Greater Public

ICYMI - we have fresh on-air fundraising scripts 📑 for Giving Tuesday and Calendar-Year-End. Find the scripts for your station format(s), customize to your heart’s content, and you’re ready for pitching or recording spots. These newest scripts feature themes surrounding the loss of federal funding, the giving season, community impact, and more. You’ll also find options appealing to mid-level donors, existing sustainers, and new members. Greater Public members can access scripts here: https://hubs.ly/Q03V1fXN0

Hey stations, check out this funding opportunity from Google News Initiative - the JournalismAI Innovation Challenge. This is a global program for small- and medium-sized news publishers (10 - 200 employees) to fund their projects using AI to support audience intelligence and revenue growth. 🚀 12 projects will receive up to $100,000 in funding. Applications are open until December 3! 📅 You can sign up for one of four upcoming information sessions, starting this week, here: https://hubs.ly/Q03TN0Sr0 For full details and to apply, visit https://hubs.ly/Q03TN9tq0

Feeling down, stressed, or overwhelmed? The Greater Public staff recently got together to create this playlist of songs that uplift, inspire, and soothe us during tough times: https://hubs.ly/Q03SSYs-0 We were led by Consuela Steward in a virtual listening session where we shared why these songs resonate with us and vibed out together for 30 minutes on a Monday afternoon. Especially as we head into the busy end-of-year season, taking a few moments to connect and understand each other as whole human beings is so important. Let us know - what would be on your playlist?? 🎧

It's always great to talk with our members, and especially now - so much good work and thinking happening as we begin this new chapter. Here's a summary of those conversations and the big themes emerging. And if you'd like to talk, send me a note! I'd love to hear how Greater Public can help and how you are doing! https://lnkd.in/gEZWBtsK

Many stations have announced or carried out layoffs in the three months since the rescission bill passed, eliminating CPB funding. The scope of these layoffs on the public media system remains unclear. Current: News for Public Media is conducting a survey to understand how these layoffs are impacting the system. If you have been laid off, take a few minutes to complete the survey. If you have colleagues who have been laid off, please share with them. ⬇️ ⬇️

This year’s Fall fundraising season is coming to a close - we’ve heard from many stations about the massive response from your communities to recent member drives, with many stations meeting and exceeding their drive goals, whether those are dollars raised 💵 or number of new members/donors 👥 We know these incredible results do not happen without the hard work of every single station staff member (and often many dedicated volunteers). And we recognize the work doesn’t stop when you return to regular programming - all those new gifts need to be processed and acknowledged, and all those new donors need to be thanked and stewarded! So - let us know how you’re feeling in this moment. Share in the comments if none of the options quite capture it. 

Our staff spent last week in Chicago, planning for next year’s conference and holding our annual staff retreat. We reviewed your feedback from PMDMC25, considered what needs to change, dreamt big about the possibilities for next year’s conference, and drafted up a footprint that will bring more of the content you love while fostering the opportunities for connection that you value. We will be sharing more in the coming months, and are already counting the days until we’re back together in Chicago! 🏙️ We also took a look at our overall work and strategies, holding deep discussions about our role in this moment and exploring how we can better serve our members and the industry. We considered how we might improve our internal systems and communications, and planned out a vision for 2026 that will ensure we continue to empower our members to build sustainable financial futures. We are grateful for our members, and inspired by your commitment to your communities. We do not take your trust and partnership lightly, and want you to know that we are here for you especially through this pivotal moment for the industry. 🤝 🫶

Did you know that October is National Estate Planning Awareness month? Check out this recent post from Wisconsin Public Radio promoting their estate planning resources: https://hubs.ly/Q03M6ZWS0 This includes a simple branded graphic, and a clear call-to-action to learn more via a station-provided resource. The link takes you to a short form, and includes contact information for the station’s planned giving officers. In case you missed it, we have resources related to planned giving and information about what the upcoming new tax law means for major and planned gift officers as you approach year-end conversations with donors. Find that here: https://hubs.ly/Q03M6Ts80

We are excited to share a new resource we’ve put together to support stations with their social media marketing efforts: a curated library of high-quality, open source images that can be used for marketing and fundraising posts during the busy end-of-year season. Skip the endless scrolling through stock images and start here. You'll find a variety of visuals for different fundraising appeals that you can customize and use for content across your social channels. Find the image library and more tips for end-of-year fundraising here: https://hubs.ly/Q03LFckt0

As we head rapidly into the end of the calendar year, it’s more important than ever to remain connected with public media colleagues. We have a wide variety of upcoming webinars and virtual gathering spaces, where you can learn best practices and hear from colleagues at stations across the system. Check out our Upcoming Events Calendar (https://hubs.ly/Q03KPHz20) to find what we have scheduled for October, including topics such as: - Innovative corporate support campaigns - Multichannel fundraising plans - Addressing burnout Be sure to check the calendar periodically as we schedule more learning and connection opportunities. It’s going to be a busy Fall - hope to see you soon!