Ideastream Receives $1M Grant, Making Up For Lost CPB Funding.

Ideastream Public Media has received a one-year, $1 million grant from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, which will cover some of the loss of federal funding no longer provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The Foundation’s grant, approved in August, will allow Ideastream to continue and expand original programming in 2026 across its radio, TV and digital platforms in Northeast Ohio, including classical WCLV (90.3) Cleveland, Kent State University news/talk WKSU (89.7) Kent, and its JazzNEO channel, along with WVIZ-TV 25 Cleveland.

Ideastream’s news release says the grant will help support a “diverse slate” of programming, from local radio interviews with composers and musicians on WCLV and JazzNEO to TV series on WVIZ such as “American Experience” and “Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” 

“We are deeply grateful to the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation for their vision and generosity,” Ideastream Public Media President and CEO Kevin Martin said. “This grant will allow us to enrich our humanities programming and bring compelling stories to the communities we serve.”

Mandel Foundation President and CEO Jehuda Reinharz added, “Our partnership with Ideastream Public Media reflects our commitment to fostering a deeper understanding of history and culture. We are proud to support programming that brings important stories to life and engages audiences in meaningful dialogue.”