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MTPR Funding: Where It Comes From And What It Pays For

 The Total Picture of MTPR Revenue for FY2016
The Total Picture of MTPR Revenue for FY2016

This chart shows all MTPR revenue sources projected for FY2016, totaling $2.5 million. Listeners and sponsors make up the largest share of our annual revenue picture (60%). State money is from the University of Montana with the cash portion (17% of total revenue) going toward personnel and  in-kind (11%) covering our studios and offices on the UM campus plus utilities and maintenance (also utilities at our transmitter sites).

Federal support (10%) is granted by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and is determined both by the size of the audience we serve and our non-federal revenue - so success in listener support leads to larger grants from CPB.

MTPR Projected Expenses for FY2016
MTPR Projected Expenses for FY2016

Our projection for all expenses in FY2016 shows the lion's share (69%) going to programming. This covers programs we purchase and our affiliation fees for NPR and other program distributors, plus the costs for our technical infrastructure and all the personnel who create or support programming.

Fundraising expense (15%) includes the fundraising and communication staff as well as mailing costs for donor communications and premiums.

Management costs (12%) include our station director and business manager as well as a percentage of the time for department heads who have administrative duties.

Depreciation (4%) indicates the replacement value of major equipment for transmission and broadcast of our signal.

Breakout Of MTPR Donor Revenue For FY2016

Listener contributions are by far the largest source of funding for MTPR. In FY2016 the station will need $1.5 million from listeners and sponsors to meet basic operations. The chart above shows how that money is spent.

$130,000 in equipment will allow us to replace one of five aging transmitters that are nearing the end of their useful lives. We plan to replace one transmitter per year for the next five years.

$475,000 in operations includes programs we purchase, communication costs, broadcast costs and ongoing maintenance, travel, leases for our transmitter sites and fundraising expenses.

$887,700 for personnel is the heart of the station. Many talented and dedicated people make MTPR happen, from our Montana news team to our on-air hosts who create  local music and children's programs. The technical staff keep transmitters, servers, editing suites, recording studios, broadcast equipment and our website working. Fundraising/communications staff and our station management raise the money and steward it, manage finances and personnel, and communicate with donors and the public.

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