PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 27, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- All Classical 89.9 KBPS, a non-profit 24-hour classical music station serving metro Portland and Hood River, announced today that it has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Portland-based Meyer Memorial Trust to help the station complete its purchase of the FCC license issued to Portland Public Schools.
The grant helps KBPS fulfill the contractual commitment it made in 2003 to purchase the school district's federal broadcasting license for $5.5 million. The license allows KBPS to operate as an autonomous non-profit radio station independent of the district.
The station has, to date, raised $4 million to purchase the license, said Sarah Shelley, KBPS' executive director. KBPS plans to complete its purchase of the FCC license in 2008.
"The Meyer trustees felt strongly that KBPS's broadcast license is a significant community asset that should serve the public benefit, particularly given KBPS's commitment to promoting local performing arts organizations and to diversifying the audience for classical music," said Doug Stamm, executive director of the Meyer Memorial Trust.
The grant from Meyer Memorial Trust -- created by Fred G. Meyer, the late founder of the Fred Meyer retail chain -- is the second-largest gift the station has received during its capital campaign to raise $5.5 million for the license. KBPS was awarded $750,000, in the form of two grants, from the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation for the campaign.
"Fred Meyer and his Trust have clearly meant so much to this region, and we couldn't be happier to receive such a generous grant," Shelley said. "This kind of support and philanthropy makes it possible for non-profits like us to not only succeed -- but thrive."
The Meyer Memorial Trust is a private, independent foundation. The Trust has made 5,201 awards totaling close to $403.5 million since it was founded in 1982.
About All Classical 89.9 KBPS
All Classical 89.9 is Portland, Oregon's 24-hour non-profit classical radio station. Established in 1983, All Classical 89.9's mission is to provide classical music and fine arts information to listeners in Northwest Oregon, Southwest Washington and the world by streaming classical music online from its award-winning Website. It strives to increase audiences for local performers and performances, thereby further enhancing the region's cultural environment. The station also maintains a daily classical music blog. KBPS' signal is rebroadcast in the Hood River region through KQHR. KBPS and KQHR are non-commercial public radio stations and rely on listener contributions, which provide more than 68 percent of their budgets. The stations also receive financial support from local businesses and arts organizations that underwrite programming through on-air sponsorships. A small portion of the stations' annual budgets comes from various foundation grants and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. http://www.allclassical.org/
The All Classical 89.9 KBPS Logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3407
About Meyer Memorial Trust
Meyer Memorial Trust was created by the late Fred G. Meyer, who built the chain of retail stores bearing his name throughout the Pacific Northwest. When Mr. Meyer died in 1978 at the age of 92, his will established the Trust, which began operating in 1982. Meyer Memorial Trust is a private, independent foundation representing Mr. Meyer's personal philanthropy. The Meyer Trust is not connected in any way with Fred Meyer Inc., the retail enterprise.
The Meyer Memorial Trust makes grants to qualified tax-exempt applicants in Oregon and Clark County, Washington. The Trust operates four grantmaking programs: General Purpose Grants, Program Related Investments, Small Grants, and Support for Teacher Initiatives. Not favoring a particular field of interest, the Trust awards grants in arts and humanities, education, health, social welfare, community development, and environmental conservation and restoration. http://www.mmt.org/
Meyer Memorial Trust
Barbara Gibbs, Director, Grant Programs
(503) 228-5512
barbara at mmt dot org
http://www.mmt.org/
Ehrlich Written Communications
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