UA Little Rock Public Radio gets $1.5 million anonymous donation

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Public Radio, home of KUAR FM 89.1 and KLRE Classical 90.5, closed its annual fall fund drive with an anonymous donation of $1.5 million, the largest cash gift in the public radio stations’ history.

“This gift is a wonderful testament to the impact of public radio,” said Nathan Vandiver, general manager of UA Little Rock Public Radio. “The generosity of this anonymous gift is considerable. On behalf of the staff and listeners of KLRE and KUAR, I want to say a heartfelt thanks to the donor. The stations will use this gift to strengthen and expand their services as the region’s NPR news and information provider, classical music radio station, and as a local and regional news organization.”

The anonymous gift comes on the final day of the drive and represents 10 times the drive’s fundraising goal of $150,000. UA Little Rock Public Radio also raised $100,000 during the week.

UA Little Rock Public Radio is a public service unit of UA Little Rock. KUAR 89.1 is a National Public Radio affiliate, while KLRE Classical 90.5 is central Arkansas’ only classical FM radio station.

“We are elated at this news,” said Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education. “The staff of KLRE/KUAR work tirelessly to provide quality news, programs, and music to central Arkansas. This operational gift ensures the continuity of these efforts and underscores their essentiality.”

The endowment is expected to provide around $60,000 per year to support the reporting, music, and cultural programming on central Arkansas’s two public radio stations.