NPR received its largest-ever donation from a living donor this week when billionaire philanthropist Connie Ballmer gave $80 million to the media organization.
Ballmer — a former member of the NPR Foundation’s board — told the Wall Street Journal that she poured money into NPR because “we need fact-based journalism, and we need local journalism.”
She told the paper that she’s been a fan of the organization since her 20s and that she listens to it “when I walk, I listen in the car, I listen at home and at work.”
“I support NPR because an informed public is the bedrock of our society, and democracy requires strong, independent journalism,” Ballmer said in a statement on Wednesday. “My hope is that this commitment provides the stability and the spark NPR needs to innovate boldly and strengthen its national network.”
Ballmer and her husband, LA Clippers owner and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, have donated more than $3 billion in recent years, according to an interview they gave in the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Her donation comes at an important time for NPR. Last year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending federal funding for public TV and radio organizations.
Approximately 1 percent of NPR’s budget was funded through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. However, the Corporation was responsible for up to half of the operating budgets of some smaller NPR member stations in rural areas, according to the broadcaster.
NPR pushed back and sued the Trump administration, arguing that the executive order broke federal law. The broadcaster earned a win in March after a judge ruled that the Trump administration could not use its power to slash funding for NPR.
Despite the court victory, Trump’s actions have left NPR to seek funding elsewhere.
“This is a tough time for independent journalism,” Katherine Maher, the CEO of NPR, told the Journal.
She told the paper that Ballmer’s gift would allow the company to become “more sustainable.”
Ballmer said that she understands the difficulties of running some of the smaller networks from her time on NPR’s foundation board.
“Helping them modernize and take advantage of the digital age is a great role for philanthropic dollars and something I’m proud to support,” she told the Journal.
Ballmer wasn’t the only one dropping big money to keep NPR on the airwaves. The news organization also announced on Wednesday that it had received a $33 million donation from an anonymous donor.
In total, NPR received $113 million between the donations.
Maher said that the gifts would help the network and its member stations to prepare for the next 50 years, calling them “catalytic investments” in NPR’s future, according to the broadcaster.
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