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Membership FAQ
Thank you for your interest in supporting WPR! Here are answers to frequently asked questions about WPR membership. If you don't find what you're looking for, please call Membership Services at 800-383-9772 or send an email to membership@wpr.org. Our staff is happy to help!
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Membership Basics
How do I become a member of Wisconsin Public Radio?
When will my membership be due for renewal?
What is the recommended contribution for a basic membership?
Is my contribution tax-deductible?
Why did I receive a call from someone asking me for a donation?
Why did I receive a renewal notice or pledge reminder when I already sent my contribution?
How can I change or update my credit/debit card information for my monthly pledge OR my bank account information for my monthly electronic funds transfer?
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Mail and Publications
Will WPR sell or share my mailing address, phone number or email address?
Could you please send me less mail?
How can I change my mailing address, phone number or email address with WPR?
How do I get off your mailing list?
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Thank-You Gifts
When will my thank-you gift arrive?
Help! My thank-you gift arrived damaged OR I received the wrong thank-you gift!
Can I get thank-you gifts from past membership drives?
What are the tax implications to me, and costs to WPR, if I take a thank-you gift?
Does all of my donation support WPR if I receive a thank-you gift?
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General
How can I contact WPR about my membership?
How can I contact WPR about programming or with other questions?
How do I know if my employer will match my contribution?
My employer participates in the employee matching gift program. What do I do next?
Can I give a membership to someone else?
How can I make a donation in memory of someone?
How can I include WPR in my estate plans?
How can I find the other WPR stations around the state?
How can I get a program schedule?
How does WPR raise money and how is it spent?
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MemberCard
Did WPR stop offering the MemberCard?
How long will my card be good if WPR is no longer participating in this program?
What happens if I take my current MemberCard to an establishment that used to offer a discount and now they no longer accept the card?
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How do I become a member of Wisconsin Public Radio?
A donation of any amount makes you a member. Technically, you are becoming a member of the Wisconsin Public Radio Association (WPRA) for one year. The WPRA is the fundraising organization of Wisconsin Public Radio and by donating in support of the programs you listen to on WPR, you are becoming a part of that member organization. There are currently nearly 50,000 members of Wisconsin Public Radio.
When will my membership be due for renewal?
Your membership will be due for renewal on your expiration date, which is usually about one year from your last renewal contribution. We'll send you renewal notices starting a few months before that time. The sooner you respond to a renewal request, the more money WPR saves in mailing costs and the further your renewal gift goes to support programming, so please consider responding sooner than later! When you respond to the first notice, you’ll still be renewed for a year from your expiration date. Unless you ask us to change it, your renewal month will generally stay the same from one year to the next. If you have any questions, please contact Membership Services at 800-383-9772 or membership@wpr.org.
What is the recommended contribution for a basic membership?
A donation of any amount makes you a member! At WPR we’re about inclusion, not exclusion, so your gift of any amount makes you a member.
Is my contribution tax-deductible?
Yes, your gift to WPR is fully tax-deductible to the extent allowable by the I.R.S., minus the fair market value of any thank-you gifts requested. We will send you an acknowledgement letter for your contribution that can be saved for tax purposes. The Wisconsin Public Radio Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization: # 23-7363536.
Why did I receive a call from someone with WPR asking me for a donation?
Occasionally WPR uses a telemarketing firm to make calls on our behalf, usually to members whose memberships have lapsed. This is one more way, in addition to mailings and on-air campaigns, to make sure that WPR has the funding it needs. If you do not wish to be solicited by phone, let us know by contacting Membership Services at 800-383-9772 or membership@wpr.org.
Why did I receive a renewal notice or pledge reminder when I already sent my contribution?
Sometimes your payment crosses paths with our mailings. If you sent us a donation in the last few weeks, please disregard the extra reminder and accept our apologies. Please note, we have several campaigns each year designed to specifically bring in additional gifts that support WPR in addition to a member’s annual renewal. It could be the contribution you sent was an additional gift. To make sure your donation is documented the way you want it to be (renewal versus additional gift), or to reduce your mailings from WPR, please contact Membership Services at 800-383-9772 or membership@wpr.org.
How can I change or update my credit/debit card information for my monthly pledge OR my bank account information for my monthly electronic funds transfer?
Just give Membership Services a call at 800-383-9772 and we'll enter the new information into our secure database. Please do not email your credit/debit card number or bank account information to us.
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Will WPR sell or share my mailing address, phone number or email address?
WPR does not sell or exchange your personal information with anyone.
Could you please send me less mail?
Yes! We generally send renewal notices, sweepstakes entries and end-of-year mailings. Please contact Membership Services at 800-383-9772 or membership@wpr.org and let us know your preferences.
How can I change my mailing address, phone number or email address with WPR?
Please contact Membership Services at 800-383-9772 or membership@wpr.org with both your new AND old information.
How do I get off your mailing list?
Please contact Membership Services at 800-383-9772 or membership@wpr.org and ask to have all mailings stopped or to cancel your membership.
