NFCB was founded in 1975, out of meetings that began at the National Alternative Radio Conference that June, held in Madison, Wisconsin.
in August of the same year, attendees settled on Federation of Community Broadcasters, adding "National" in incorporation filings.
The Delaware Secretary of State recorded the Articles of Incorporation for the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, Inc., on September 15, 1975.
[5] In 2014, Sally Kane took the helm of NFCB with a mandate to identify the essential services needed for stations navigating the technological demands and opportunities of the digital age and severe economic downturn.
Kane's background leading a rural service network in western Colorado brings many years of experience in hands-on management grounded in core principles of serving the information needs of all the citizenry, particularly in areas with dispersed populations.
[8] NFCB's legal handbook, introduced in the 1970s, is still updated and considered a key document for community radio stations.
Its early years saw leaders speaking before Congress about Federal Communications Commission and Corporation for Public Broadcasting rules.