SAMPLE PROPOSALS

Foundation Funding:

General Operating Support Proposals
Proposals submitted for general operating support are those requesting a broad level of funding. Funds can be used to purchase new equipment, continue maintenance, and cover employee expenses and other costs necessary to keep the doors open. In these cases, it is crucial that each station make its case for funding. In the examples provided below, these proposals highlight the importance of the individual stations particular to the proposal, as well as public media at large. They emphasize the impact each station makes in their community, and addresses the opportunity for improvement with additional funding.

North Carolina Public Radio (WUNC)
WUNC submitted this proposal to their local foundation for $25,000 to support general operating costs. Unique to this proposal is that it is a request for continued funding from a foundation that had supported WUNC previously. WUNC provides a vast range of programming, and has a history of community involvement through their partnerships with local organizations and educational institutions.

KQED Public Media
KQED submitted this proposal to their local foundation to support general operating costs. This proposal is a great tool for those whose services are vast and cover an extensive region. KQED maintains core media services covering television, radio, interactive online media, as well as a variety of educational initiatives. Working in partnership with other stations in the state, KQED reaches an audience up and down the California coast.

Targeted Proposals
Many proposals submitted to foundations are tailored toward a specific project or program area. In addition to highlighting the importance of each station to the community, these proposals go into greater detail about specific programs, strategies for continued funding and evaluative practices to ensure a successful outcome.

Marfa Public Radio (MPR)
MPR submitted this proposal for $76,996 to the Meadows Foundation to expand the audience and improve programming of “Nature Notes.” A result of a partnership between MPR and Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, “Nature Notes” encompasses a weekly short-format radio program currently aimed at the general public. This proposal is especially useful for those stations smaller in size, or those partnering with a community organization in production of a program.

Watch the webinar on MPR's successful application to the Meadows Foundation.

North Country Public Radio
North Country Public Radio submitted this combined proposal to the Knight Foundation’s Community Information Challenge. The challenge strives to help community and place-based foundations find creative ways to use new media and technology to keep residents informed and engaged. North Country Public Radio highlighted these objectives in three parts:

• The narrative provides the specifics about the station and the project they wish to pursue, partnership opportunities and evaluation measures.
• The budget narrative gives a detailed written description of the distribution of funds from this opportunity.
• The budget provides a simpler numerical version of the budget narrative.

Watch the webinar on NCPR’s successful application to the Knight Community Information Challenge

Capital Public Radio
This resource is an example of a work plan as submitted by Capital Public Radio to support the expansion of reporting on health care issues to include coverage of community health issues impacting California locally, regionally and statewide. The work plan submitted to the California HealthCare Foundation, illustrates the objective or activity, project outcomes as well as a timeline for implementation.

More information on the success of Capital Public Radio can be found on our website.