WNIU is reinventing Classical Music pledge drives...
A history of less fundraising
We know your time is valuable so we strive to spend as little of it as possible asking for money. Over the years we’ve come up with ways to shorten fund drives only to have other circumstances such as reductions in federal funds or increases to our fee structure keep us from doing so.
Every time we’ve shortened a membership campaign, our listeners have responded in a big way. We think these 1-Day drives could be the future of on-air fundraising at Classical WNIU.
Just 4 full days of fundraising in fiscal year 2010
We are planning just four full days of on-air fundraising for WNIU’s current fiscal year, (July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010), noted below. The make-up dates show when we will come back on the air to make up for any shortfall, should one occur.
Between each 1-Day Wednesday and the make-up dates, we’ll continue to press toward our goal with emails and short on-air announcements designed to encourage web pledges.
| 1-Day Drive Date | Make-Up Dates |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | Thursday, November 5th and Friday, November 6th |
| Wednesday, December 16, 2009 | Monday, December 21st and Tuesday, December 22nd |
| Wednesday, March 31, 2010 | Thursday, April 8th and Friday, April 9th |
| Wednesday, June 16, 2010 | Thursday, June 24th and Friday, June 25th |
Please note that even if we have to use all of the make-up dates, this still represents less on-air fundraising than you’ve heard from Northern Public Radio in years past. But, we’d rather not use the make-up dates at all!
Goals
On-air fundraising accounts for approximately half of the money WNIU raises from listeners. The majority of listener contributions come through direct mail, email, and personal solicitations.
One way you can help make 1-Day Wednesday a success is by giving off-air before any fund drive. The more money Classical WNIU raises off-air, the lower we can set our on-air goals.
The budget plan for this year calls for WNIU to raise $60,000 through on-air fundraising. The goals for each 1-Day Wednesday are shown below:
| 1-Day Drive Date | Total Gifts | Total Dollars* |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | 200 | $18,000 |
| Wednesday, December 16, 2009 | 170 | $15,000 |
| Wednesday, March 31, 2010 | 200 | $18,000 |
| Wednesday, June 16, 2010 | 90 | $9,000 |
* The goals for each 1-Day Wednesday will be adjusted up or down as the year progresses based on how closely results track with planned goals.
What do you think?
Now that you’ve seen the plan, what do you think? Do you have questions or feedback? Please let us know. We need your help to make this work. And if you’re ready to give now, please click here to make a secure on-line contribution. Thank you.
FAQ
- Q: Will there be other on-air fundraising throughout the year?
- A: There will be occasions when Classical WNIU broadcasts short on-air announcements with opportunities to support the station. You may hear about tickets for special events, such our annual Rockford Symphony Orchestra dinner outing or opportunities to learn more about estate planning. These announcements are broadcast during regular programming breaks and will not pre-empt our usual program segments or music.
- Q: Does this annual fundraising goal cover the entire operating cost of WNIU?
- A: As good stewards of the membership support we receive, Classical WNIU operates on a lean budget with low overhead. We are asking you to help us fund only the line item that matters most to you: the programming. To continue to bring our listeners classical music everyday, we must reach our $60,000 goal this year.
- Q: Will there be member thank you gifts, challenges, or sweepstakes offered during 1-Day Wednesdays?
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A: There’s not much room for “stuff” during 1-Day Wednesdays! WNIU may occasionally make some thank you gifts available, even if you don’t hear about them much over the airwaves. And as mentioned above, we will continue to offer tickets to select special events. None of this, however, will create additional interruptions in your programming.
- Q: If 1-Day Wednesdays are a good idea for fundraising on Classical WNIU, why not similarly reduce the number of days in WNIJ’s Membership Campaign?
- A: Classical WNIU and 89.5 WNIJ require different budget allocations; therefore our fundraising strategies vary on each station. However, successful 1-Day Wednesdays on WNIU may pave the way for a similar approach on WNIJ in the future...we won’t rule it out!