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Aspen Public Radio urges community to raise $500,000 after federal funding rescission
Summary
Aspen Public Radio told the City Council it lost roughly $210,000 in federal funding after a congressional rescission and has launched a resiliency fund asking the community to raise $500,000 to replace that support for 2025–26 and cover increased operational costs.
Breeze Richardson, executive director of Aspen Public Radio, told the Aspen City Council during public comment that the station "has lost federal funding" previously received through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and related appropriations. Richardson said the rescission removed about $210,000 the station had counted on and that the station has launched a resiliency fund to replace those dollars for 2025 and 2026.
"We are appealing to the community to raise $500,000 to replace that funding for this year, 2025, as well as 2026," Richardson said, adding staff expect about $60,000 in added costs next year from losing CPB‑supported services. She described the public radio system as critical infrastructure for emergency preparedness and said station leaders will provide additional materials to the city and community funders.
Mayor Richards and council members thanked Richardson for the update and noted conversations about the station's role in emergency communications. Richardson offered to answer follow-up questions and provided a handout to the council with more information about the resiliency campaign and operational impacts.
