We’ve chosen stations based on need, and whether they are already running specialized Green Leaf Magazine radio programs — that just need a little boost.

Our ultimate goal is to cover the entire country with specialized, remote, agriculture extension to support local farmers as they improve their farms — of which the radio programs on these stations play a large role.

Unfortunately no. We'll select the station based on need, and then based on how much you are able to raise, we’ll pair you with a station and other teams trying to achieve the same. Once we’ve assigned you a station, however, we’re committed to providing you with as much information about them as possible — and you'll get info on the community you're helping. We’re also looking at ways to connect you with the station without disrupting their work!

Once a station is fully sponsored, you'll receive updates with pictures, a community profile and sometimes even hear from the station themselves. You'll be able to celebrate along with the community you've served — and maybe even meet the broadcasters at the station. 

We promise to be as transparent with you as possible! You'll get info on the community you're helping, as soon as the campaign is over and we've determined which program you are sponsoring. We'll do our best to make sure you  hear from the station you've supported — without placing an extra burden on the broadcasters of course! They're busy people.

You'll be able to celebrate along with the community you've served! We hope you’ll even be able to meet with one of the stations we sponsor this year as well. 

Finally, our credentials: We work hard to make every dollar go as far as possible. In the last fiscal year, 84% of our funds went directly to our core programs, with only 16% spent on administration and fundraising. We are proud to have been rated a top charity by Charity Intelligence Canada, earning its highest rating of five stars, listed as one of the top ten international charities in 2021 and are consistently ranked on their top 100 list of Canadian charities.

You can also read our annual report, where we report back on the work we do every year, by clicking here. 

Yes and no. We’ll be giving $1,500 to the station in cash, as a way to augment the costs of airtime and to pay their staff for the weekly show.

The remaining donation will go towards the costs associated with ensuring good, high quality, interactive radio programming gets to the local community served by that station. 

What does that mean? 

• Farm Radio International will providing ongoing coaching and training for broadcasters at the station
• We will continue to produce resources (like how-to guides, runsheets, and content backgrounders) to the station for their shows
• We will give the station full access to our Uliza suite of services. This tool and software allow stations to run phone polls with their listeners; set up "Interactive Voice Response" calls for community members to access information and leave questions for the show over the phone; and ensure their radio programs stay interactive and accessible to listeners. 

Getting started is very easy.

Start by clicking here. You’ll be taken to a link where it will ask you to create your own fundraising page. Click that button, and follow the instructions to create your own personal fundraising page. From there, you can set your own target (it could be $5,200 or it could be $200 — every little bit helps!). See the next FAQ for advice about what to put on the page.

Then, click Create Page. You’ll be asked to add your email, name and password so that you can log in and see how your fundraiser is going in the future. Once that is done, you’ll be able to see the page that you’ve created. You’ll also receive an email from us sending you a link you can share with your friends, as well as an email that shares how you can log in and edit your page in the future.

When the campaign is done, we'll match you with a program that your fundraising will go towards supporting. You'll receive updates with pictures, a community profile and sometimes even video. You'll be able to celebrate along with the community you've served!

When you click “Create your fundraiser” you’ll be taken to a page that you can personalize and later share with your network.

Give the page a name! We recommend something like “Join my team to support a radio program.” 

Add a photo. We’ve set you up with a generic photo related to the campaign, but you can add your own photo — high quality if possible — perhaps you’ve visited Ghana? Or have a favourite photo of yourself you’d like to put up there.

Set a goal! What do you think you can fundraise through your network? Remember, sponsoring a program for a year is $5,200, but you can set any goal you think is reasonable! 

Set a deadline! When do you think you can raise the money by? Set a date as a goal for yourself.

Personalize your page. You have space to write a personal message. Tell people why you are so passionate about supporting a radio station and why you decided to get involved. It doesn’t have to be long; just a few words that come from the heart! You can add some stats that may have shocked you, or a personal appeal about what this means to you. You’ll be surprised how much this will help others see why you are so passionate about this cause.

