Public media is in crisis. In a historic first, Congress has eliminated all previously approved federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. These cuts threaten the backbone of local public radio and television—especially stations in rural areas and underserved communities. Programs are being slashed, educational outreach is disappearing, and stations are at risk of going dark.
Here’s why that matters for A Way with Words: While we don’t receive funding from the CPB and we’re not part of NPR, we do benefit from the public radio system that those funds support. We offer our show free of charge to all listeners and stations—urban and rural, big and small—because we believe everyone deserves access to smart, good-humored language programming.
And when you donate to us, you help keep those stations strong, connected, and able to carry programs like ours even when their budgets are slashed.
We’re a small show. A tiny staff. No bloated bureaucracy. Just a dedicated team making something we think is worth sharing.
Your gift keeps us on the air, keeps us in your podcast feed, and makes sure stations coast to coast don’t have to choose between canceling A Way with Words and staying solvent.
If you’ve ever smiled at a phrase you learned from us, if you’ve ever taken comfort in knowing that someone else out there loves language the way you do—please give today.
Click here to join the many other listeners and fans who support A Way with Words with an annual gift of $120 or more. »»
You may also make a donation by sending a check to:
Wayword, Inc.
P.O. Box 632721
San Diego, CA 92163
You can also give through the PayPal Giving Fund, which incurs no processing fees for the giver or the recipient.
Thank you for your support, and thanks for listening.
Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett, co-hosts and co-producers
Stefanie Levine, senior producer
PS: Even if you listen by podcast, your donation keeps the show coming week after week. It’s all connected — if you support us, then you are supporting a big community of listeners.
Our Mission
Wayword, Inc., through the radio show and podcast of A Way with Words, promotes better human communication and understanding by looking at language through the lenses of culture, history, and family, and by revealing human connections across eras, generations, cultures, and languages. It normalizes an appreciation for kind, fair, and learned communication and encourages an appreciation of literacy and education that pushes back against ignorance and intolerance. Read the full mission, vision, and values statement.
Your Data
- We comply with all California and United States federal law regarding data retention and security.
- We do not sell your data, ever.
- Read our privacy policy.
- This page and all of its donation forms are encrypted.
A Way with Words giving essentials
- A Way with Words is produced by Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, EIN 27-0277377.
- Your donation may be tax-deductible. Consult with your tax-preparer.
- The radio show and podcast depend directly on support from listeners, fans, and followers like you.
- A Way with Words is independent. It is not a part of NPR or any radio station.
- The show and its nonprofit receive no funding from NPR, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, or radio stations.
- When you donate to your favorite public radio station — which you should! — A Way with Words receives none of that. Give to both.
- No listener is charged a fee for our show. No station is ever charged a fee for broadcasting it. Instead, the cost of the show is covered by listeners, donors, and sponsors like you who enjoy the program, want it to continue to exist in the world, and believe in its mission.
Our Nonprofit Status
A Way with Words is produced by Wayword, Inc., a California-incorporated 501(c)(3) corporation, federal tax identification number 27-0277377.
