Starting October 12, Hawai?i Public Radio rallies its listeners in its biannual on-air fundraiser with an appeal to support "Civility, Complexity, and Creativity." José A. Fajardo, HPR’s new President and General Manager, said “In this raucous election season, we believe there's a newly discovered appreciation for the values that public radio espouses. Civil discourse, the exploration of complex issues, and the celebration of creativity may be in short supply elsewhere, but are mainstays on HPR's two programming streams. We’re proud to be that cultural oasis for our community and welcome first-time supporters.”
The anticipated 10-day pledge drive is the third consecutive campaign in which the overall goal is less than the previous drive’s, even as operating costs steadily increase. This fall, the independent $5.3 million nonprofit is seeking $936,000; $260,000 has already been raised in early contributions.
Fajardo continues, “Hawai‘i’s amazingly generous community is one of the reasons I was drawn to this station. One phone call at a time, HPR's individual donors grew a single, egg-carton-lined facility in Honolulu into a network extending across the islands. Now, the ongoing, monthly gifts from our growing corps of Sustaining Members are providing us with a reliable income stream and reducing the amount we need to raise in these on-air drives.”
All those who make a pledge on the first day of the drive, will be entered to win a two-night stay at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Donors may also select thank-you gifts such as VIP packages to attend the live tapings of “From the Top” in Honolulu and Kea‘au, or Hawaiian Airlines frequent flyer miles. And throughout the drive, a series of matching funds from individuals and local businesses, such as 808 Skate or a hui of law firms, are presented to further incentivize giving.
During its pledge drives, the station opens its K?heka Street studio to approximately 150 on-air guests, who serve as spokespersons for their business or nonprofit organization, as well as more than 500 phone bank volunteers. Local restaurants have committed meals to this community effort and, in a repeat of last spring’s successful zero-waste fund drive, Lanikai School is again providing waste management support.
Donations are accepted online at hawaiipublicradio.org or by calling (808) 944-8800 or (808) 941-3689 between 6:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. The pledge drive will be suspended for several hours to broadcast the third and final presidential debate on the afternoon of October 19.
Additional HPR FAQs:
Number of Sustaining Members (monthly donors): 4,660 (37% of total)
Total number of members: 12,632 (as of 10/7/16)
Number of listeners per week: 196,500 (Nielsen)
HPR annual budget: $5.3 million
Number of facilities in its statewide network: 14
Electricity/utility costs: $28,000/month
Cost of NPR news magazines: $28,000/month
Revenue breakdown:
62% from membership support
26% from program sponsorship/underwriting
6% Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)
6% Foundations, station events, miscellaneous
