Tim Isgitt Named to the 2026 TIME100 Philanthropy List of the 100 Most Influential Leaders in Philanthropy
Boulder, Colorado — May 14, 2026 — TIME named Tim Isgitt, CEO of Public Media Company (PMC), to the second-annual 2026 TIME100 Philanthropy list recognizing singular figures who are shaping the future of giving. The full list will appear in the May 25, 2026 issue of TIME, available on newsstands on Friday, May 15, and now at ti.me/100-philanthropy.
In 2025, Isgitt spearheaded the launch of the Public Media Bridge Fund (Bridge Fund), a strategic philanthropic initiative by PMC created in response to the rescission of federal funding to help local public media and the communities that depend on it navigate this disrupted landscape. Within months, the Bridge Fund awarded stabilization grants totaling $26 million across 74 organizations operating 186 radio and television stations reaching 30 million people. This wave of emergency funding helped prevent widespread station closures and ensured the continuation of local news, civic information, cultural programming, and emergency alerts. The Fund is structured to invest an additional $100 million+ in partner organizations.
“It’s an incredible honor to be identified alongside such a prestigious group of philanthropy leaders. This recognition reinforces the importance and urgency of our work supporting public media nationwide,” said Isgitt. “The Bridge Fund represents an unprecedented, rapid response within philanthropy to prevent widespread service loss and stabilize critical infrastructure. We believe that what public media does for communities–build trust, deepen connections, and foster a sense of belonging–is essential to our democratic future, and through our ongoing efforts, Public Media Company and the Bridge Fund are dedicated to preparing local public media to thrive in a fundamentally transformed media landscape.”
“Tim is a special leader. Since last summer, he has forged a powerful vision and helped unite a complex alliance around a shared objective. He’s balanced urgency with calm conviction, opening a clear path forward and guiding others onto it,” said Susan Harmon, Board Chair for PMC. “Public media is lucky to have him as one of our champions.”
Since its launch in August 2025, the Public Media Bridge Fund has raised more than $73 million from a wide range of over 1,500 contributors, from individuals to major grants from foundations including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Pivotal Ventures, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Schmidt Family Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the Dolby Family.
Earlier this year, the Bridge Fund announced the launch of its Sustainability Program, a new initiative designed to strengthen the long-term sustainability of public media organizations while preserving their essential local service. The first open call under the Sustainability Program focuses on advancing implementation-ready collaborations across the public media system at a moment when many organizations are reassessing how they operate following the loss of federal support through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). As stations navigate this shift, the Sustainability Program is intended to support structural solutions that improve efficiency, reduce duplication, and position organizations for long-term resilience, allowing them to continue to serve their communities.
About Public Media Company
At Public Media Company, our mission is to cultivate vibrant local media that informs, connects, and inspires communities across the country. We believe local media plays a vital role in civic life, serving as a trusted source of news, education, music, and public discourse for people of all ages. Through financial services, strategic planning, partnerships, and innovative initiatives, Public Media Company helps local media organizations expand their impact, strengthen their sustainability, and deepen their service to the communities they serve. Since our founding, we have partnered with nearly 400 nonprofit and noncommercial media organizations in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit publicmedia.co.
About Public Media Bridge Fund
The Public Media Bridge Fund, an initiative of Public Media Company, is designed to guide local public media through a crisis moment to a more sustainable, vibrant, and impactful future. Launched in 2025, the Bridge Fund has raised over $73 million to date with the mission of maintaining public media service across the country; protecting essential infrastructure for local, nonprofit use; and strengthening system-wide resilience and community value for the long-term. The Bridge Fund’s strategy is rooted in a sequential and progressive framework, beginning with stabilization and moving through sustainability with the ultimate goal of adapting the system to solidify public media as a cornerstone of a more connected society. For more information, visit publicmediabridgefund.org.
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For more information, please contact:
Resnicow and Associates
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