It's too bad that love and appreciation don't pay the bills. Despite the outpouring of love and appreciation for public broadcasting, Rocky Mountain PBS must still "pass the hat" among our 1.8 million loyal viewers from time to time.
If every citizen who watched Rocky Mountain PBS gave just a little, we could easily cover our costs. Too often, though, a certain percentage of people do most of the giving, keeping public broadcasting alive for everyone but putting more of a burden on individuals. Did you know that, of households that tune into Rocky Mountain PBS, only one in 10 support us with their annual membership?
We keep seeking ways to make giving easier – less of a chore, more of a joy. We want you to feel ownership in Rocky Mountain PBS.
We have pledge drives, which successfully bring in new viewers/members – but can cause longtime viewers/members to tune out temporarily. Please realize that we know the disruption can be frustrating, and we appreciate your patience. Pledge drives continue because they really do work. Fortunately, our most popular programs like "Antiques Roadshow," "Nova," "The NewsHour" and "Masterpiece" are not pre-empted for pledge specials.
We have our April Auction, which gives the public a chance to do guilt-free shopping to support us. Auction is the kind of fundraising that is a win-win for everyone. The public gets great deals, donors get exposure, and we raise some much-needed funds.
But we're trying to find new ways to get creative. The latest and greatest? The Travel Page. You can now help raise money for Rocky Mountain PBS simply by booking your next trip through our website.
It's a natural pairing. Rocky Mountain PBS airs some of the best travel programs on television, and we know that our viewers love to go go go. We partnered with Home & Abroad, one of the country's top 25 travel sites, to allow you to create fun itineraries or simply book a ticket through our site. You don't pay any extra – our site uses discount services like Orbitz, Travelocity, Kayak, Expedia, Hotwire and Priceline – but we receive a donation every time you book through us.
Try it sometime. It's easy and competitive.
And it doesn't require you to buy anything extra. This is the kind of thing we're looking for as we attempt to stay afloat amid decreased funding and revenues.
Do you have any good suggestions for fundraising? We'd love to hear them, big or small. On that note, what keeps you from giving to organizations you care about? I got a letter from Meals on Wheels this year that moved me immensely, but I never got around to writing the check.
In the meantime, try booking your next trip through our website.
Every little bit helps!
Thank you, dear viewers, for caring.
-Allison, Rocky Mountain PBS
