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HPPR board of directors background

Background

High Plains Public Radio is governed by the Board of Directors of the Kanza Society, Inc., the nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation that operates HPPR and holds its FCC licenses. The board consists of 11 to 18 members, including officer positions of President, Vice-president, Secretary and Treasurer. Board members must be current financial contributors to HPPR and are not compensated for their services. Terms are for three years with service limited to two consecutive terms, though past members may return to the board. Approximately one-third of the board is elected each year.

If you are interested in being considered for nomination to a position on the HPPR board of directors please contact Quentin Hope, Executive Director at qhope@hppr.org.

Regular board responsibilities
HPPR board responsibilities are similar to other nonprofit organizations, including:

  • Strategic Planning: Developing and guiding the organization's long-term vision and strategic direction.
  • Financial Oversight: monitoring the organization's financial health, approving budgets, and ensuring responsible financial management.
  • Fundraising: supporting fundraising efforts and actively participating in resource development.
  • Legal and Ethical Compliance: ensuring the organization operates within legal and ethical boundaries.
  • Mission Fulfillment: overseeing the organization's programs and services to ensure they align with its mission.
  • Board Development: recruiting, orienting, and supporting new board members.
  • Advocacy and Outreach: representing and advocating for the organization with the general public and government officials.
  • Committee Involvement: Serving on and leading committees that address specific organizational needs.

The full board four times a year with two virtual and two in-person meetings.

The challenge and opportunities of serving on the HPPR board at this time
The defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a large blow that presents a high challenge to all public radio and TV stations, HPPR included. For HPPR it means the loss of about $222,000 in annual operating support (15% of a total operating budget of about $1.5 million) as well as increased annual expenses estimated at $44,000 for shared infrastructure and services that CPB once funded (e.g. music rights agreements and royalty fees, the satellite system used to interconnect stations, and the technology behind this website).

In facing this funding challenge, HPPR has several strengths to draw on.

  • HPPR operates as an independent nonprofit organization, dedicated solely to providing public radio service to the High Plains region and is free to make its own decisions and set its own path. By contrast, about 70% of public radio stations across the country are licensed to universities or units of state governments and are subject to their organization-wide policies, priorities and budget setting.
  • HPPR well-serves its mission of “supporting and enriching the civic, educational, community and cultural life of residents of the High Plains region” by offering two 24-hour programming services (HPPR Mix and Connect) that meet a wide range of listener needs and interests .
  • Through its programming services HPPR has built a wide base of private support through its 45 years of service to 332 communities and 89 counties spanning five states of the High Plains region.
  • HPPR has many listeners and supporters of its mission who have yet to contribute financially since such support is voluntary and may have been inhibited by perceptions that government funding carried the costs.
  • HPPR has built-up reserve funds over the years that can help provide time to plan carefully, adjust operations and raise new funding to cover the gap left by the loss of CPB funding.
  • HPPR has a very dedicated staff that’s fully committed to managing through the challenges HPPR now faces.

At the same time, changes in the media environment have created opportunities for HPPR to notably improve its service and value to the High Plains, and make the case for increased public support for HPPR.

  • Most of the region’s media (newspapers, TV and radio) is now owned by corporations outside the area who are continually centralizing operations, cutting local staff, and reducing local content (except in areas that remain profitable, like local sports). Of the 26 commercial TV stations operating in HPPR’s coverage area, none are owned within the region. Of 164 commercial radio stations in the coverage area, only about one-third are owned in the region. This has left large gaps in available local news and information coverage, locally-hosted music programming, and promotion of the events and programs of area educational, cultural and arts organizations.
  • There is widespread recognition and concern at the national level over the state of local media, especially in rural areas, including: the loss of local news (“news deserts”); the need for new models and approaches for providing news and information in rural areas; and the special challenges of providing public radio service in rural areas (e.g. higher per capita transmission costs). These issues are very much in play in the High Plains region and HPPR is well positioned to develop a model for how to meet these needs and seek national funding for this work.
  • HPPR has already succeeded in being awarded a highly competitive grant (22 funded from 560 applications) from Press Forward to create the “High Plains Civic Media Network”. The grant is for $750,000 over three years. Other funding from national sources may be possible.

HPPR’s need for committed board members and the opportunities of becoming a HPPR board member at this time
Given HPPR’s challenges and opportunities, HPPR is expanding its board and seeking individuals who can help provide the guidance and support for HPPR to succeed in this important time in its organizational history and in the future of the country’s public media system. This includes:

  • Assessing community needs and interests to inform HPPR’s expanded regional news, information and cultural programming (e.g., the development of the High Plains Civic Media Network);
  • Providing guidance on the development of strategic and financial plans for moving HPPR forward in the coming two to three years, and giving approval to final plans;
  • Providing insights, contacts and direct assistance in generating additional funding from individuals and business sponsors;
  • Being involved in a board that is actively engaged in sustaining and improving an important regional and national service;
  • Learning more about public radio operations, the nation's public media system and the media world in general.