Public Media Bridge Fund Launches New Sustainability Program with Open Call Supporting Collaborative Operating Models Across Public Media

Initiative marks next phase of Bridge Fund’s work, advancing long-term sustainability following initial stabilization efforts

Boulder, Colorado — March 31, 2026 — The Public Media Bridge Fund, an initiative of Public Media Company, today announced the launch of its Sustainability Program, a new initiative designed to strengthen the long-term sustainability of public media organizations while preserving their essential local service. The Sustainability Program builds on the Bridge Fund’s initial round of stabilization funding announced in December, which awarded $26 million in immediate grants to 74 organizations operating 186 radio and television stations and reaching 30 million people nationwide.

The Sustainability Program’s first open call focuses on advancing implementation-ready collaborations across the public media system at a moment when many organizations are reassessing how they operate following the loss of federal support through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). As stations navigate this shift, the Sustainability Program is intended to support structural solutions that improve efficiency, reduce duplication, and position organizations for long-term resilience, allowing them to continue to serve their communities.

“Over the past six months, our focus has been getting urgent support out the door to keep stations from going dark, while assessing what the system needs next. Moving forward, we’re focused on helping the system work better, together,” said Erik Langner, Executive Director of the Public Media Bridge Fund. “For nearly six decades, the public media system has been strengthened by partnerships across programming, distribution, technology, and fundraising. This collaborative spirit, and extensive conversations with station leaders across the country, has informed how we will work with organizations to develop sustainable operating models that preserve local service while strengthening the system for the future.”

Through the open call on collaborative operating models, the Bridge Fund will support projects involving two or more organizations, at least one of which must be a CPB-qualified public radio or television station. Funded collaborations are expected to create measurable operational efficiencies, cost savings, and/or revenue growth while maintaining strong local programming, community engagement, and donor relationships. Funding will combine grants up to $500,000 per project, low-interest loans, and advisory services, tailored to the needs of each project.

Eligible projects may include, but are not limited to, statewide or regional networks, hub-and-spoke models, mergers, operational partnerships between public media and non-public media organizations, and shared services such as finance, HR, technology, underwriting, fundraising, and engineering. 

“The Bridge Fund has quickly become a vital extension of Public Media Company’s 25 years of work, helping to catalyze new approaches to how the system operates,” said Tim Isgitt, CEO of Public Media Company. “As we look to the future of public media, the Sustainability Program is designed to establish replicable, scalable models that strengthen long-term resilience. This work is made possible by the leadership of more than a thousand philanthropic partners who have stepped forward to support the future of public media. There is significant work ahead, and we are grateful for every supporter who joins this effort.”

The Bridge Fund will review Letters of Intent on a rolling basis, with select applicants invited to submit full proposals. Funding decisions will be made on an ongoing basis with input from external advisors, pending available funds. More information and application details are available at publicmediabridgefund.org/station-resources.

About Public Media Bridge Fund

The Public Media Bridge Fund, an initiative of Public Media Company, is designed to guide local public media through a crisis moment to a more sustainable, vibrant, and impactful future.  Launched in 2025, the Bridge Fund has raised over $73 million to date with the mission of maintaining public media service across the country; protecting essential infrastructure for local, nonprofit use; and strengthening system-wide resilience and community value for the long-term. The Bridge Fund’s strategy is rooted in a sequential and progressive framework, beginning with stabilization and moving through sustainability with the ultimate goal of transforming the system to solidify public media as a cornerstone of a more connected society. For more information, visit publicmediabridgefund.org.

About Public Media Company

Public Media Company is a nonprofit strategic advisor and partner to public media organizations nationwide. Through financial services, strategic planning, partnership development, and catalyzing innovative initiatives, Public Media Company helps stations expand their impact, improve their sustainability, and strengthen local service. Since its founding, Public Media Company has worked with more than 400 local media organizations to advance public service media and ensure that audiences everywhere have access to trusted, independent information. For more information, visit publicmedia.co.

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For more information, please contact:
Resnicow and Associates
pmbf@resnicow.com