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HPR Sets Bold Membership Goals for Fall 2017 Fund Drive

Hawai?i Public Radio begins its semi-annual, on-air fundraiser on September 27. The local nonprofit is currently supported by 14,000 member donors, as well as nearly 200 local businesses and foundations. During the anticipated ten-day campaign, the station seeks to break its own pledge drive record by enrolling a thousand new individual members and growing the rolls of those who contribute monthly from 45 to 50 percent.
 
In the last three years, despite steadily increasing costs, HPR has been able to lower its fund drive goals as more of its donors have opted to become monthly Sustaining Members. This fall’s target of $875,000 continues this downward trend, and returns the station to a goal level not seen since the fall of 2013.
 
HPR President and General Manager José Fajardo states, “A larger base of donors is essential to weather the uncertain future of federal funding for public broadcasting. We are confident that more and more of HPR's listeners have come to realize how much they count on us for their news and entertainment and how HPR, in turn, counts on their support. It’s a unique symbiotic relationship and listening to each other is at its core.”
 
The station’s realignment in February, while generally well-received, elicited suggestions from listeners. Various programming adjustments have been made when listener demand warranted. The most recent, which went into effect on September 18, includes a new lineup at 7 p.m. on HPR-1, including the return of the popular weekly wrap-up “Left, Right & Center,” billed as a “confrontation over politics, policy and popular culture.” Other returning shows during this hour are “On the Media” (Mondays) and “Freakonomics Radio” (Tuesday). Two new programs round out the week: “Reveal” (Wednesdays) is dedicated to investigative reporting and “Hidden Brain” (Thursdays, starting October 12) uses social science to help people understand the world, current events and themselves. Read more.
 
Last month, HPR received a top rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest charity evaluator. In his award letter, Charity Navigator President and CEO Michael Thatcher wrote, “We are proud to announce Hawaii Public Radio has earned our sixth consecutive 4-star rating. This is our highest possible rating and indicates that your organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way. Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that Hawaii Public Radio exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work. Only 5% of the charities we evaluate have received at least 6 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Hawaii Public Radio outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets Hawaii Public Radio apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.”
 
Contributions to HPR may be made online at hawaiipublicradio.org, as well as through the HPR mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Fund drive phone lines will open on September 27 in the station’s two studios. Donations to HPR-1 may be made at (808) 944-8800, toll-free (888) 970-8800, and to HPR-2 at (808) 941-3689, toll-free (877) 941-3689.

Read original press release.

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