KPCW Development Director Sarah Ervin said they’re key to keeping the radio station running.
“They’re a critical part of the fundraising that we do for this station,” Ervin said. “Our August pledge drive starts Monday morning at 8 a.m. with the KPCW news team. We have about a dozen different nonprofit organizations that will be joining up throughout the week.”
A nonprofit is partnered with a sponsor for each hour of the pledge drive. If more than $5,000 is raised within the hour, the nonprofit hosting wins free underwriting spots on KPCW.
“Our partnership with nonprofits is fundamental,” Ervin said. “It’s a key pillar of what we do all year long. So twice a year, we invite these nonprofits on to help us fundraise for this station, so that we can remain on air and continue serving them with our communication services.”
Money raised from the pledge drive is used to fund the radio station’s $2.3 million annual budget, which powers the KPCW news team.
“It costs money to run a news department,” KPCW General Manager Renai Bodley Miller said. “As everyone knows, hiring people isn’t easy. Inflation - salaries have taken a huge jump. Cost of living here is crazy. You want your journalists who report on this area to live in this area, and that means we’ve got to give them a living wage.”
KPCW launched a free daily newsletter called “The Local” last year, and Miller said they want to expand to a weekend edition.
“We are more than a radio station,” Miller said. “We put information out online on social media and on our website. We feed you this newsletter every morning in your inbox. Our information is free to anyone, anywhere, at any time.”
Next month, the news team is adding reporter Grace Doerfler, who recently graduated with her master’s in journalism from Stanford University.
People who donate to the station during the pledge drive are eligible to receive all kinds of gifts, according to Ervin.
“You can always get the station swag,” Ervin said. “We encourage you to request our KPCW t-shirts and hats, but we give far more than that away. We have local gift certificates from restaurants around town. We’ve got great premiums like ski passes - day passes to Deer Valley and Park City Mountain that you can get with your gift during the Summer Pledge Drive. We have fabulous dining and entertainment packages that are practically the value of what you’re donating to the station.”
The Pledge Drive runs Monday to Thursday. Volunteers will answer phones (call 435-649-9004) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
People can also donate anytime online.
