NEWS

Ballmer gives $80 million to NPR, with strings attached

Connie Ballmer, wife of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and cofounder of the Ballmer Group, has given $80 million to NPR. That's roughly seven years' worth of government funding ($11.2m) after Trump and Congress cut funds for public media, but only a fraction of NPR's full annual budget of $300…

By The Verge

• April 16, 2026 at 8:30 PM

Ballmer gives $80 million to NPR, with strings attached Photo: The Verge

Connie Ballmer, wife of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and cofounder of the Ballmer Group, has given $80 million to NPR.

That's roughly seven years' worth of government funding ($11.2m) after Trump and Congress cut funds for public media, but only a fraction of NPR's full annual budget of $300 million.

NPR may still cut jobs because the money has strings attached.

The money is specifically "to support the digital innovation that is essential to meeting the needs and serving the interests of public media audiences wherever they are and whenever they seek information," according to a press release.

NPR journalist David Folkenflik writes t …
Read the full story at The Verge.