Emergency funding continues to stabilize Minnesota public media stations hit by the loss of federal funding — from North Minneapolis to the North Shore
Press Forward Minnesota today awarded $350,000 in emergency grants to four public media stations across the state, the second round of funding from its Save the Signal Minnesota Fund.
The grantees — Twin Cities PBS, KSRQ-FM in Thief River Falls, WTIP North Shore Community Radio in Grand Marais, and KMOJ 89.9 FM in Minneapolis — are among 16 Minnesota public media organizations losing more than $17 million a year from the elimination of Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding, cuts that represent between 5% and 50% of individual station budgets.
This round follows more than $500,000 awarded to five stations in January, bringing the fund’s total distribution to $850,000 across nine stations.
“Press Forward Minnesota launched Save the Signal to do two things: keep stations on the air right now, and give them room to build toward a sustainable future,” said May Yang, Director of Press Forward Minnesota. “These four stations are trusted voices in their communities, and this investment ensures they can keep informing, connecting, and serving Minnesotans for years to come.”
The new cohort reflects the full range of public media in Minnesota, from one of the most-watched PBS stations in the country to a small community station at the tip of the Arrowhead.
In the Twin Cities, the grant will help Twin Cities PBS continue delivering trusted journalism and educational programming to millions of viewers across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. “This investment strengthens our ability to continue providing trusted journalism, educational resources, and meaningful storytelling that helps people better understand their communities and one another,” said Sylvia Strobel, President & CEO of Twin Cities PBS.
Four hundred miles north in Grand Marais, the stakes are existential. WTIP North Shore Community Radio lost a quarter of its annual operating budget to the 2025 federal rescission, and the station serves one of the state’s most remote regions, where it is often the only source of local news, weather, and emergency information along Lake Superior. “At a time when journalism and democracy are in such a critical time, our community of listeners relies on WTIP now more than ever,” said Matthew Brown, the station’s Executive Director, adding that the grant allows WTIP to continue that essential service without interruption.
In northwest Minnesota, KSRQ-FM at Northland Community & Technical College delivers local news, music, and community programming to one of the state’s most rural regions while training the next generation of broadcasters through hands-on student experience. “The Save the Signal grant is a lifeline for our radio station, our many volunteer hosts, and our growing audience in northwest Minnesota,” said Mark Johnson of Pioneer 90.1, KSRQ.
Johnson said the grant buys the station a year to streamline operations through new technology and partnerships while building replacement revenue — a sustaining membership program, a larger base of local underwriters, and grants from area foundations. “We are extremely grateful to have this extra time.”
And in North Minneapolis, KMOJ — The People’s Station — has been the voice of the Twin Cities’ Black community for nearly five decades. “This investment is more than a grant — it is an investment in the people we serve every day,” said Freddie Bell, CEO & General Manager of KMOJ. Bell said the funding strengthens the station’s ability to inform, inspire, and connect its community with journalism and programming that reflects the voices and experiences of North Minneapolis and beyond.
The urgency behind the fund remains acute. Nearly a year after Congress rescinded federal funding for public broadcasting, Minnesota stations are still absorbing the blow — trimming staff, cutting programming, and stretching reserves to stay on the air. And the stakes reach beyond broadcasting: public media delivers emergency alerts that save lives, local reporting that keeps communities informed, and cultural programming that connects Minnesotans, with rural and tribal stations hit hardest.
About Press Forward Minnesota
Press Forward Minnesota is a statewide movement to ensure every community has access to trusted local news and vital civic information by strengthening Minnesota’s local news ecosystem. A local chapter of the national Press Forward movement, the initiative is housed at the Minnesota Council on Foundations, where grantmaking is conducted through the Press Forward Minnesota pooled fund.