WASHINGTON, D.C. — NPR cut 28 staff positions in Washington, D.C., through a combination of buyouts and layoffs as it responds to an expected $15 million drop in member station fees following Congress’ elimination of federal subsidies for public media. The reductions included 10 layoffs and at least 18 buyouts, with NPR also intending to leave eight positions unfilled.

NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher and Editor-in-Chief Thomas Evans announced the staffing changes last week, describing them as targeted and necessary to save $8 million. “Today has been incredibly heavy, and I want to acknowledge how difficult it is to say goodbye to our colleagues,” Evans wrote in a note to staff.

The cuts affected 4% of NPR’s content division, which includes the newsroom and podcasts, though no staff members working directly on news programs or podcasts were impacted. Among those accepting buyouts were National Political Correspondent Don Gonyea, Managing Editor Vickie Walton-James, and Investigations Correspondent Joe Shapiro, all of whom confirmed their departures. NPR is not disclosing the names of all staff who are leaving.

“The extraordinary generosity of donors across the nation has really mitigated some of the hardest impacts of the loss of federal funding,” said Maher. “I am relieved that that is the case. And now it is our responsibility to ensure that we take that gift that they have given us and use this time to get to a place where we are sustainable for the future.”

NPR relied directly on federal funds for about 1% of its budget, but the elimination of subsidies has affected public radio stations that pay for NPR’s programs such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Waves of layoffs have since hit public media organizations nationwide, including PBS.

Shapiro, who has been at NPR since 2001, posted on Facebook: “Proud of my stories, their impact. Grateful for the best audience.” He also noted, “Talented journalists will lose jobs. But fewer laid off, we're told, for each who takes buyout.”

NPR received two of the largest philanthropic contributions in its history in spring 2026, including a $33 million anonymous gift that partly funded $8 million in emergency relief to stations. Donor support to both NPR and public radio stations has increased over the past year.