Supporting the information ecosystem
by Myrna Johnson
executive director, Iowa Public Radio
Myrna Johnson. Photo by Duane Tinkey
Dear friends and neighbors:
Thank you for your incredible support of nonprofit organizations in Central Iowa! The generosity of businesses and individual Iowans has created a vibrant and creative nonprofit community serving Des Moines. Iowa Public Radio has been the recipient of that support, and we are extremely grateful for your support of our work enriching the civic and cultural life in our state.
It’s a critical moment in Iowa Public Radio’s history. We’re celebrating 100 years of broadcasting, beginning anew as an independent public radio network, adapting to massive shifts in media and cementing a vision for our next century of service. This presents a unique opportunity to strengthen our commitment to Iowa by establishing ourselves as a more nimble, responsive community resource accessible to all.
To succeed in our mission, we must uncover important stories, lift up more and more diverse voices in our communities and showcase the world-class talent in our own backyard. We envision working with a strong network of partners to share stories from every corner of Iowa and across the Midwest. We must find new partners, collaborate creatively and invest wisely.
We must also support a strong information ecosystem in our community. As people change the way they consume information, as news organizations struggle to maintain circulation and as business models shift, I urge the community to pay attention and support their newspapers, digital news organizations, and yes, their public radio stations. Because a vibrant information ecosystem is essential for engaged citizens and vibrant communities. IPR is doing its part to find new ways to serve our audiences and to find new resources to support our work. And we know we can’t do it alone.
As we moved through the pandemic, IPR found itself at a significant crossroads: University support and state support were no longer available to us. At the same time, we were presented with the opportunity to own and operate the stations that we’d managed for Iowa’s universities since 2006. We worked with the universities on a plan for an orderly transition, and they transitioned ownership of all their public radio stations to IPR on June 30, 2022. The transition has been both exhausting and exhilarating. But there is not a doubt in mind that it was a critical step in ensuring Iowa has a strong public radio system, connecting Iowans to news, music, information and ideas that shape your world every day.
As we transitioned to an independent nonprofit, we knew it was important to lay a strong foundation for our future. To that end, we launched a $6.5 million comprehensive campaign called “A Resounding Future.” The campaign will help IPR invest in next-generation talent and technology, increase the number of journalists in our newsroom and build an endowment, a critical building block for successful nonprofit organizations.
We are also adapting to an ever-changing media environment. In this environment, it is essential to find time and resources to test new ideas and improve our practice. The rapid pace of new technology and ways of consuming information challenges us (and society!) every day. To address this challenge, and with significant philanthropic support, IPR has created an Innovation Fund to support and develop creative ideas inside the organization. Staff can request funds for developing or testing a new idea, service or product. Already this fund has seeded a new music show showcasing Iowa’s musical talent, created systems for improving our fundraising and launched an award-winning suite of newsletters serving Iowans with daily news, gardening tips and updates on the music scene. The Innovation Fund is a pool that can help us innovate and be nimble in a fast-paced media environment. It has been highly successful to date.
We know that innovation and change will continue to be major features of our work environment and are orienting ourselves to develop creative teams with tools for success. We have expanded our services to include podcasts, newsletters and other web-based content. We also know that news organizations across the state are struggling. We are committed to continuing to play a critical role in Iowa’s information ecosystem and to being a good partner with other news organizations. We are grateful to the community for helping us invest in the talent and technology needed to deliver compelling content to more people, meet audiences where they consume media, and respond to the concerns and interests of the many communities we serve.
We know this is a critical time for IPR, and for our community and state. We are here to serve you and to work with you to create a vibrant Des Moines.
How do you see philanthropy efforts changing in the next five years?
Targeted fundraising on digital platforms will grow significantly, allowing much more targeted appeals to donors. In addition, major giving around significant initiatives will become an evermore important part of the philanthropic pie.