About Our Annual Fundraising DrivE

Marking 101 years of broadcasting from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario in 2023, CFRC 101.9 FM has grown over the decades to become a prominent independent media source in the region featuring music, news and spoken word and multicultural programs across over 100 different programs!  

Support from our community is critical to supporting the station's ability to strengthen our capacity to maintain station operations, strengthen our independently produced news programming and support community-facing arts projects.

CFRC's Annual Funding Drive is our most important fundraising event of the year from our community.  Donor gifts make it possible to maintain high quality broadcasting and service to provide our listeners on campus and in the Greater Kingston area.  We consistently raise 25,000 per year, a tenth of our operating budget.  We're grateful to our our new and perennial donors who support the station's ability to keep the doors open and our diverse, innovative and independent programming on air!  Our success year over year is a testament to the value community members place in volunteer-driven music, news, spoken word and multicultural radio programming for our region.

All of the funds raised during our Annual Funding Drive go directly back into the station to strengthen our operations and support projects of benefit and interest to the whole community.  Day to day operational costs that donations support include maintenance, replacement and upgrading of existing station equipment, purchase of new equipment to meet modern digital realities, music content licensing and transmission costs, transmitter and webstream maintenance, general operations, funding capital projects and growing our capacity as a community hub for listeners to learn more about local helping organizations and services as well as our local artists and arts events.

Here's a condensed list of some of the operational projects we have been able to complete since 2018 thanks to the generous gifts of our donors:

  • Building a new website and streaming app that are mobile friendly and meet WCAG accessibility standards
  • Building a new data collection system to simplify show logging processes required by the CRTC and SOCAN
  • Addition of a new Denon Prime 4 DJ mixer and two new Audio-Technica turntables into the broadcast studio 
  • Replacing the 30-year-old AEG Bayly Telefunken FM transmitter with a Nautel VS1 unit 
  • Replacement of microwave transmitter equipment in Botterall Hall 
  • Launch of our new podcast platform featuring locally produced spoken word programming 
  • Replacement and upgrade of soundboard console in our main recording studio for use by volunteers and local artists in their recording projects
  • Renovation of primary recording studio space and equipage of space to support live in studio band performances and roundtable discussions
  • Investment in new live remote broadcasting equipment
  • Investment in new off site recording equipment
  • Investment in new portable DJ equipment to support community events
  • Investment in new recording and broadcast studio equipment
  • New broadcast computer and software, refurbishment of older model computers

Your support in 2023 means we can bring our website up to modern, accessible standards while also being able to support a new community-facing project that allows local youth to freely participate in a summer camp experience with no cost barriers, and learn the skills behind broadcasting, thus training future generations for community radio.  

Thank you very much for your support!

OUR Funding Drive PARTNERS

What'll I Wear Vintage Clothing
The Screening Room
Toucan
Cauldron
Tara Natural Foods
Tango Nuevo
Improbable Escapes
Graymalkin's Wireworks
Black Dog Hospitality
KPP Concerts
KCFF
QAR
Grad Club
Long & McQuade
Minotaur
Novel Idea
Whit Kingston
Agent 99