CPB announces five new grants totaling up to $9.6 million to rural public broadcasters to upgrade emergency alerting

In times of disaster, the American people need to know they can depend on public media to be there in their communities, providing emergency alerts and essential information. These grants fund critical infrastructure that ensures our stations can warn people to take cover, seek higher ground, and head for safety. Families can feel safer knowing that public media has their safety as a top priority.”

Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has announced that it has awarded five grants totaling $9.65 million to statewide public broadcasting networks in Louisiana, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming, as well as KUTE (KSUT Tribal Radio) in Colorado.

The announcement comes after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), working with CPB, lifted a 65-day hold on $136 million in contract reimbursements to CPB for public media stations seeking to update their equipment to create a more resilient and secure public alerting system.

“In times of disaster, the American people need to know they can depend on public media to be there in their communities, providing emergency alerts and essential information,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. “These grants fund critical infrastructure that ensures our stations can warn people to take cover, seek higher ground, and head for safety. Families can feel safer knowing that public media has their safety as a top priority.”

The latest stations recently receiving NGWS funding:

• South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Vermillion, South Dakota, pending final contract negotiation, up to $3,369,443 to buy and install 12 digital alert encoders/decoders, upgrade 10 FM stations so the entire statewide radio network can transmit in HD radio, and install equipment providing backup redundancy for the radio network in case of an emergency.

• Wyoming PBS, Riverton, Wyoming, pending final contract negotiation, up to $2,263,457 to replace outdated and unreliable equipment at 39 of their 53 locations to ensure timely and accurate emergency alerting across the state.

• Louisiana Public Broadcasting Network, Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Baton Rouge, up to $1,985,213 to buy and install transmitters and antennas for KLTL-TV in Lake Charles and KLTM-TV in Monroe and update alerting equipment to enable statewide delivery of alerts and warning messages.

• Wisconsin Network (PBS Wisconsin/Wisconsin Public Radio), Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, Madison, up to $1,445,686 to buy and install decoders and other equipment that will make the Wisconsin Network more resilient, expand coverage in rural areas, and upgrade the emergency alerting.

• KUTE, Inc. KSUT Tribal Radio, Ignacio, Colorado, pending final contract negotiation, up to $537,288 to replace equipment at nine locations to create back-up systems to broadcast emergency information during extended power outages.

“This is exciting news,” said Julie Overgaard, executive director of South Dakota Public Broadcasting. “We thank CPB for the continued investment being made in the critical infrastructure we need to deliver vital alerting information to help keep our communities safe during emergencies.”

In 2022, Congress directed FEMA to award CPB funding to establish and implement the competitive grant program. CPB has been awarded $136 million over three years to administer the program on FEMA’s behalf according to federal requirements. With the five new grants, approximately $24.9 million has been awarded to 45 organizations in 24 states in this initial round of funding, which drew from the $40 million allocated by Congress for Fiscal Year 2022. Congress subsequently appropriated $56 million in funding in FY 2023 and $40 million in FY 2024.

About CPB:

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation authorized by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit www.cpb.org and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and subscribe for email updates.