Federal & State Funding FAQs - updated 7/18/25

CPB funding and its support of WTIP

What we know:

Congress has eliminated federal funding for public radio – including what WTIP relies on every year to stay on the air and deliver the trusted local news and music you count on. If you believe in community radio on the North Shore, now is the time to act.

Support Community Radio

7/18/25

From:

Rima Dael, CEO
National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB)

You May Hate NPR. But Killing CPB Puts Rural America at Risk.

Defunding public media doesn’t punish NPR—it guts the emergency lifelines that small towns and Tribal communities depend on.

The Senate’s vote to rescind $1.1 billion in federal funding for public media has been framed as a rebuke to NPR. Critics argue the network lost its impartiality, and some have welcomed this cut as an overdue reckoning.

But NPR is not the real casualty here. Rural America is.

The National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB) represents nearly 200 community radio stations across the United States. Most of these stations are not affiliated with NPR or PBS. They are hyper-local, often 100% volunteer-run operations serving small towns, Tribal nations, and rural communities. They operate on shoestring budgets, powered by donated time and secondhand equipment

For these stations, federal support through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is not ideological—it is survival. According to CPB and GAO reports, up to half of rural stations could go off the air without federal funding. And when those stations go silent, so do the emergency alert systems communities rely on during wildfires, floods, tornadoes, and other emergencies.

This is not theoretical. AM/FM radio remains the most reliable medium in a crisis (FCC, 2018). When cell towers burn, when the power goes out, when internet networks fail, people turn to battery-powered radios. In many rural and Tribal regions, these community stations are the only real-time source of life-saving information.

The recent debate about NPR’s editorial choices should not be used to justify dismantling this critical civic infrastructure. The $1.1 billion Congress has clawed back will not significantly impact NPR executives or national programs, but it will devastate tiny community stations that have no other safety net.

These stations are staffed by neighbors, teachers, and retirees. They air high school sports scores, weather alerts, and local music alongside emergency notifications. They provide connection in places where isolation is real—and in moments of crisis, they save lives.

The next time a wildfire roars through Montana, a hurricane floods a Gulf Coast town, or a Tribal community issues evacuation orders, some people will turn their dials and hear only static.

Federal investment in public media is not a luxury. For millions of Americans, especially in rural and Tribal communities, it is a lifeline. Once those radios go silent, turning them back on will not be easy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House gave final approval to President Donald Trump’s request to claw back about $9 billion for public broadcasting and foreign aid early Friday as Republicans intensified their efforts to target institutions and programs they view as bloated or out of step with their agenda.

The vote marked the first time in decades that a president has successfully submitted such a rescissions request to Congress, and the White House suggested it won’t be the last. Some Republicans were uncomfortable with the cuts, yet supported them anyway, wary of crossing Trump or upsetting his agenda.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 216-213. It now goes to Trump for his signature.

7/17/25

From NPR

The Senate has approved the Trump administration’s $9 billion rescission package aimed at clawing back money already allocated for public radio and television — a major step toward winding down nearly six decades of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

CPB stands to lose $1.1 billion dollars meant to fund it through the next two years, while the bill also cuts $7.9 billion in other programs. CPB acts as a conduit for federal money to NPR, PBS and their member stations.

In a marathon “vote-a-rama” session that lasted into the small hours Thursday, senators introduced numerous amendments, before ultimately voting 51-to-48 to approve the package that includes cuts to foreign food and health programs. One senator, Minnesota’s Tina Smith, was not present at the vote due to hospitalization.

The senate’s approval of the cuts tees up a final showdown in the House, which approved an earlier version last month.

The Senate vote was largely along party lines, with Democrats voting against the bill and all but two Republicans voting for it. The GOP exceptions were Maine’s Susan Collins and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski. Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, who voted on Tuesday not to advance debate on the bill, prompting Vice President JD Vance to cast a tie-breaking vote, nonetheless approved the final measure.

In a statement immediately after the vote, NPR CEO Katherine Maher said: “Nearly 3-in-4 Americans say they rely on their public radio stations for alerts and news for their public safety,” adding, “We call on the House of Representatives to reject this elimination of public media funding, which directly harms their communities and constituents, and could very well place lives at risk.”

7/13/25

7/7/25

Here is the process so far:

The Administration sent a rescission request to Congress proposing to take back $1.1 billion previously approved by Congress for CPB for FY 2026 and FY 2027.

The Senate is expected to take up the package after the July 4th recess and has just eight in-session days before the July 18 deadline to act.

There is still a path forward. An amendment process could provide an opportunity to remove CPB from the package—or propose changes that lessen the impact on local stations.

Millions of Americans—rural and urban, conservative and progressive— have been made aware of this funding threat and are uniting in an unprecedented grassroots and national effort to save and sustain public media. They are sharing deeply personal stories about how their local stations add value to their lives—through trusted news, inspiring arts and culture, early learning, public safety – free and commercial free.

To call your representative visit       Protect My Public Media.org

Thank you for your time and support.

6/26/25

A Senate Appropriations Committee hearing was held June 24.

