Community Foundation and Knight Foundation Present $30,000 Matching Gift to Prairie Public

At Prairie Public’s 2025 State of the Station event with PBS President & CEO Paula Kerger, the Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Region, in partnership with Knight Foundation, announced a $30,000 matching gift to support Prairie Public. The grant comes at a critical moment for public media, as stations nationwide face financial challenges that threaten their ability to continue serving their communities.
​
“As a mom raising two young daughters, I see the impact of public media every day — in our home, PBS Kids is part of our morning routine, and my husband and I tune in to Prairie Public radio daily,” said Becca Baumbach, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “This gift is about ensuring that families across our region continue to have access to trusted news, culture, and educational programming.”

The $30,000 grant is structured as a matching gift, meaning every dollar contributed by the community will be doubled. This investment is part of Knight Foundation’s national initiative to provide emergency support to local public media stations in Knight communities.

“Local public media stations are trusted community anchors that connect people to vital news, culture and civic life. This is an urgent moment that calls for bold action,” said Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, president and CEO of Knight Foundation. “We are proud to stand with our fellow foundations and urge others to join us in securing the future of public media.”

The joint support of the Community Foundation and Knight Foundation underscores the vital role Prairie Public plays in serving eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota with trusted journalism, cultural programming, and educational resources.

“When Prairie Public tells a story, it reflects who we are, where we live, and what matters to our local communities,” Baumbach added. “We invite community members to join us in this effort. Together, we can keep public media strong — both in this critical moment and for generations to come.”

For more information about Knight Foundation, visit kf.org.