KPR membership draws more than $280K in pledges

LAWRENCE – More than 2,000 people helped Kansas Public Radio conclude a successful spring membership drive after they reached their goal of $280,000.

After eight days of on-air fund raising, KPR ended the drive with $280,538 in pledges. At 4:15 p.m. April 17, KPR wrapped up the Campaign For Excellence 2015 with pledges from 2,016 listener-members.

The membership drive began April 7 with more than $113,000 raised through a direct-mail campaign. Eight fundraising days later, more than $167,000 was raised on-air by pledges from new and renewing members.

“Our members are the best. When we challenge them, they come through,” KPR Development Director Sheri Hamilton said. “We talked about the value that public radio has and the commitment we make every day to bring them the programs they enjoy. They responded with overwhelmingly with their support.”

All tax-deductible donations during spring and fall membership drives directly support KPR’s local and national programming.

The overall pledge total does not include challenge grants, in which a company, foundation or individual will donate money if KPR can raise a certain level of funding during a specific time period. An additional $42,000 was raised through challenge grants.

In each hour, KPR interrupts programming for about 10-15 minutes to ask for donations. Regular programming resumes for the rest of the hour. The membership drive featured a “Power Breakfast” on April 7 when an entire day’s fundraising was compressed into 90 minutes. That raised more than $32,000.

Even though the on-air portion of the drive is over, listeners can donate anytime at the KPR website.

More than 100 volunteers answered phones from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. during the drive. Area restaurants donated meals and beverages for volunteers’ breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks.

KPR, a 15-time Kansas Association of Broadcasters Station of the Year, licensed to KU, broadcasts on 91.5 FM in Lawrence, 89.7 FM in Emporia, 91.3 FM in Olsburg-Junction City, 89.9 FM in Atchison, 90.3 FM in Chanute, and 99.5 FM and 97.9 FM in Manhattan. KPR can be heard online at http://kpr.ku.edu. KPR also operates KPR2, a news-talk programming stream, which can be heard on an HD receiver or on KPR’s website.