NCPR Fall Fundraiser
This upcoming Monday, Oct. 13, North Country Public Radio will launch its annual Fall Fundraiser. The station has a goal of raising $450,000.
According to North Country Now, due to the federal budget cuts over the summer, over $670,000 that was allotted to NCPR’s budget for the next two years was retracted. That money is somewhere around 12% to 15% of NCPR’s expected funds for those two years, reported by the Times Union. This means that NCPR will now, more than ever, rely on community support and donations to help continue to fund its programs.
In an Instagram video from NCPR, Station Manager Mitch Teich thanks NCPR listeners and donors for their support. “Ever since our federal funding was eliminated, you have really stepped up and helped us bridge the gap caused by the loss of those funds,” said Teich. However, the station manager said that the work is not over yet, noting the upcoming Fall Fundraiser. “It’s critical that you take that opportunity to directly support NCPR,” said Teich.
Donations can be made to the Fall Fundraiser through NCPR’s website or by phone call to the station. Different donation types can be made, including yearly, monthly, and one-time gifts. Depending on the donation amount, supporters will be eligible for NCPR merchandise gifts such as mugs, glasses, hats, t-shirts, and more.
According to NCPR, the largest portion of their funding comes from the surrounding community that they serve. NCPR is located in Canton, N.Y., and has been providing broadcasts daily with regional, national, and international news to the North Country as well as parts of Vermont and Canada for 57 years. The station not only covers daily news, but functions as an emergency broadcasting system for people in the area.
NCPR’s loss of funds comes after the wider federal budget cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In July, the House passed the Trump administration’s plan to revoke $9 billion in federal funds, as National Public Radio reported. $1.1 billion of these funds had been allocated for CPB. CPB then distributes the money to various member stations and NPR and PBS in order to maintain free public broadcasting, specifically for underserved areas.