More than $1 billion marked for NPR and PBS has been cut from the federal budget in recent weeks. New estimates show that the funding being slashed has led to an influx of donations to the public media brands.
The Contributor Development Partnership, which analyzes media fundraising efforts, estimates that 120,000 donors have pledged $20 million in funding in the past three months, when it became increasingly clear that the funding cuts would be enacted by Congress.
“It is still early, and we hope the support will continue to grow,” Contributor Development Partnership President and CEO Michal Heiplik told The New York Times. “Next few weeks will be telling.”
Overall, donations to NPR and PBS are an estimated $70 million higher at this stage than they were in the same time frame during 2024.
“It is great to see the community respond as it shows how much appreciation (and need) there is for public media,” Heiplik added. “Now we need this level of support to continue as we reinvent the infrastructure impacted by loss of federal funding.”
Last week, the Senate passed $9 billion in federal spending cuts, including more than $1 billion in cuts to NPR and PBS.
The passed legislation would remove $1.1 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. That figure represents what the CPB was slated to receive over the next two budget years.
The vote to pass the cuts was split largely along party lines. Those voting against the move included all Senate Democrats, who were joined by Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK).
Cuts to NPR and PBS come after a new Harris Poll survey shows that 66% of Americans believe that public radio should receive federal funding. The support isn’t limited to only one side of the political aisle. 77% of self-identified Democrats responded favorably to federal funding continuing to NPR. Meanwhile, 58% of Republicans responded similarly.
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