Key takeaways
- Stations' strongest phone campaigns are member renewals, lapsed members and sustainer conversion.
- Pledge fulfillment calls after on-air drives recover pledges that would otherwise go unpaid.
- If members receive thank-you gifts, the deductible amount and IRS disclosure rules come into play.
The core campaigns
- Renewals: calling members as their membership comes due.
- Lapsed members: calling former members, most recent first.
- Sustainer conversion: inviting annual members to give monthly with our monthly giving script.
- Pledge fulfillment: friendly reminder calls to listeners and viewers who pledged during a drive but haven't paid.
- Sustainer updates: calls when a monthly gift fails because a card expired.
Thank-you gifts and the IRS
When a member receives something of value for a gift, such as a mug, tote or event tickets, only the amount above the gift's fair market value is deductible. The IRS requires a written disclosure for these quid pro quo contributions over $75 stating the deductible amount (IRS Publication 1771). Callers should be able to explain this simply, and confirmation letters should include it.
Tips for public media calls
- Mention the programs the member listens to or watches, if you know them.
- Ask whether they'd like the thank-you gift; some members prefer the full gift go to the station.
- Confirm the pledge amount and payment method, and send confirmation the same day.
How KFG helps
Kensington Fundraising Group runs renewal, lapsed-member and sustainer calls for public media, in English and Spanish. See membership renewal calls and our phone fundraising ROI calculator.