WVPE Receives $500,000 Grant to Support Local Journalism Across Michiana

The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County has awarded a $500,000 grant to 88.1 WVPE Public Radio to expand its efforts in local journalism. The grant will be paid over three years, at roughly $166,000 a year, and will help the station grow its newsroom from three journalists to five.

“This gift is helping supercharge our local coverage,” said Anthony Hunt, Station Manager at WVPE. “As the pool of local journalists continues to shrink, this transformative investment from the Community Foundation directly addresses the growing need for reliable, local news.”

Listeners across St. Joseph County can look forward to more local stories, including coverage of city council meetings, school board meetings, and the goings-on that have fallen through the cracks as newsrooms across the area and across the nation have seen cuts in budgets and staffing levels.

The impact of this grant will be felt even beyond the airwaves. Besides producing more content for the station’s radio audience, Hunt is excited that WVPE will be able to cover stories and take them everywhere. That means more reporting on-air, online, and on social media — none of it hidden behind a paywall.

WVPE’s increased coverage will help hold public officials accountable, connect neighbors, provide platforms for local voices, and help residents navigate everything from school closings to public health alerts — without costing its listeners and readers a dime.

“Public radio was always designed to allow for local coverage, and people have a right to know what’s going on,” said Hunt. “We’re trying to do good in our community, and thanks to this grant, we can do even more of it.”