09/09/2026
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