Overview
- NPR, which announced the donations Thursday, said the $113 million will speed a shift to stronger digital service across the NPR Network.
- Philanthropist Connie Ballmer gave $80 million, the largest gift to NPR from a living donor, to upgrade technology that helps the network reach audiences on the platforms they use.
- A separate $33 million gift from an anonymous donor is earmarked for NPR Network sustainability and for building shared tools that local public media stations can use.
- The funding arrives after federal actions reduced support for public media, including a $1.1 billion clawback from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and a Trump order later blocked by a judge in late March.
- CEO Katherine Maher said the donations do not replace lost federal dollars and urged continued backing for local stations, signaling more fundraising and new digital products ahead.