Public Media Bridge Fund opens grants for station sustainability

The Public Media Bridge Fund on October 6 launched Pathways to Sustainability, a grant program for local public media organizations still adjusting to the rescission of federal funding last year. Organizations will be paired with coaches to write an action plan, and can then apply for money to carry out the parts they identify as core to their future sustainability.

Erik Langner, the fund's executive director, said many local public media organizations already know how their operations need to adapt and lack only the capital and capacity to get there. "Pathways to Sustainability will provide both, in the form of strategic grants and targeted coaching," he said.

Who can apply, and for how much

• Eligibility. Public radio and television stations that qualified for Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding as of September 30, 2025, and provide a unique local service.
• Budget limits. A total annual budget at or below $2 million for radio-only licensees, $5 million for TV-only licensees and $7 million for joint licensees.
• Grant size. Up to $150,000 in implementation funding for radio-only organizations and up to $250,000 for TV-only organizations and joint licensees, Allie Vanyur, the fund's head of programs and grants, told Current. She said the total amount will depend on station demand and available resources.
• Dates. A virtual information session on Monday, October 19, at 3 p.m. Eastern. The application opens on Tuesday, October 20, and is due on Thursday, November 19.

The fund says it is especially interested in collaborative operating models, shared or outsourced services, technology or engineering solutions and new revenue-generating strategies. It is also moving from station-based to organization-based support, so a licensee is treated as one organization rather than as a set of stations.

From rescue to repair

The program follows an emergency round that awarded $26 million to 74 local public media organizations, and a rolling Collaborative Operating Models program that opened this spring. The fund, an initiative of Public Media Company, says it has raised more than $86 million since it launched in 2025.

"At the Bridge Fund, sustainability means more than closing a budget gap," said Gabrielle Jones, the fund's head of sustainability. "It means diverse revenue streams that cover organizations' basic operating expenses and allow them to invest in high-quality local service and deep community engagement."