With the remaining Double Your Dollars pool now depleted, I am pleased to announce that we have raised just over $693,000 after the Fall Fundraiser. With a few cheques still rolling in, we believe we will make it to $695,000 by the end of this week. What’s more, our strategy to recruit monthly donors resulted in an astounding 412 new monthly donors this campaign! Combined, these donors’ monthly contributions will add another $85,000 over the coming year.
In total, donors have come forward with more than $780,000 in received and pledged donations to CKUA.
This total is truly heart-warming, given the economic challenges that so many of us are facing this year. It demonstrates how much our audience appreciates the role that CKUA plays in sharing music, arts, and culture.
Naturally, there are questions when we don’t make our goals, so I have outlined the three most common questions here.
We missed our stated goals; now what?
We shoulder this reality, and we adapt. We work as hard as it takes to find the money in other ways, and we have plans in place already. When budgets are tight, we have two options to make the numbers work: we can cut costs, or we can increase revenue. We don’t have room to make cuts without impacting service and programming. Meeting our goals is a revenue issue, so we must find the dollars in other ways.
Why didn’t we set lower goals?
We don’t want to mislead listeners regarding the level of support CKUA requires to fund its operations. If we lower our goal because it’s easier to achieve and tells a nice story, then everyone thinks that CKUA is doing just fine, and we don’t need any more support. Meanwhile, our costs rise like every other household and business. Without government or corporate subsidies, we need to expand and diversify our revenue and donation streams to ensure a bright future for our listeners.
During CKUA fundraisers, we talk openly on the air about or projects, costs, and plans, so it’s a great time to educate the public and be open about our operational needs.
Over the last few years, CKUA could raise one million dollars during each fundraiser. What has changed?
Over the past few years, when gathering restrictions were in place, people relied on CKUA with more intensity, and spent their dollars in more targeted ways. CKUA was the beneficiary of that support, but now many people have resumed going out, travelling, attending events, etc. And while the economy was rough during that time, the economy is more troubled now, and CKUA relies mainly on people’s discretionary dollars. When events were cancelled and restaurants were closed, people had fewer places to spend their dollars. Now, people have more places to spend their money at a time when inflation is exceptionally high and everyday needs are more expensive than ever.
Lastly, each of the past few fundraisers saw significant donations from a few specific people. While we are grateful for that support, we know we cannot rely on that influx of cash every six months, so it’s a challenge to replicate those donations in each fundraiser, especially when there is so much urgent need in various charitable sectors. Sometimes we are successful at it, but not always. We always want to diversify and expand our donor base as we look to the future.
To everyone who took time to make a gift these past two weeks, I hope you enjoy the spoils of your generosity: 126 weekly hours of expertly curated and authentically presented programs intended to brighten your day and make the world a little bit better for everyone.
Thank you to all our donors, for supporting CKUA.
Marc Carnes,
CKUA CEO and monthly donor
