GTFM Funding and Support

Gtfm is a 'not for profit' local radio station and registered charity based in Pontypridd where the Rhondda and Taff Valleys meet, a former coal mining area famous for Male Voice Choirs and Rugby alongside The Stereophonics and Tom Jones! Echoing the area's 'larger-than-life' personality, Gtfm directly encourages its listeners to get involved in the community and take full advantage of services available to improve their lives.

Gtfm primarily exists to support people living in some of the most under-privileged communities in Wales. We therefore prioritise coverage of initiatives like regeneration, community safety, improved health/well-being, re-training/adult education, the environment sustainability and the significant contribution made to local life by volunteers. In fact the vast majority of our programmes are presented by volunteers, who rightly take pride in the 'professional' standard of their work. In turn this has led to good local listener loyalty and response, so although Gtfm is not primarily about chasing ratings, we've found having lots of local people listening helps us actually 'make a difference' in the communities we serve.

Our charitable operation is supported by a combination of donations, sales of advertising/sponsorship 'air-time' and grant funding. Even so, like many other Welsh charities and businesses, we are currently facing financially very challenging times and doing all we can to secure enough funding from a diverse range of sources to guarantee the survival of the station.

Donations: As a registered charity we are always grateful for donations of any size to help us stay on-air, whether you listen on the other side of the world to keep in touch with 'home' or just around the corner.To make this process as easy as possible we have set up a secure on-line donation facility via PayPal (click the 'Donate' button below).

Radio Advertising and Sponsorship: Gtfm offers very cost-effective radio advertising and sponsorship packages to local businesses. These include a new recession-busting classified style 'Small Business' category designed to make radio advertising affordable to the smallest businesses, including individual trades-people (the first person to take advantage of this scheme was a local plumber). To find out more call Gtfm Sales on 01443 406111, or email sales@gtfm.co.uk.

Grant Funding: We are currently part of the Communities First scheme, providing on-air promotion of local activities and services sponsored by the majority of Communities First Partnerships in RCT in return for vital funding. The WCVA support our Volunteer Co-ordinator post and we are very grateful for two awards to date from both the Welsh Assembly Government and Ofcom Community Radio Funds.

Take-up of the Welsh Language is encouraged in our largely English-speaking transmission area through an award-winning daily 'learning Welsh' spot and at least four hours per week of dedicated Welsh language programming.

Gtfm has been awarded Green Dragon Level 2 status for practicing the re-cycling and energy saving policies we advocate on-air at our studio centre in Rhydyfelin. Also, as far as is practicable, our FM broadcast signal is powered from sustainable energy (wind and solar) sources - a UK 'first' for a full-time radio station as far as we are aware.