October 9, 2020 - 5:18 pm

Thanks, KBCS donors! As a result of your generosity, the KBCS 2020 fall fund drive was a success, and we raised just over our goal of $120,000!

Moreover, your support has ensured that KBCS remains commercial-free, independent, and beholden to our community. We’re immensely grateful to you and honored to serve you and your neighbors in the Puget Sound region.

Also, thanks to a successful fall fund drive and the support of our monthly sustaining donors, KBCS is off to a strong start to our year-long Sustainability Campaign and our goal to make up for the loss of supplemental funding from Bellevue College, stemming from COVID-19.

Thank you again for your support of KBCS, and please know that none of this would be possible without you! We look forward to serving you for years to come, and appreciate your commitment to keeping KBCS strong for the next generation of listeners.

Here’s an update on our journey to financial sustainability: 

KBCS receives funding to cover the station’s operating expenses in the form of direct contributions from individual listeners, proceeds from in-kind donations of vehicles, in-kind  support via event sponsorship/promotion, matching contributions from our donor’s employers, support from corporate underwriters, and grants from private foundations. KBCS also receives public support in the form of an annual community service grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 

The KBCS fiscal year runs July 1 – June 30. In order to make up for chronic budget shortfalls and a recent announcement that Bellevue College will no longer appropriate supplemental funding for the station, due to the financial fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, KBCS must increase its financial support this fiscal year (July 2020 – June 2021) by $150,000.00 to cover our total yearly operating expenses. 

Since the start of our fiscal year on July 1, 2020, KBCS has added 378 new monthly sustaining donors towards our fiscal year goal of adding 1,000 additional monthly donors this fiscal year. By adding 1,000 new sustaining donors to our base of supporters, we’ll be able to better budget from month to month and year to year, and create a more sustainable and reliable stream of revenue. 

Compared to our previous fiscal year to date, support for KBCS has increased by approximately 31.5% or $61,901.  

This is an encouraging start to our overall goal of ending the fiscal year, with a $150,000 increase in funding. While there’s still nearly nine months remaining in the fiscal year, we’re confident that with the continued support of our long-time donors and the addition of new supporters, we’ll be able to come out of these difficult times stronger than ever. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped us get a strong start on our path to sustainability! 

Here’s a look at our overall fundraising goal for fiscal year 2021: