Dear Friends of Classical Public Radio,
WDAV is more than just a radio station. It’s the music that begins your day, a companion on your commute, and a thread that ties our community together through a shared love of classical music. That’s why I’m reaching out with urgency today.
As we feared, the Congress has voted to take back funds previously approved to support public broadcasting through CPB, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. That means that WDAV already faces a deficit of a quarter of a million dollars in our budget for the fiscal year that has just begun. If we’re to continue serving our community at the level you expect and deserve, we must replace that revenue. No decisions have been made yet about what we would need to cut if we fall short—but let me be candid: anything we lose would be felt deeply.
Would we have to stop our live broadcasts of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra – performances that reach music lovers who might never otherwise visit a concert hall? What about beloved, but costly, national programs, such as Performance Today or From the Top? Could we continue producing our convivial Small Batch Concerts or delivering recorders to local classrooms if we’re forced to choose between those programs and simply keeping the lights on for another month?
This is the new reality, and we’re counting on you. If you care about classical music and WDAV’s role in uplifting the arts in our community, I urge you to make a gift today. If you already contribute, thank you—please consider increasing your support or making an additional donation. And if you’ve been meaning to give but haven’t yet, this is the moment that matters most.
Replacing this critical revenue won’t be possible unless more listeners become donors. For decades, CPB support helped make WDAV accessible to everyone, especially those who couldn’t afford to give. Now, without that funding, the responsibility for WDAV’s future rests entirely with listeners who value this service and are willing to sustain it.
Your contribution is even more valuable when you become a sustaining donor. The steady, reliable support from monthly gifts helps WDAV face the future without CPB funding – and plan with confidence. And if your resources permit, I invite you to join WDAV’s Gladys and Rom Sparks Society. A gift of $100 per month or more places you among the donors strengthening the foundation of this classical music service and helping us build a sustainable future.
The loss of federal funding could transform WDAV from the vital, local institution it has been for more than forty-seven years into a service that is significantly diminished. But with your help, that future isn’t inevitable.
If WDAV matters to you, please give today—generously, and with the future in mind.
With sincere gratitude,
Frank Dominguez
General Manager
WDAV Classical Public Radio
Ways to Give
⏵ Give for the First Time or Make an Additional Gift
⏵ Become a Vivace Club Sustaining Donor
⏵ Join our Sparks Society
⏵ Learn about Business & Corporate Opportunities