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When will my thank-you gift arrive?
If you requested a thank-you gift when you made a pledge during an on-air membership drive, it should arrive 6 to 8 weeks after the end of the pledge drive. We don't have the staffing or resources to order the gifts ahead of time and maintain the stock here, so we work with a variety of third-party vendors to send them to you as soon as possible. To do this, we tally all the requests that came in during the drive, place the orders, wait for shipment from the many vendors, hold the items until we have a critical mass and then we have volunteers package and ship the gifts. Many gifts are sent via media mail, which is less costly but slower than first class mail. We understand that 6 to 8 weeks is a long time to wait for your item and truly appreciate your patience! (If you requested a gift during any other time of the year, we generally have those items in stock and they should ship a week or two after we have processed your donation.)
Help! My thank-you gift arrived damaged OR I received the wrong thank-you gift!
Of the thousands of thank-you gifts that WPR mails out after each membership drive, a handful end up being damaged, getting lost in the mail, or getting mixed up with the wrong item. If this happens to you, please give us a call at 800-383-9772 or email michaels@wpr.org. We'll do our best to fix the problem, and thanks in advance for understanding.
Can I get thank-you gifts from past membership drives?
It is sometimes possible to receive thank-you gifts from previous pledge drives, depending on what we have left over. Please call Membership Services at 800-383-9772 to find out if a particular item is available and at what donation amount.
What are the tax implications to me if I take a thank-you gift?
Your donation to WPR is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the I.R.S., minus the "fair market value" of any thank-you gifts you request. We will send you an acknowledgement letter, stating the fair market value of any thank-you gifts.
Does all of my donation support WPR if I receive a thank-you gift?
Thanks for asking! Although WPR does receive some donated items to use as thank-you gifts, we do have to pay for most items, and we pay for packaging and shipping. We generally get discounts on all the items we purchase.
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How can I contact WPR about my membership?
You can call us at 800-383-9772 (we generally are available weekdays, between the hours of 8 am and 4:30 pm), send an email to membership@wpr.org, or send us a letter to WPR Membership Services, 821 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706.
How can I contact WPR about programming or with other questions?
You can call our Audience Services Department on weekdays from 9 am until 5 pm at 1-800-747-7444, or email listener@wpr.org.
How do I know if my employer will match my contribution?
Please contact your Human Resources Department to find out if your employer will match your donation. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, WPR is eligible for many employers’ corporate Matching Gifts Programs. For more information about matching, please visit http://www.wpr.org/membership/MatchingGifts.cfm
My employer participates in the employee matching gift program. What do I do next?
Please contact your Human Resources Department to find out your employer’s procedure for matching your donation. For more information about matching, please visit http://www.wpr.org/membership/MatchingGifts.cfm
Can I give a membership to someone else?
Yes, you can make a gift membership for someone else. You make the contribution in your name and let us know who the gift is for, their address and if it’s for any special occasion. We will send your gift recipient a letter to notify him or her of your gift. Please call 800-383-9772 or visit our gift donation page to set this up.
How can I make a donation in memory of someone?
We are very sorry for your loss, and we are honored that you would consider donating to WPR in memory of this special person. Please visit our donation page and include a note in the comments section indicating the person’s name and if there is anyone we should contact to notify them of your memorial donation.
How can I include WPR in my estate plans?
For detailed information about including WPR in your estate plans, please visit our planned giving page http://wpr.org/giving/, or call Cynthia Woodland at 608-263-1885.
How can I find the other WPR stations around the state?
Please visit our station listing page for more information: http://wpr.org/regions/
How can I get a program schedule?
To find out what’s airing on the WPR station near you, please visit our station listing page and click on your station: http://wpr.org/regions/
How does WPR raise money and how is it spent?
Good question! One which deserves it's own page with it's own FAQ. Visit funding.wpr.org to learn more.
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Did WPR stop offering the MemberCard?
Unfortunately, WPR no longer offers the WPR Member Benefit Card (“MemberCard”), a membership benefit card offering 2-for-1 offers at various businesses. WPR stopped offering the card as of July 1, 2011 in an effort to save money. While MemberCard was of value to many members, canceling this program allows us to save a significant amount of money without affecting the WPR programs you listen to.
How long will my current card be good if WPR is no longer participating in this program?
Your MemberCard will be honored through the end of the month/year printed on your card. Your MemberCard expiration date was assigned to reflect at least 12 full months of use from the time you received it. Please contact Member Services at 800-383-9772 or membership@wpr.org if you have questions about the status of your MemberCard.
What happens if I take my MemberCard to an establishment that used to offer a discount and now they no longer accept the card?
Participation in the MemberCard program is constantly changing. We always recommend that members call ahead to verify that a business is still honoring the MemberCard and to find out if there are any conditions that may apply. If you experience problems with any of your MemberCard benefits, please call 800-423-7645 to contact MemberCard directly. You may also wish to keep up-to-date on MemberCard offers by visiting MemberCard’s website: http://www.membercard.com/stations/one.php?station_id=249
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