NPR Receives $113M in Donations After Federal Funding Cuts

Photo Credit: NPR HQ in Washington, D.C., by Cornellrockey04 / CC by 4.0

NPR has received a pair of charitable donations totaling $113 million, enabling it to continue operations after federal funding cuts.

Public broadcasting organization NPR has announced a pair of charitable donations that totaled $113 million, which will enable it to continue operations after federal funding cuts earlier this year. Former NPR Foundation board member Connie Ballmer donated $80 million, while an anonymous donor contributed $33 million.

“I support NPR because an informed public is the bedrock of our society, and democracy requires strong, independent journalism,” said Ballmer. “My hope is that this commitment provides the stability and the spark NPR needs to innovate boldly and strengthen its national network.”

“NPR’s mission is unwavering, but our means must evolve,” said CEO and President Katherine Maher. “This remarkable investment will enable NPR to continue to deliver the nation’s finest public service journalism, meeting audiences where they are today and will be in the years to come.”

“While these investments are extraordinary, they do not replace the federal funding,” Maher cautioned, addressing the impact of Trump’s move to strip $1.1 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which dissolved in January.

Last month, a federal judge ruled that Trump’s executive order last May that defunded NPR and PBS was “unlawful and unenforceable.” However, much of the damage, especially to smaller, local broadcasters, was already done.

“The permanent loss of more than $1 billion in federal funding has created significant financial pressure across all of public media. No single benefactor can or should carry this responsibility alone,” she added. “Local member organizations—particularly those serving rural and remote parts of the country—continue to need your support.”

“But even had rescission not occurred, it would have been urgent for NPR and public media to evolve,” Maher continued. “After 50 years of delivering exceptional services to the nation, it was time to re-imagine our services for the next 50 years—how we might build a sustainable, innovative, and relevant network, native to our omnipresent digital ecosystem; a public service that sustains our common civic identity and sparks our collective curiosity.”

“Public media is an essential ingredient in healthy civic life. It enables strong, independent journalism that holds power to account and serves the public interest, and fosters cultural programming that celebrates our differences and connects around our commonalities,” Maher concluded. “This is a hopeful moment for the future of the press, made possible by the unwavering dedication of supporters everywhere.”