Keweenaw Community Foundation creates fund for local radio station

What’s happening: The Keweenaw Community Foundation has created the Radio Keweenaw Fund, a new endowment dedicated to supporting the long-term sustainability and community-centered programming of Radio Keweenaw.

What’s Radio Keweenaw: Radio Keweenaw is a developing low-power FM radio station in Calumet. Radio Keweenaw began as a kitchen-table conversation in 2023, sparked by a shared love for public media and a deep appreciation for the Keweenaw Peninsula’s cultural and ecological richness. When founders Annamarie Sysling and Andrew Ranville discovered a rare FCC application window for new low-power FM stations, they seized the opportunity, taking the first
steps toward building a radio station grounded in and shaped by the local community.

What they’re saying: “Radio Keweenaw’s mission is to celebrate and preserve the history of the Copper Country
while exploring the possibilities that exist as our region continues to evolve,” said co-founder Annamarie Sysling. “We want to create a space for place-based audio postcards, archival interviews, sound-rich educational programming, and the many creative ideas our neighbors bring to us.”

Why the fund matters: The Radio Keweenaw Fund will help ensure the station’s long-term financial stability by
supporting essential operational needs, including annual music licensing, emergency alert services, equipment, and electricity. This endowment provides a reliable foundation for thoughtful, community-driven growth. Radio Keweenaw is intentionally being shaped by local residents. Nearly 150 community members shared ideas through a 2024 input survey, contributing to early program development.

To donate: To make an online donation to the Radio Keweenaw Fund, visit:
https://keweenawcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1660. To get involved with Radio Keweenaw or share program ideas, email: community@radiokeweenaw.org