CDP Community

2025 brought an unprecedented wave of support for public media — but it also brought something else: a new generation of donors.

Our latest analysis looked at more than 300,000 new donors across 50+ public media stations and found some striking shifts:

💡 Millennials grew from 13% of new donors in previous years to 20% in 2025.
💻 For Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z, more than 85% of new gifts were made online.
🔄 More than 60% of Millennial and Gen Z donors gave monthly.
📺 Younger donors also showed increased Passport activation and streaming.

At the same time, Boomers and Silents remained a critical part of the donor base, providing 63% of new donor revenue. The question now is: What can public media learn from the donors who stepped up in 2025 — and how can we build lasting relationships with them?

Read the full story here: www.cdpcommunity.org/blog/2026/9/1/from-crisis-response-to-lasting-change-the-2025-new-donor-story

Public media gained more than 1 million new donors in 2025.

That's more than a statistic — it's a million individual decisions to support trusted journalism, storytelling, education and community connection.

Now, for the first time, we're getting a closer look at who these donors are and what motivated them to give.

Join us with Greater Public and City Square Associates, Inc. for an exciting first look at the FUND 2026 Research Initiative, featuring insights from 65,000 respondents across 58 public media organizations.

Discover what drives today's donors, what sets new supporters apart and how stations can turn first-time gifts into lasting relationships.

📅 July 28, 2026
⏰ 2pm ET / 11am PT
🔗https://greaterpublic.org/resources/membership/webinar-the-fund-2026-research-initiative-insights-into-the-surge-of-public-media-donors/

🎉 It’s Day 2 of Public Media Giving Days! 🎉

There’s still time to be part of and support the local public media organizations that inform, educate and inspire our communities.

Your generosity helps power trusted local reporting, meaningful storytelling, cultural programming and resources people rely on every day.

Give today, share your story and help ensure public media continues to thrive for years to come.

Together, we keep moving !

🎉 Public Media Giving Days starts TODAY! 🎉

Day 1 of is here — a time to celebrate the power of local public media and the impact it has in our communities every day.

From trusted journalism and educational programming to inspiring stories, music and lifelong learning, public media connects and strengthens us all.

With recent funding challenges, community support matters more than ever. Every gift, share and message of support helps protect and grow this essential service.

Join us today by giving, spreading the word and sharing why public media matters to you. Together, we move

Mark your calendars!

From trusted journalism to educational programming and local storytelling — this is our moment to amplify impact and move 🙌

We’re just ONE MONTH away💙

📅 Public Media Giving Days | May 1–2

This is a nationwide celebration of the programs, stories, music and journalism that connect our communities. Led by partners like NPR and PBS, is all about coming together to support the moving

When you show up for public media, you help keep:
🎙️ Trusted local and national news strong
📺 Educational and inspiring programming accessible
🎶 Music and storytelling thriving in your communities

🔗 Learn more + get involved: https://publicmediagivingdays.org/

What happens when public media fundraisers slow down and look at the data together?

Last month, 15 organizations joined CDP and ROI Solutions for the first Epiphany Benchmarking cohort. Teams explored fresh data, shared lessons from 2025 and started identifying early signals shaping 2026.

Because benchmarking isn’t only just about the numbers — it’s about learning from each other 🧡

Read more: https://www.cdpcommunity.org/blog/2026/3/13/first-epiphany-benchmarking-cohort

We asked more than 500,000 public media members a simple question: What does public media mean to you?

Nearly 2,000 people responded, sharing more than 6,000 heartfelt testimonials about why they value their local stations.

Across the country, the message was clear: People rely on public media for trusted news, thoughtful storytelling, lifelong learning, and programs they love like MASTERPIECE, NATURE, NOVA, and PBS NewsHour.

These reflections didn’t just tell us how people feel — they inspired action. This single email campaign generated nearly $30,000 in support across stations. When people pause to reflect on why public media matters, that recognition often becomes support.

Read more about what donors are saying in our latest blog post: https://www.cdpcommunity.org/blog/2026/3/10/inbox-to-impact-public-media

Last year, something powerful happened across public media: During Public Media Giving Days, supporters across the country showed up in record numbers — standing behind their local stations and reaffirming just how deeply matters.

Now, as we prepare for the fourth annual on May 1–2, the focus is on turning that incredible moment into something lasting!

This year’s campaign is about:
✨ Deepening relationships with supporters
✨ Re-engaging donors who stepped up last year
✨ Inviting new audiences to be part of the future of public media

When stations and communities come together at the same time, the impact is powerful. Together, we move .

Read more about what’s ahead for Public Media Giving Days 2026:
🔗 https://www.cdpcommunity.org/blog/2026/2/17/public-media-giving-days-2026-turning-momentum-into-meaningful-lasting-support