I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I would love to spend less time talking and asking you for money, and more time listening to the music on KNCT and dancing along.

And if you’ve ever thought, “Huh? Why is there so much talking this week? How long are they going to be doing this?” you’ve probably caught us during pledge drive. I have a feeling we might be on the same page.

That’s why I want to tell you about our pre-pledge drive, which is underway now. Our official on-air drive begins October 19, but giving early could help us spend fewer days on the mics asking for your support. Before I explain how, let me give you a little peek at the other side of the soundboard.

I’m one of KNCT’s board operators, which means I spend a lot of time pushing buttons, bringing up microphones, and trying to keep everything running smoothly. You may have heard a few of my less-than-smooth moments, too. Live radio has a way of keeping a person humble. In this case, me.

During pledge drive, I’m also one of the voices asking you to donate. And here’s something you might not guess: I’m an introvert. Talking takes energy, and after a long day of live announcements, my social battery is blinking red. If you’ve ever run out of things to say and still needed to keep a conversation going, you understand.

Behind the other microphones is the small team that makes up KNCT. You’ll hear me, of course, along with our membership director Laury Sisko, our business analyst Ysela Yonak, our program director Gary Emmert, and sometimes our general manager. We cover a lot of airtime together, all working to reach our fundraising goal so we can put away the pledge microphones and get back to the music you love, uninterrupted.

We generally come to our listeners three or four times a year, depending on our fundraising needs and how well the last drive went. Each on-air drive is planned for about two weeks, with the hope of finishing sooner when we reach our goal. During that time, you’ll hear donation reminders, updates, conversations about our day, and probably a little extra jabbering as we try to keep our energy and spirits up.

We know those breaks aren’t everyone’s favorite part of listening. We hear that… a lot. And we understand. But those breaks serve a purpose. They really do.

KNCT is a nonprofit radio station, owned and operated by Central Texas College, and listener contributions help fund our programming. With the loss of federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), your support matters even more. Donations like yours help us continue serving our listeners and show the college how much this station means to the community. When we say “listener-supported,” we mean it. There are real people, real work, and real expenses behind those words.

There’s also a lot happening before we ever turn on the mics. Laury organizes volunteers, keeps track of the numbers, talks with donors, and somehow keeps the rest of us motivated. The fruit and donuts we receive from H-E-B in Copperas Cove certainly help, too. Laury likes to say her job is planning parties. And she puts her heart into it.

It’s just a really long party. One we would all be happy to shorten.

That’s where pre-pledge comes in. About a month before the actual on-air drive, we begin inviting early donations. It gives you more time to contribute and gives us a head start on the goal.

As a hypothetical example, raising $25,000 before a drive with a $35,000 goal would leave just $10,000 to raise on the air. That’s a very different starting point.

Just imagine: instead of hearing us say, “The sooner we reach our goal…” one more time, you’d simply hear the music begin to play. We’d have reached our goal, and the pledge microphones would already be put away.

My secret dream? Raising the whole amount before the on-air drive even begins. I can’t promise we could skip it altogether, but an introvert can dream. I’d certainly love to give Laury that kind of good news.

So, if you’re planning to support KNCT this fall, please consider giving early during our pre-pledge drive. You can donate online or call 877-533-5628. Every early contribution brings us a little closer to the finish line.

And if you’ve already given, thank you! If donating isn’t in your budget right now, we still appreciate you listening. Simply sharing this post is another way to help the music reach someone who may be able to give.

We love being part of your day. Thank you for being part of ours and for helping us make this next pledge party a little shorter.