As most of you have heard, 91 Online is now able to accept donations. (Yaaayyy!) Of course, we understand that money is tight for most people out there, and giving to a ministry is a big decision, so I wanted to make sure you guys know a few things before you decide whether or not to give.
First of all, at this stage of the development of 91 Online, there are a lot of things going on behind the scenes, but not too much physical evidence. As with any business, the beginning is unstable and we understand if you’re concerned if this is really going to happen. However, I assure you that we are committed to this vision.
As we all know, starting a business has its costs. There are licensing fees, building deposits, computer programs and equipment to buy, websites to acquire and PO boxes to rent, all before our listeners will hear one song on our station. Our staff is donating what we can, but like most of you, none of us have thousands of dollars to sink into this right away. We will need help from our listeners to get this thing off the ground. Yes, we could take out a business loan, but we do not feel like starting out in debt is the way to go, so we’re believing that God will bring those of you He calls to provide for us.
Secondly, as of now, no one on the staff will be making a cent of income from the station. Somewhere down the line, if 91 Online is thriving and we can afford it, salaries will be discussed by the board of directors, but everyone will be working on a volunteer basis until all our bills are covered and everything is set up and running smoothly.
If you have ever how we’ve been spending your donations, 91 Online’s books will be available to the public upon request.
It’s also important to mention that 91 Online will not be owned by a single individual or organization. We will be owned by a seven person board of directors consisting of former 91FM staff – Brandon Rahbar, Eva Hamlin, Ryan Colley, Matthew Lindsey, Terri Fields, Karen Griffin and Rachael Jamison. All decisions regarding the business will have to pass by a majority vote.
To be completely honest, as of today, 91 Online does not have it’s business license or non-profit status approved. In order to acquire these things, it will cost us roughly $525. We have received “promises” of donation amounts from listeners and staff that will cover this expense, but we haven’t received all of the actual donations yet. We do expect to have all the money necessary by the end of next week. In the meantime, we are working on getting all the paperwork we need submitted to the state and the IRS, so that all we will need to do is pay them and we’ll be ready to go. For those of you who choose to give now, it’s my understanding that your donations will be retroactively tax exempt once we become approved. Of course, I’m no expert on legal business rules and regulations, so if I’m incorrect, please let me know.
Right now, there are three ways to give:
1. You can go into any MidFirst Bank location and tell the teller that you’d like to make a deposit into 91 Online’s account. We have opened a DBA account and are able to take checks made out to 91 Online.
PLEASE NOTE: If you do make a donation at a MidFirst location and you would like it to be included on your yearly giving statement, you MUST email us with your name, address and the amount you gave at hitmusic91@gmail.com! Otherwise, the only thing we can see on our end is the deposit slip, and there is no way for us to credit you.
2. We have set up a PayPal account. If you would like to give, you will need to set up an account or log in to an existing PayPal account. Once you’re on the home screen, click the “Send Money” tab. When you’re there, enter the email address “hitmusic91@gmail.com” along with the amount you want to give. Beneath the dollar amount box, you will see that you can give as a “Purchase” or “Personal”. If you choose “Personal” and select “Gift,” you will be charged $.30 per donation by PayPal. If you choose “Purchase” and “Service,” you will not have to pay this fee. Again, if you do give through PayPal and want your donation to be included on your yearly giving statement, you MUST email us with your name, address and the amount you gave at hitmusic91@gmail.com! The transaction will show up under the name “PayPal *91 Online” on your bank or credit card statement.
We hope to be able to set up a way to pay online without going through PayPal in the near future, but for now, this was the fastest and easiest solution to be able to receive donations online.
3. You may send your checks, money orders or cash (although we don’t recommend sending cash through the mail) to our PO Box.
PO Box 7081
Edmond, OK 73083
Please make sure your name and address is included with your gift.
Like I mentioned before, we understand that making a decision about where to give your money is an important one. We ask that before you give, you prayerfully consider if this is the right ministry for you to be investing in and, if so, how much you should give. We know that we have been called to continue this vision, and that God already has the people picked out that He wants to financially support us – All we have to do is be obedient.
For those of you who cannot currently afford to give, we ask that you keep us in your prayers as we are making all these important decisions.
Thank you to everyone, whether you choose to give financially or just through prayer – We truly cannot do any of this without your support!
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at hitmusic91@gmail.com.
God bless,
Rachael Love
