March 2024

March 21 2024, San Francisco

Agenda

Discussion Topics

  1. Board Development

    • Mark Pearson introduction and Q&A

    • Nomination and vote

    • BFF.fm Advisory Board

  2. LPFM Update

    • 6:30pm Michael Brown to join and review LPFM process so far and next steps

  3. KEXP partnership

    • KEXP asked for a list of ways they can support us to be prepared for a meeting Friday morning

  4. Review Action Items

    • Brandon to fill out Fundraising Calendar with items from board retreat - Have not started, Clair did fill out some action items. Brandon to fill out Q2 - Q4.

    • Brandon, Irving and Amanda to meet for Town Hall - PIck a June date

    • Calendar items - Valentine's Day Fundraiser check in

    • Pick your ideal board members! Meeting Wed Mar 27 at 5pm

    • Succession planning

    • Update deck for Underwriting, New Deck for Major Donor Cultivation, Update General Operating Request for Support - Amanda and Clair

    • Annual Report- Note in calendar for Irving that says review 2023 budget, Amanda layout, Ben stats

    • Create social graphics for donor and underwriter decks that can be used for other things throughout the year - Kerri

    • Town Hall by Jan 15 (for DJs/volunteers, not other donors). TY gift or certificate for top fundraisers. - Brandon

      • Push to June. - decide on date and responsibilities at Jan. board meeting

    • Ask folks that gave a one time gift in last FY (under $250) to consider becoming Besties; ask current Besties and DJs to increase monthly contribution by $5 or $10 - ??? - Irving will claim task, (will draft template before sending)

      • My bad, I still need to do this! - Irving

    • Target meeting with three new corporations - Clair to move to Q2

      • Fundraising committee working on some of this, needs board support.

    • Start planning for hosted presentations at the three corps above, goal: engage employees in corporate giving - Clair to move to Q2

  5. Finance (notes from Irving)

    • Survived the annual subscriptions, financial outlooking solid

    • February 2024 February 2023

    • Checking $18,515 $25,561

    • Savings $42,516 $25,010

    • Total $61,031 $50,571

    • Next step is filing taxes for 2023 year

Closing Items

  • Open for public comment

  • Any other business?

Minutes

Present:

  • Amanda Guest, Chair, Executive Director

  • Brandon Paski, Secretary, Chair of Marketing Committee

  • Irving Pham, Treasurer

  • Clair McDevitt, Chair of Fundraising Committee

  • Ben Ward, Technical Director

Absent:

  • Erika Delgado, Board Member at Large

  • Caryn Kesler, Vice Chair, Creative Director

  • Kerri O’Malley, Chair of Content Marketing Subcommittee

6:02 pm — Convene, Vote on Agenda & Previous Minutes

Vote YES to approve the minutes.

Vote YES to adopt the proposed agenda.

6:11 pm— Discussion Topics

Key Discussions:

LPFM (Low Power FM) Update:

  • Amanda updated the board on the LPFM construction permit granted on March 5th.

  • Michael Brown, the LPFM engineer, joined the meeting to discuss the LPFM project.

  • The current permit location on Mount San Bruno is not ideal due to its one-watt signal and high elevation.

  • Alternative sites being considered include San Francisco State University (SFSU) and Park Merced.

  • Michael provided a coverage map and explained the signal reach from SFSU.

  • KDFC, a classical station, threatened legal action if BFF's signal interfered with theirs.

  • Michael suggested that KDFC is less concerned now that BFF plans to broadcast from a lower elevation.

  • The board discussed following up with SFSU and exploring other site options.

  • Michael will be unavailable for most of April due to travel.

KEXP's Presence in San Francisco:

  • Amanda attended KEXP's launch event and shared observations.

  • The event was well-attended by BFF DJs and community members.

  • Concerns were raised about KEXP's messaging and the representation of the local music scene.

  • KEXP has publicly identified BFF as a partner, which has led to additional press.

  • Ethan from KEXP requested a meeting to discuss specific actions for supporting BFF.

  • A document was created to map out potential support areas from KEXP, including DJ mentorship, co-presented shows, operational support, and more.

  • The board discussed prioritizing operational support, DJ incubator programs, and co-presented shows.

Advisory Board/Council:

  • The board agreed to call the advisory entity "The Advisory Council."

  • The Advisory Council will consist of individuals who can provide expertise and support on an as-needed basis.

  • A less formal vetting process was suggested for Advisory Council members compared to the board.

  • The board development committee will handle the vetting process, with a potential interview or "vibe check" for candidates.

  • The board discussed reaching out to potential Advisory Council members, including Ben Fong-Torres.

Financial Update:

  • Irving provided a financial summary, noting a healthy balance compared to the previous year.

  • The station is in a stable financial position, with ongoing donations and grant funding.

Action Items:

  • Fundraising calendar needs to be filled out for the upcoming quarters.

  • Town Hall planning to be scheduled for June.

  • Board development committee to meet and discuss potential board and Advisory Council members.

  • Succession planning to be discussed further, possibly with insights from KEXP's recent experience.

  • Advisory Council to be formed with clear expectations and potential for informal meetings.

Other Business:

  • Clair shared a positive encounter with a local band that will be featured on BFF.

  • Ben announced the impending arrival of his baby this summer, which was celebrated by the board.

Adjournment:

  • The meeting was adjourned with appreciation for the extended time and contributions from all members.

8:41 pm — Meeting adjourned.

The next meeting of the BFF.fm board is scheduled for 6pm on May 16 2024. See https://board.bff.fm for more information.

Action Items

  • Brandon to fill out Fundraising Calendar with items from board retreat

  • Brandon, Irving and Amanda to meet for Town Hall

  • Calendar items

  • Pick your ideal board members!

  • Succession planning

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