Local public radio station KPCW kicked off its annual summer pledge drive with its August Back Alley Bash at City Park, but the main event — the on-air fundraiser — starts Monday, Sept. 8.
KPCW General Manager Juliana Allely said the goal is to raise $350,000. That money covers programming, on-air news programs, online offerings, as well as emergency alerts.
“Our news and information that we are producing seven days a week is hyperlocal,” Allely said. “We're going to those school board meetings, we're going to county council meetings, we're going to city council meetings. We're going to those meetings so that you, the people who are living and working and recreating in the Wasatch back, know what's going on here in your community.”
The funding also covers one of KPCW’s most beloved community services: the Lost and Found report. NPR President Katherine Maher mentioned the service Thursday night on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” when discussing the value of local public radio stations.
"There's a station out in Utah in Park City that if you lose your mittens in town, they will let you know your mittens have gone missing," Maher said. “Really what we’re talking about is the ability for people to connect with one another and find ways to bridge and strengthen the communities that we live in.”
Allely said KPCW is also facing a new funding challenge this year. After Congress cut $1.1 billion in previously allocated funds, NPR, PBS and their roughly 1,500 member stations across the U.S., including KPCW, lost all federal support.
With the loss of its annual federal grant, KPCW now faces a cash shortfall of $264,000 — about 15% of its operating budget — for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
“Federal funding had been around for almost 60 years, so to lose that so quickly was just unprecedented,” Allely said. “Now stations are really working to figure out how to fill that gap.”
The community rallied to raise over $150,000 for the station in July during an emergency fundraiser. The station must raise another $115,000 to completely cover the shortfall.
Allely said she and KPCW’s finance committee and board of trustees identified some cuts to save money, including modifying weekend programming.
The news team will kick off the first on-air hour of the pledge drive Monday at 8 a.m. Reporters will share their most impactful stories of the year and more about how their coverage supports and informs people in the Wasatch Back.
After the news team, a variety of local nonprofits will join KPCW’s airwaves on Monday and throughout the week. They will talk about their missions and the role KPCW plays in supporting their work. By partnering with the station, Allely said nonprofits earn free underwriting credit and can save marketing money.
“After the fund drive is over and the dust is settled, we'll be able to give those nonprofits underwriting credits so they can fulfill their mission,” Allely said.
Under this model, KPCW has awarded more than $720,000 in free underwriting credits to area nonprofits since 2021.
Supporters can donate now by clicking here or calling the station at (435) 649-9004 during the on-air fundraiser Monday, Sept. 8, through Thursday, Sept. 11. The pledge drive ends Sept. 14.
