PMDMC Panel: Grant Center Members Use Stimulus Funding for Education
July 22, 2021
The Grant Center presented a panel discussion at the 2021 PMDMC virtual conference called "Leveraging Federal Stimulus Funding to Provide Critical Education Services During a Pandemic."
Download the slides
Panelists:
Meegan White, Director, The Grant Center for Public Media
Will Glasscock, Legislative and Policy Consultant, APTS
Eric Delgado Santiago, President WIPR, Puerto Rico
Marietty Lasanta Berrios, Programming Director, WIPR Puerto Rico
José Juan Pérez-Velázquez, General Producer (#EnCasaAprendo), WIPR Puerto Rico
Angela Zanelli, VP Policy & Advocacy, Lehigh Valley Public Media
Description:
The passage of the American Rescue Plan has created enormous opportunities for stations, many of whom already have experience building on accessing funds from the CARES Act last year. In addition to the new $175 million in CPB money, the new $1.9 trillion stimulus bill includes:
- $135 million to NEA and another $135 million to NEH.
- $125 billion in new funding for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief.
- $39 billion for Higher Education Emergency Relief.
- $350 billion for state and local governments.
In this session, we hear two case studies of Grant Center stations that took advantage of the opportunities in the CARES Act of 2020 to lean into their education mission and reach their local communities during a pandemic.
- By accessing GEER funding in Puerto Rico, WIPR was able to create Spanish language educational content to reach students without access to classrooms or remote learning through television and broadband.
- In Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley Public Media forged and leveraged state and local relationships, which resulted in GEER funding for distance learning initiatives, as well as county funding for an online pre-k program.
Stations all over the country continue to access CARES Act funding, and now have access to even more funding through the American Rescue Plan. Will Glasscock gives us an overview of the many new opportunities available through your state, and Meegan White lets you know how the Grant Center for Public Media gives you the tools you need to access those opportunities right now!
Read more about the services available to stations through the Grant Center for Public Media.