As WABE enters its second year without federal funding, the public media organization is setting up for a “100 percent community-funded” future.
It’s a big gap to fill. On July 19, 2025, Congress cut $1.9 million in federal funding to the public media organization, roughly 13 percent of WABE’s operating budget. It left the PBS and NPR affiliate scrambling to close the gap and resume normal operations.
From July to October, WABE President and CEO Jennifer Dorian said the outlet was in “crisis mode.” It received an influx of donations from the public after outcry about the government defunding public media.
WABE survived, but now it’s looking to “thrive” in a future without federal funds.
“In year two, we don’t want to be approaching it in crisis mode; we want to approach this as let’s be 100 percent community funded,” Dorian said.
But community funding requires a massive fundraising effort. On March 25, WABE held its first-ever evening benefit fundraiser, WABE Live: Acts for Facts. Local on-air personalities joined hosts like Meghna Chakrabarti and David Branaccio, with a performance from Indigo Girls, all focused on the outlet’s “public service mission.”
It was organized in a few months with little promotion, but the fundraiser paid off. WABE walked away with $1.1 million in raised funds.
There’s still an approximate $800,000 gap to fill. WABE plans to continue fundraising. But now, it’s not “crisis mode.” CEO Jennifer Dorian said community funding is the future of the public media outlet.
“I am envisioning and planning for a world where WABE is 100 percent community funded, which gives us clarity,” Dorian said.
Rather than hope for a changing administration and influx of federal funding, the organization is looking to a long-term community model. Its biggest stakeholder will now be the public, and it gives WABE a clear-cut mission.
But a true public funding model is no easy task. The outlet’s biggest hurdle is convincing people to hand over dollars in an era when information is more accessible and freer than ever before.
Currently, Dorian said many donors still cite the public defunding as their main reason for giving. “That particular message hasn’t fatigued yet,” she explained. It may have even energized new audiences.
According to the CEO, about 23 percent of public media donations are coming from new donors, and ratings are up for adults aged 25-49.
“The whole drama is bringing people forward who might have been unaware or on the fence, and now they’re stepping up,” Dorian said. “So it’s been very uplifting.”
But public outcry won’t last forever. As WABE shifts its funding model, Dorian looks to long-term fundraising strategies. She teased things like film screenings, trivia nights and even more fundraisers.
The big task is “reiterating the value” WABE provides to its audience.
“We have to make sure people know our value proposition, that we’re community assets for public good, and that we are bringing you open, free access to local facts and voices,” Dorian said.
The outlet has some plans. It will soon launch an “Open Access” program that lets people tour the station and learn about the journalistic process. Dorian said the community “has to be aware” of the outlet, so the fundraising must focus on outreach.
“In some ways, it’s a gift, because we have no other motive than to serve people,” Dorian said.
The CEO is confident WABE is up to the task. Now that the outlet is out of crisis mode, it’s looking to a fully-funded future.
“We have a new vision for 2030, which is to be the most trusted resource that’s always within reach,” Dorian said. “Always available on your phone, in your feed, on your smart speaker and in your inbox.”
Read more from Metro Atlanta’s public news outlet at wabe.org.
