Radiotopia’s Philosophy of Fundraising
What truly moves people from considering the act of giving to actually making a donation?
At Radiotopia, we believe there is no magic formula for a successful fundraiser. Each year, we approach the annual campaign with excitement, trepidation, and pragmatism. Sure, we know the basic principle: ask the listeners who devour the shows (to the tune of more than 19 million downloads per month) to support what they love. And yes, we know we should ask them to donate any chance we get— in their ears while they’re out and about, in their inboxes while they’re checking emails, and on social media when they’re scrolling at the bus stop. But what everyone always really wants to know is: what truly moves people from considering the act of giving to actually making a donation? And how does Radiotopia keep getting tens of thousands of people to keep it up, even five years in?
Radiotopia is known for our curated, high-quality, sound-rich podcasts. It’s with that same aesthetic, care, and dedication that we approach our fundraiser each year. Our philosophy is to craft campaigns that are as well designed as the programs themselves, with Radiotopia producers who see campaigns as an important element of how they engage their audience as well as generate revenue. We believe in doing everything in our power to break through the invisible wall between the shows and their fans. From the language we use to call listeners to action, to the rewards we offer them when they do, everything is centered on the producers who create the content and the listeners who consume it. Our ultimate goal: to create a stronger, more authentic connection between them.
Each year, we work with the producers to fully understand what moves them about being part of the Radiotopia collective. Our fundraising theme is generated collaboratively — not by a group of siloed fundraisers stuck in a room crunching numbers or generic pitches. Instead, we center on the thoughts, feelings, and intentions of the producers who are the heart and soul of Radiotopia. We conduct video calls, we ask questions about what resonates, we float ideas, and we find out what is making the network tick.
Together we design rewards for donations that are an extension of the shows, like more episodes from “Criminal,” a virtual office hours event with Roman Mars’ Beautiful Nerd Brigade, a custom crossword puzzle for “The West Wing Weekly,” and more. We design experiences and channels that get creators and donors one step closer to each other.
We also know that listeners keep coming back, year after year, to support the network. From the beginning, we have committed to treating every donor—from the ones who give $1 to the ones who give $10,000— the same. When people write in with questions, we write back custom email responses and tailor our communication based on each individual and their circumstances. We realize that every donor has a wallet of varying size, but much more importantly, they have a heart that has found something in us. We take that relationship very seriously.
We’re proud not just of the shows that make up Radiotopia, but of the listeners, fans, and donors from all over the world who make up our community of Radiotopia Citizens. During our 2018 and 2019 fundraisers, approximately 27% of donations came from outside the United States. In the last five years, more than 95,000 individuals have contributed to one or more of our fundraising campaigns. Currently, we have about 15,000 recurring donors, donating almost $100,000 a month collectively! This support makes it possible to create the award-winning content that our listeners know and love.
When it comes down to it, listeners want what Ian Chillag captured so well in one of his campaign messages this year: “mystery and unknown things in the future.”
The fundraiser may be over, but it’s never too late to donate. Visit radiotopia.fm to make your contribution. Stay connected by signing up for our monthly newsletter, The Citizen, and following us on social media, @Radiotopia.
