About the Public Media Bridge Fund
A Strategic Response to an Unprecedented Crisis
Local public media is facing one of the most severe challenges in its history. With the elimination of Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funding, as many as 115 public television and radio stations, collectively serving 43 million Americans, are at risk of closing by mid-2026. If these stations go dark, communities could lose trusted journalism, emergency alerts, educational programming, and vital civic connection.
The Public Media Bridge Fund — an initiative of Public Media Company — exists to guide the system through this crisis by providing fast, flexible support to keep local stations on the air and moving toward a more sustainable future.
Securing a Sustainable Future for Local Public Media
OUR MISSIONOur mission is to guide local public media through a crisis moment to our more sustainable and impactful future.
The Bridge Fund is designed to:
Keep at-risk stations on the air
Provide timely support to help organizations navigate financial shocks and avoid service interruptions.
Protect essential infrastructure for local, nonprofit use
Safeguard towers, spectrum, and other assets so they remain aligned with public media’s service mission.
Strengthen long-term sustainability and community value
Support new operating models, partnerships, and community strategies that increase resilience and impact.
What’s at Stake
For nearly 60 years, the U.S. has built a nationwide network of 550+ locally governed public media organizations that reach 99% of the country. This system represents tens of billions of dollars of public and private investment and an irreplaceable civic asset.
Local public media provides :
A critical backbone for public safety and emergency communication
Educational and cultural programming for learners of all ages
Trusted local information that keeps communities engaged and connected
Reporting from more than 4,400 local journalists, covering issues that national outlets often overlook
Without CPB funding—and without a safety net—a single financial shock can force a station into deep cuts or closure. When that happens, entire communities lose access to essential information and connection.
The Bridge Fund exists to prevent those losses wherever possible and help stations evolve toward stronger, community-centered models of service.
From Stabilization to Transformation
OUR APPROACHThe Bridge Fund provides support across three phases, helping stations stabilize now and transform for the future.
Keeping essential service on the air
In the immediate term, the Bridge Fund provides rapid support to stabilize stations facing sudden financial gaps, preventing service interruptions and ensuring communities, especially those in rural or underserved areas, continue to receive trusted local information when they need it most.
Stabilization
Strengthening organizations and protecting assets
As stations regain their footing, the Bridge Fund helps them build more resilient operating models. This includes safeguarding critical infrastructure such as towers and spectrum, offering advisory support on financial and organizational strategy, and encouraging collaborations and shared services that improve long-term stability.
Sustainability
Building a stronger future for public media
Looking ahead, the Bridge Fund supports innovation in how stations serve their communities across platforms, partnerships, and new revenue approaches. This phase focuses on strengthening the wider public media network, creating system-level efficiencies, and helping the field evolve toward a more sustainable, community-centered future.
Transformation
Public Media Bridge Fund Team
OUR TEAMThe Public Media Bridge Fund is led by a dedicated team at Public Media Company, working closely with partners and advisors across the public media system.
Our team brings experience in station strategy, finance, journalism, technology, and community service, supported by an advisory board of leaders from across the field.
Information & Insights Consultant
Moustapha Abdul brings more than a decade of experience driving data‑informed decision‑making across the public media industry.
Program Officer
Allie Vanyur is an experienced nonprofit leader with expertise in grantmaking, program strategy, and digital innovation across arts, journalism, and public media.
CEO, Public Media Company
Development Consultant
Managing Director, Public Media Company
Alejandro de Onís
VP/Communications and Digital Strategy, Knight Foundation
Karen Rundlet
CEO, Institute for Nonprofit News (INN)
Head of Impact & Engagement
Louisa brings more than nine years of experience working in and studying public media to her role as Head of Impact and Engagement at the Public Media Bridge Fund.
Executive Director
Erik has spent 20 years in national leadership roles in public broadcasting, and serves as the Executive Director of the Public Media Bridge Fund.
ADVISORY BOARDPublic Media Bridge Fund Advisory Board
Teresa Bazemore (Chair)
Retired President & CEO, Federal Home
Loan Bank of San Francisco
Susan Harmon
Co-Director, Meyerhar Productions
Evan Smith
Senior Advisor, Emerson Collective
John Crigler
Of Counsel, Garvey Schubert Barer
Feather Houstoun
Senior Advisor for Journalism and Public Media, Wyncote Foundation
Chi-hui Yang
Senior Program Officer, Ford Foundation
Kyle McEneaney
Director, The Schmidt Family Foundation
Angelica Das
Program Director for Equitable Journalism, Democracy Fund
ABOUT PUBLIC MEDIA COMPANY
Public Media Company
For 25 years, Public Media Company has strengthened nonprofit, mission-driven media by providing organizations with the services, support, and insights they need to thrive and make a lasting local impact.
How the Bridge Fund Is Structured
The Public Media Bridge Fund is a philanthropic initiative of Public Media Company.
Public Media Company serves as the organizational home for the Bridge Fund
Contributions are made to Public Media Company and designated for the Public Media Bridge Fund’s work
Donors and partners engage with the Bridge Fund through PMC’s established governance, finance, and compliance structures.
Public Media Company and the Public Media Bridge Fund do not interfere in the editorial, programming, or journalistic decisions of the public media organizations we support. All Bridge Fund grantees retain full independence and control over their content and coverage.
WORK WITH USCareers
Program and Development Coordinator
The Public Media Bridge Fund is seeking a Program and Development Coordinator to support the fund’s grantmaking and fundraising efforts. This role will dually support the Program Officer and Head of Impact & Evaluation in the implementation of grantmaking, fundraising, program delivery, and communications activities.
Support Public Media
Visit our Support page for online donations and instructions for major or institutional giving.