Minnesota Public Radio received the largest donation in the organization’s 55-year history when an anonymous donor gifted the radio station $56-million. The funds will be used exclusively to help “YourClassical” audiences and deliver technical help for new media transmission.
“We’re blown away by it,” MPR President Duchesne Drew said. “That is … a testament to this person’s love of classical music and of MPR and of the impact they can have through us. It’s really going to allow us to bring classical music to a lot more people.”
However, the radio station is also creating a permanent endowment to guarantee stewardship of the substantial donation to best serve the donor’s designated purpose. Furthermore, this endowment will allow MPR to withdraw 5% of the money each year, or about $2.8 million,
“This extraordinary gift will have a transformative impact on the future of Minnesota Public Radio and the communities we serve,” Jean Taylor, APMG President, and CEO, said.
“It will enable us to deepen and broaden our relevance with a growing audience by delivering compelling content, creating meaningful listening experiences, and advancing MPR’s digital capabilities and infrastructure. Through the generosity and support of this donor – and so many others – we will continue to fulfill our public service mission.”
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
