Rounds says tribal radio grant program to launch in October

Native American radio stations will begin receiving $9.4 million in federal stopgap funding by October, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds said Thursday during a Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce event, according to South Dakota Searchlight. The money comes from a handshake deal Rounds made with the Trump administration after Congress canceled $1.1 billion in public broadcasting funds in July. The funding will be administered through the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Office of Indigenous Connectivity and Technology, Rounds’ staff said.

An Interior Department spokesperson said the department will coordinate with tribes and stations before distributing the funds among 37 broadcasters. Four South Dakota stations received a combined $820,760 in 2024, including KDKO in Lake Andes, KLND in McLaughlin, KILI in Porcupine and KOYA in Rosebud. Rounds said the temporary funding will keep stations operating while lawmakers seek a permanent source of support.