“Long Live KWMR!” Listeners Power KWMR to a Brighter Future After Federal Funding Cuts

POINT REYES STATION, CA – One year ago, the future of KWMR West Marin Community Radio was uncertain. A full-powered FM radio station north of San Francisco, the station was hit hard when the federal Rescissions Act of 2025 eliminated funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The CPB was a nonprofit that, for nearly 60 years, distributed public money to radio and television outlets throughout the country. Beloved stations of all sizes faced cutbacks or closure, but smaller stations that serve rural and tribal communities were especially impacted. Yet, KWMR, a station built from the ground up by artists, activists and engineers, found a way to keep going: its people. The small, rural station launched a “Long Live KWMR” campaign with the same grassroots, collaborative spirit with which it all began 27 years ago.

A long time listener and donor, Lee Giammona, had a bright idea. KWMR’s lost federal funding made up nearly 25% of its operating budget. So, Giammona decided to boost her monthly giving by 25%, and made a short video to ask others to do the same. That video went viral, at least by West Marin standards. People across the North Bay and beyond heard the call and filled the gap. From July 2025 to June 2026, KWMR gained 382 new donors, and saw a 58% increase in giving over the same time period in 2024-25. 43 local businesses and nonprofits are now proud sponsors of KWMR. The station also saw an influx of new volunteers who bring fresh perspective and new sounds to KWMR’s 24/7 programming.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” says KWMR Station Manager and Executive Director Amanda Eichsteadt. “But we can breathe a little easier, thanks to our listeners. We’re so grateful for all the ways people showed up for us over the last year.” The station also benefited from:

• an ambitious spring Pledge Drive that raised more than $150,000 and a successful End of Year Appeal
• 51 car donations via kwmr.careasy.com, generating $48,956 in revenue for the station 
• a one-time Bridge Fund from the Public Media Company, who stepped in to rescue stations most at risk of closure
• local events for KWMR, including Parachute Days, founded by artist Gabe Korty, shows at Petaluma-based Griffo Distillery, and ‘A Christmas Carol’ at Tomales Town Hall, presented by Sharron Drake Community Arts
• Fairfax-based designer Tommy Breeze’s custom KWMR hats, available online and at KWMR events

KWMR listeners and supporters know how important it is to have a resilient radio station. After the devastating floods of 1982 and the Mount Vision Fire in 1995, West Marin realized the need for verified emergency information when disasters cut our rural communities off from the outside world. In September 2020, the Los Angeles Times chronicled how KWMR provided updates every 30-minutes as the Woodward Fire ravaged the Point Reyes National Seashore, even as station staff were forced to evacuate their homes. That’s why KWMR was founded, and why so many people stepped up to save it. 

When the station isn’t cranking up the generator during fires, earthquakes and floods, KWMR knows how to have fun. “You never know what you’re going to hear when you tune in,” says KWMR Programming Director and Bolinas-based musician Jeff Manson. “We have kids who DJ with their parents, professional DJs spinning vinyl, and hosts talking about everything from cooking, poetry to local activism. Many just walk in the door with a vision, and soon they’re putting all these really creative ideas on air.”  That open door spirit is what keeps KWMR evolving, even as its founding mission remains the same. After 27 years of reaching listeners from Stinson Beach to Bodega Bay and beyond, the loss of federal funding means just one thing: people-powered KWMR truly is community radio. 

Long Live KWMR! Listen and Donate at KWMR.org!