio play was performed.
  • Prometheus Radio Project Partner — Collaborates on the SCRAP project to support community radio stations in Philadelphia.
  • Public Citizen Partner — Collaborated with Public Citizen on media and policy advocacy efforts.
  • Public Citizen Partner — Collaborator in past and present advocacy and public interest initiatives.
  • Red Room Recordings Partner — Founded and operated by James Bailey, who is affiliated with the Center for International Media Action, indicating organizational alignment or collaborative programming.
  • SCARP Network Network — Part of the SCARP Network of community radio stations, indicating affiliation and shared mission with other member stations.
+ 17 more
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Led Media Empowerment
    methodology: community_radio_empowerment
    By supporting community-led radio broadcasting and providing accessible technical and regulatory guidance, the organization enables marginalized voices to claim freedom of expression outside corporate and government control, fostering civic engagement and social change because local ownership increases relevance, trust, and sustained participation.
  • Creative Incubation for Underrepresented Artists
    methodology: creative-incubation
    By providing a nurturing, quality-focused environment with accessible resources and mentorship, the organization supports the development of artists from communities of color, because structured creative support increases artistic output and representation.
  • Networked Community Media Learning
    methodology: networked-community-media
    By increasing interactions between community radio stations, the organization fosters greater production and learning, because peer networks enhance knowledge sharing, innovation, and collective resilience in media ecosystems.
  • Participatory Technical Capacity Building
    methodology: technical-education-for-self-sufficiency
    By integrating technical education and engineering support into community media projects, the organization builds long-term local self-sufficiency in both media infrastructure and renewable energy systems, because hands-on skill transfer strengthens community ownership and sustainability.
  • Regulatory Advocacy for Media Justice
    methodology: regulatory advocacy and legal action
    By engaging in regulatory processes and strategic litigation, the organization advances media justice and resists consolidation, because legal and policy interventions expand access to broadcast spectrum and protect democratic media pluralism.