St. Louis Public Radio has received the largest grant in the organization’s history to launch a new program aimed at fostering understanding and dialogue across divides in the region. The $824,917 grant comes from the James S. McDonnell Foundation.
The project, modeled after StoryCorps’ One Small Step, will facilitate conversations between St. Louisans with differing experiences, including divides related to class, race, and geography. Rather than focusing on debates, the program will encourage participants to engage in meaningful discussions that promote empathy and mutual understanding.
These conversations will air on St. Louis on the Air through radio segments, podcasts, social media videos, and a new multimedia newsletter. The initiative will also feature in-person listening sessions, public speaking events, and collaborations with local nonprofit organizations.
The four-year grant will fund the initiative across on-air, digital, and community platforms. STLPR will hire a project producer and engagement producer to support the program, with positions set to be posted soon. The initiative is expected to launch in the summer of 2025.
STLPR CEO Tina Pamintuan commented, “It is part of our mission as public media to bring the community together, bridge divides, and facilitate productive and genuine conversation. Especially in today’s polarized environment, as people’s experiences of life and relating to one another have become fragmented, it is more important than ever that we fully embody our mission. The program is a bold way to reach across differences and promote understanding. We are grateful to JSMF for recognizing the value of our work and for funding this new project.”
JSMF President Dr. Jason Purnell added, “To turn the momentum we see in our region into inclusive, sustainable growth, we have to be able to work across lines that have divided us for too long. St. Louis Public Radio has the necessary community trust to facilitate conversations across differences.”