This hearing focused on the proposed rescissions package that includes a $1.1 billion cut in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

As you know, the White House sent a proposed rescissions package to Congress on June 3 that would claw back money previously appropriated by Congress. Congress has 45 days to pass it, with only a majority vote required. If it is not passed by July 18, the proposal dies.

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 4, the Rescission Act of 2025, on June 12, and now the bill is with the Senate for consideration. Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing with Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, testifying. During the hearing, Vought called funding for public media “wasteful” and urged Senators to pass the rescissions package that takes back funding from the CPB.

6/19/25

6/12/25

From :

Patricia de Stacy Harrison; President and CEO; Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)

This afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 214-212 to approve the President’s rescissions package, which claws back $1.1 billion of already appropriated funding for CPB for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

While this was not unexpected, it is extremely concerning. Federal funding is essential for public media, and particularly for your stations. Eliminating funding is an existential threat to many stations in rural and remote areas, which have a much greater challenge in raising non-federal dollars.

Millions of Americans rely upon and trust public media for high quality educational content, information, and life-saving alerts.

But the battle is not over. It now goes to the Senate, where complicated legislative procedures could delay the vote. The whole process must take place within 45 legislative days of the proposal being sent to Congress, which the Senate parliamentarian has said is July 18.

Patricia de Stacy Harrison

6/11/25

Yesterday evening, the House Rules Committee reported out a rule on a party-line vote that provides for the consideration of H.R. 4, the package that would rescind the previously appropriated funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in FY 2026 and FY 2027.

No amendments to the bill will be allowed. The Floor consideration will involve two votes: a procedural vote on the rule around 4:15 p.m. ET today, which is expected to pass, clearing the way for a House Floor vote on the bill tomorrow (Thursday). Exact timing is TBD.
 
If the bill passes the House, it will then move to the Senate – where it only needs 50 votes to pass. We are still hearing that a number of Republican Members have objections to the rescissions package, but they are facing substantial pressure to support this measure. We are working urgently to stop this package before it reaches the Senate. 

                                                                                                             Your Action needed
 
Ahead of tomorrow’s vote, we are urging all advocates to call their House offices in opposition. To call your representative visit                                                                                                   Protect My Public Media.org

6/10/25

6/04/25

The White House transmitted a rescissions package to Congress that would claw back already approved funding for public media. Congress has a limited timeframe to act on this measure – 45 session days – but a vote in the House could happen within days.
 
The Administration can now temporarily withhold any funding included in the plan. If Congress doesn’t approve the plan – or can’t get enough votes to pass it – the funds must be released. If the package passes the House, the Senate can approve it with a simple majority of just 50 votes, and Congress can modify what’s included.

• The proposed cuts would trim $1.1 billion from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting

• NPR and PBS receive the bulk of their funding from nongovernmental sources, but the Corporation for Public Broadcasting allocates about $535 million in federal funding annually to them and goes to smaller stations like WTIP

If the proposal is approved, WTIP stands to lose approximately $170,000 of our 2025 budget and $238,000, or 25% of our 2026 budget.

What is CPB?

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is a private, nonprofit corporation authorized by Congress in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. CPB does not produce programming. Instead, funding is distributed directly to local stations, allowing them to tailor programming to best serve their communities. “Congress directly authorized and funded CPB to be a private nonprofit corporation wholly independent of the federal government,” Corporation for Public Broadcasting CEO Patricia Harris wrote in a statement on May 2.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on May 2 directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cancel funding for both PBS and NPR. Executives at those media organizations are pushing back — arguing that the changes are unlawful. 

While the impact would be nationwide, it would hit rural areas like ours the hardest—where access to local news, music, and emergency alerts are limited.

What are the key things I should know about federal funding from CPB?

• Public media serves 99% of the U.S. population and millions of Americans daily.
• Funding for public media accounts for just 0.01% of the federal budget and amounts to about $1.60 per person.  
• Each station is locally managed and invests federal funding in programs and services tailored to its community.
• CPB funding allows public media stations to pool resources towards satellite interconnection, emergency alert systems, music licensing and development of educational programs, all of which would be too expensive for stations to do on their own.

The Critical Role of Federal & State Funding

Many listeners may assume WTIP is part of Minnesota Public Radio but we are an independent station and do not receive any funding from them.

The Minnesota State legislature has decreased the funding level for WTIP, from The Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (Legacy Funds), in the biennium starting in FY26 (July 2025) by $30,000, and it is unclear if this reduction in funding will continue into FY27.

Breakdown of WTIP’s Funding Sources:

• Individual Donations: 29% 
• Underwriters: 11% 
• Grants: 56%
  • 25% from CPB
  • 11% from The Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (Legacy Funds)
• Other: 4%

How You Can Support WTIP and Public Media

Your voice and support can make a difference. To ensure the future of public media, you can:

• Spread the Word: Follow WTIP on Facebook, subscribe to our newsletter, and encourage friends and family to support us.
• Donate to WTIP: If you’re already a member, thank you. If you’re not, now is a great time to renew or increase your support.
• Advocate for Public Broadcasting: Stay informed and urge Congress to save CPB Funding at Protect My Public Media.org