Your gift today helps Kansas Public Radio strengthen an already-growing endowed fund dedicated to local news. Earnings from this fund go straight into local reporting, especially coverage of the Kansas Statehouse. 

What began as an effort to support KPR’s Statehouse Bureau Chief has quickly gained momentum. The KPR News Fund has grown from $75,000 in 2023 to $142,000 in 2025, and now a remarkable $250,000 commitment from the Dean Coughenour Trust will push it even further. 

This surge in community support couldn’t come at a more crucial moment. With federal funding for public radio eliminated and the University of Kansas ending its cash support, KPR now relies on listeners and underwriters for 99% of its budget. At the same time, local news sources, especially newspapers, are shrinking. To safeguard the future, we’re investing in endowed funds that will generate lasting revenue to ensure Kansans continue receiving trusted, independent news for generations to come. Achieving a long-term impact will require adding significant resources to the fund. 

Since 1978, KPR’s Statehouse Bureau Chief has delivered year-round reporting from Topeka. State government is complex, but our listeners know they can count on us for clear, in-depth coverage of legislative sessions, elections and the everyday decisions that shape life in Kansas. 

In recent years, we’ve also shared our Statehouse reporting—free of charge—through the Kansas News Service, helping radio stations and newspapers across the state keep their communities informed. At a time when local newsrooms are declining, this work has never been more essential. 

For One Day One KU, please consider a gift to KPR’s News Fund. With your support, we can keep watching the Statehouse, and the state, on behalf of you and every Kansan. Thank you!