As we close out 2025, I find myself reflecting on just how much has changed—and how much clarity we finally have as the year ends. We began this year under extraordinary uncertainty: a presidential executive order freezing federal funding for public media, the weaponization of DEI efforts across the country, and by summer, the defunding of CPB as we have known it for the past nearly 60 years. All of this unfolded during NFCB’s 50th anniversary celebration year—a milestone that should have been simple joy, but instead became a testament to resilience.
And yet, amid all the turbulence, the strength of our membership as a network was unmistakable. One of the brightest highlights of my year was seeing so many of our member stations in Salt Lake City—showing up, standing together, and reaffirming why community radio matters. And right alongside that moment was another extraordinary milestone: the MacArthur Foundation’s remarkable $1.25 million gift to NFCB, an unprecedented investment in our future and a resounding affirmation of the importance of community radio in this moment of national change. That gift—combined with the energy in Salt Lake City—felt like a powerful reminder that our work matters deeply.
As the year unfolded and the current administration in Washington, D.C. reshaped the landscape, we tossed out the original game plan for 2025. I quietly refocused on three new goals—three “dragons” I was determined for NFCB to face head-on:
- Secure NFCB’s financial sustainability to withstand the loss of CPB.
- Clarify our role in system-wide interconnection, including access to PRSS and emergency alerting.
- Understand the implications and future of the SoundExchange agreement for our members.
I am relieved—and proud—to share that we now have a path forward on all three fronts. It has been a heavy lift to stay ahead of nonstop policy developments, legal actions, executive orders, and shifting system dynamics. But it mattered deeply that we cut through the noise, clarified the facts, and translated complex information into guidance you could act on. That has been our commitment: to meet the moment with accuracy, calm, and purpose.
Below is a look at what NFCB accomplished this year. All of this work was made possible, and informed, by our incredible member stations’ engagement, questions, station work, and trust in NFCB.
Webinars & Training
Between January and early November, we hosted 26 webinars covering:
- Project-based fundraising
- End-of-year giving
- Navigating uncertainty at the FCC
- Youth engagement in journalism
- Energizing member drives
- Podcasting basics
We also convened:
- 3 all-member virtual town halls
- 2 CSG-member town halls
- 7 Audience Counts Initiative (ACI) training webinars
- 2 underwriting cohort hangouts
This level of collective learning is extraordinary for a network of our size. Thank you for showing up so fully.
2025 Conference
Looking back at Salt Lake City with fresh eyes, the post-conference survey data confirms what we felt in the room: we delivered an engaging, energizing, and deeply necessary convening at a time when the entire public media system felt under siege. Nearly every session saw strong in-person participation, even the niche ones. That speaks to the diversity of our membership—and the essential role NFCB plays in holding this community together.
Communications Strategy
This year, we partnered with Brevity & Wit to develop a refreshed communications strategy. Their guidance helped us:
- Redesign the Tuesday Tidbits interface
- Clarify newsletter language
- Streamline our channels
- Sunset unused accounts
This work also directly influenced the creation of our Meeting the Moment webpage—a centralized, outward-facing resource for funders, partners, policymakers, and member stations needing quick, accurate updates on system changes.
Advocacy & “Meeting the Moment”
Early in the year, we created a customizable Advocacy Toolkit with illustrator Jamie Horter—helping stations tell their story, articulate their value, and educate supporters. Over the summer, this expanded into social-media–friendly graphics, scripts, and a user guide.
To help consolidate evolving information from July onward—including rapidly changing realities around CPB, interconnection, and national policy—we developed a prominent “Meeting the Moment” page on our website. Designed with support from Brevity & Wit, it has been an essential resource for public media colleagues, funders, policymakers, and our own members trying to stay informed.
We also updated the NFCB wikipedia page:
See NFCB’s Wikipedia Page [Button]
Audience Counts Initiative (ACI)
ACI continued to grow as a major pillar of NFCB’s training and capacity-building. This multi-module program supported stations through:
- Leading Through Uncertainty
A 4-part training from Brevity & Wit and NFCB on leadership, volunteer training, and navigating change. - Information Ecosystems
A module co-led by Listening Post Collective, helping stations build Civic Media Projects based on the Civic Information Index. - Navigating & Managing Conflict
A three-part workshop series with Good Conflict, co-led by Helene Biandudi-Hofer and me, to help stations transform high conflict into productive, mission-centered communication.
ACI participants included stations across the country—from KKFI and KUYI to WOMR, Allegheny Mountain Radio, and Big Cabbage Radio—with 8 more already joining the winter cohort.
Station Consulting
Throughout the year, the NFCB team fielded countless calls and emails from stations seeking guidance on:
- Volunteer management
- FCC concerns
- SoundExchange
- Strategic planning
- LPFM windows
- Organizational culture
- And more
2025 Public Radio Tech Survey (PRTS)
This year, NFCB funded the translation of PRTS into Spanish and partnered with Radio Bilingüe to ensure clarity and accuracy. As of now, 30 NFCB stations are participating in the PRTS x NFCB overlay study, with more joining. We have a training series planned for 2026 in partnership with City Square Associates and Brevity & Wit to help stations turn data into messaging and revenue.
Looking Ahead
We have weathered an extraordinary year—together. Thank you for your resilience, your service to your communities, and your trust in NFCB as your national partner. The clarity we have now was not guaranteed, but we earned it through collective focus and persistence. And with the extraordinary MacArthur gift in hand, we enter 2026 with resources, stability, and possibility that felt unimaginable just one year ago.
As we move into 2026, we do so with stronger footing, a clearer path, and renewed purpose. I look forward to all that we will build together in the year ahead.
With deep appreciation and wishing you all the best of the holiday season!
Holiday hugs,
Rima Dael, NFCB CEO
