The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) recently announced that it has awarded five grants totaling $9.6 million to statewide public broadcasting networks in Louisiana, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, as well as KSUT Public Radio in Ignacio, Colo. 

The announcement comes after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), working with CPB, lifted a 65-day hold on $38 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, S.D., 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• Wyoming PBS, Riverton, Wyo., pending final contract negotiation, up to $2,263,457 to replace outdated and unreliable equipment at 39 of their 53 locations to ensure timely and accurate emergency alerting across the state.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, La. 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, Wis. 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. 
• KSUT Public Radio (KSUT Tribal Radio and KSUT Four Corners Public Radio), Ignacio, Colo., $537,288 to replace equipment at nine locations to create backup systems to broadcast emergency information during extended power outages. 

“We are thrilled to be able to move forward again with this project.” said Tami Graham, Executive Director of KSUT Public Radio. “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.