Preliminary Post-Election Funding Analysis
Preliminary Post-Election Funding Analysis
What do the results of the midterm elections mean for federal programs that have been relevant to public broadcasting stations in the past?
Overall Outlook
In general and across all federal agencies, funding will be more restricted. There will, however, still be opportunities for public broadcasters to apply for federal grant funding, directly or in partnership with other groups.
It is likely that Congress will pass an omnibus spending bill in December 2010, for Fiscal Year 2011. If so, it is possible that signature Obama Administration programs will receive funding, including the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation (i3) and Promise Neighborhoods. This would mean another round of awards for each programs.
The Choice Neighborhoods program from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) are all relatively new programs and received most or all of their funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The FY 2011 Senate Appropriations Bill includes funding for Choice Neighborhoods, but it could face a challenge for further funding in the current climate and be cut before the President signs the bill. The other programs' futures are uncertain.
Programs from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are long-standing programs and will likely continue to be funded. While they do not necessarily face elimination, it is also unlikely that they will see funding increases.
Funding Streams from the U.S. Department of Education
While it is hard to predict what the specific requirements will be for future programs, it is likely that public broadcasting stations will be able to apply for i3 and Promise Neighborhoods grants as lead applicants. The Obama Administration has said that the next round of the Race to the Top program might invite local applicants, in addition to state applicants.
For stations to continue to access federal funds, there will need to be a widespread understanding that public broadcasting stations are critical partners in education and technology. Public media can and should present itself as a high-tech, innovative, cost-effective resource to schools, teachers and families.
Secretary Duncan has said that the Department of Education wants to invest significant dollars into early childhood education in the next Congress. With increasing fiscal constraints, it is hard to know where that money will come from and if this is still a viable goal in the new political environment. Additionally, teacher recruitment, dropout recovery and college completion have become key priorities of the Obama Administration and Congress. Wherever public media can address these issues, there may be opportunities for funding and partnership.
Conclusion
Every program at every level will be trying to accomplish more with less money. This is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity for public media to be seen as a cost-effective investment.
