According to Prometheus Development & Communications Director Julia Wierski it is designed “to help bridge the financial gap for groups who will need additional engineering and technical support” in building their LPFM stations. While Prometheus will continue their ongoing work in supporting LPFM though policy advocacy, documentation, networking and their station-launching “barnraisings”, Wierski said that the fund also “will allow Prometheus to provide deeper engineering and technical support to applicants” who are awarded scholarships.
“On a more personal level,” said Wierski, “we created this fund to honor Nan Rubin, who is stepping down from Prometheus’ board. For the last ten years Nan has shared her expertise with Prometheus and helped to shape our work. During her tenure we won a twelve year campaign to pass the Local Community Radio Act, and we won a major rejection of media consolidation rules.”
Rubin has had a long-standing commitment to community radio in addition to her work with Prometheus. She built two stations, WAIF in Cincinnati and KUVO in Denver, and was a founder of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB) and the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC).
While Rubin is stepping down from the Prometheus board, Wierski said “she won’t be far from our work…. Nan will continue to be an adviser to Prometheus and a member of our family.”
Prometheus is accepting donations to the fund now, with a goal of raising $50,000 this year.