By The Hair on Our Chinny-Chin-Chin!
No. We aren’t channeling The Three Little Pigs, but we do use this term to describe the end of our 2024-25 fiscal year. It was a hectic one!
But – before we talk about that, let’s look back over the previous year.
On July 1, 2024 – Jazz90.1 set out with an ambitious goal of raising just over $272,000. This would have covered all of our planned expenses during the year, and it would be the largest amount we ever asked our donors and business partners to support.
Jazz90.1 WGMC-FM operates on a July 1 – June 30 fiscal year. Each year, we develop an operating budget based on staffing costs, contracted vendors, licensing, streaming, equipment, supplies and materials. Many of these budget items are “uncontrolled,” and they increase automatically each year.
Some of our broadcast equipment has been at end of life for a few years, but with the use of duct tape and baling wire – we keep it working the best that we can. Why? Because we have no capital fund for new equipment.
We had a WONDERFUL year, presenting free community events, hosting two pledge drives, listener parties, fundraising efforts, and we offered live on-air performances. We also represented Jazz90.1 throughout the Greater Rochester community in a big way, supporting efforts like The Rochester International Jazz Festival – shouldering the extensive costs to do so ourselves.
We were off to the races with the fiscal year, and we were confident that we could raise these dollars through our two pledge drives and special events. We were cautiously optimistic.
Well – things don’t always go as planned – right?
About mid-year, we had some emergency expenses come up that we certainly did not plan for. Due to a pinched coax line at our studio facility (likely from the weight of snow and ice,) we had to have our tower scaled twice for repair, and a satellite dish and coax line replaced for our studio to transmitter link.
All told – that was about $6,000 of unplanned expense. Yikes!
While we didn’t plan for it – we had to take care of the issue, as to not negatively impact our on-air signal.
This put us in a tricky situation. May 2025 rolled around, and we were staring down the barrel at a budget shortfall that we had to make up before June 30. The last thing we wanted to do is go into debt.
As always, our listeners and business sponsors swooped in to help, and we ended the year just….$2,000 from our goal.
So close! It was a real nail-biter!
The good news about all of this? We set a new fundraising record for the year. Although we didn’t meet all of our expenses fully, we were darn close. We have YOU to thank for getting us this far.
I openly discuss our financial picture so that we remain completely transparent. When we go to our donors each year, we feel that it’s only right for you to know where your dollars go, and how your help has truly carried this radio station forward.
Also, with funding cuts in the news, we know that public media funding can be confusing – especially when stations don’t share their operating budget with you. As I’ve said before – we receive no funding from the school district, and no money from CPB or NPR.
We have to do it all on our own.
As we head into the 2025-26 fiscal year, we have to raise nearly $290,000 to ensure all of our expenses are paid for the year, and to keep this great radio station on the air and streaming online.
We need you to ensure that Jazz90.1 sticks around as we head into year #52 on the air.
Thank you to our thousands of members and countless business supporters who understand how important Jazz90.1 is, and who show their appreciation through financial contributions.
We couldn’t do it without you.
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