We’re so glad you asked!

Share your fundraising page with your family and friends! Here are some tips to help your page be as successful as possible:

1. Invite people to join your team

Start with the “3Fs”: your friends, your family, and your fans (or people you know care about the cause you’re fundraising for). From there, think about clubs or organizations you might belong to: your fav local business, your gym, your office…the sky's the limit, and it never hurts to ask.. Ask your workplace if they offer matching gifts to help you double your impact. Ask about volunteer days, too, so you can spend some time messaging people about your campaign without digging into your personal time. 

2. Use the power of social media

Social media is a simple way to stay connected with people and to share your personal fundraising page and goals quickly and easily. If you break up your goal by weeks, it’s easy for followers to track your progress. Start by sharing the link to your fundraising page and writing a simple message (and make sure you always include the link to your page for posts into the future).

Here are some examples of posts: 

• Join my team to sponsor a radio program! Together, we're hoping to sponsor a program in Ghana! I already have $200 toward my goal of $500! I only need 10 people to donate $30 each to make this happen! [link to fundraising page] 
• We can make a difference by making sure radio stations continue to share knowledge, amplify voices, and support positive change!  Join my team today! [link to fundraising page]
• Wow, we're already at $1,750! Our team only needs $500 more to go to reach the halfway point oour goal. Will you help get us there? [link to fundraising page]
• We're 25% away from reaching our goal of raising $5,200! Join our team to support a radio station in Ghana and make a donation today! [link to fundraising page]
• Wow, THANK YOU to everyone who has joined my team. We could not have attained this without all your support.  For those who still wish to join, there is still time [link to fundraising page]

3. Start by being the first to donate

Why is this important? Because it shows your supporters you are serious about your goal and are willing to put in your own resources to make it happen! Plus, no one wants to be the ‘first,’ so by donating yourself, you are paving the way for others. Make this donation as large as possible and set a precedent for others to think generously.

4. Invite others to take part in reaching your goal

It's important to remember to ask! You can't ask too many times — we promise! Just make it simple and clear: “Just $25 will make a difference." Or, “I’m trying to reach $500 by Friday! Please make your donation today!” Again, do not forget to include a link to your fundraising page every time! And remember, it’s okay to ask someone more than once. Sometimes a friendly reminder that you’re still fundraising is all a person needs to make their contribution. Continue mixing it up with asking for donations and giving updates about where you are with your goal. The more people see your updates, the more likely they are to give! Feel free to share posts and tweets.

5. Ask others to spread the word

Ask your friends and family to share your fundraising page on their social media sites. If you send emails, ask them to forward your emails to their contacts as well. Raising awareness of the problem and your efforts to solve it will make a big difference!

6. Keep your team and others updated on your progress

Even if your friend and family have already donated, keep them up-to-date on your progress. Share impactful stories, and what the money raised means to you.

7. Say thank you

Say thank you immediately!

When someone joins your team, give them a shout-out on your social media. Remember, success breeds success. Studies show as you make progress towards your goal, people are more likely to donate, especially when they see a friend or family member has! Farm Radio International will also send them an automated thank you message and a tax receipt.

Yes! Every donation made is receipted automatically the instant the transaction is complete. Remind your supporters to check their inbox/spam/junk folders for the receipt. If they did not receive one, they can reach out to Soula Dimitrey at sdimitrey@farmardio.org 

If you have any questions, need help setting up your page, or need to touch base with us, please contact Chantal Begin at cbegin@farmradio.org. To get in touch by phone, please call our general info line: 1-888-773-7717 (toll free) or 613-761-3650.

No problem! As part of the process, you can set your own fundraising goal. Whether it’s $100, $1,000 or $5,200 any little bit counts. When you're done raising money, just let us know. We'll mark your page complete and assign what you've raised to a specific station. 

Thank you so much for wanting to support this important cause! If you follow this link (the same links as any of the ones above) you can simply scroll down and join any of the teams already set up! Your donation will be sent to a station, and we'll continue to let you know how you’ve made a difference to that community.