KCLU Reports Best Fund-Raising Effort

KCLU-FM, the area’s only radio station featuring National Public Radio, jazz, news and locally produced shows, is reporting its best fund-raising drive in its four-year history.

“We received $73,395 in one week of fund-raising,” said KCLU General Manager Mary Olson. “It’s absolutely fantastic. It’s a 20% jump over six months ago, where we raised $61,605.”

Gifts from donors increased to 1,288 from 957 during the station’s fund drive in April. Olson attributed the increase to the station offering better services and having established a listener base in Santa Barbara since it began transmitting there six months ago.

Fund-raising drives are critical to KCLU, which is on the Cal Lutheran University campus in Thousand Oaks and broadcasts on FM channel 88.3 in Ventura and 102.3 FM in Santa Barbara. Olson said KCLU is the only public radio station not receiving federal funding, so more local contributions will mean more services for listeners.