June CDP Index: Growth in giving lifts 12-month results across public media

As anticipated last month, the strong performance in individual giving continued through May and drove increases across all key performance indicators in the Public Media Index for both the three-month and 12-month comparison periods. The growth showed across all key performance indicators regardless of organization size or licensee type.

The Membership Revenue Index showed an 18.6% increase for the three-month period ending May 31 compared to the same three months in 2024. Comparing a full year of data from May 31, 2024, to May 31, 2025, revenues increased 6.6%.

The growth — very likely driven by threats to government funding — is most notable in the New Donor Index. Over the three-month period, the median increase for all public media organizations was 59.1% compared to the same period last year. Radio growth for new donors reached 90% in this three-month index, outperforming the 53.9% increase charted by TV/Joint licensees.

Nearly every participating organization had at least some new donor growth in the three-month index, and 90% of all organizations saw an increase of 15% or greater compared to the prior year. 

The strong performance in new donor growth during the last three months lifted results for the entire 12-month period across the system by 5.6%. Radio had a greater 12-month increase at 14.4%; however, TV/Joint licenses achieved a strong 4.6% gain over the 12-month period.

Funding threats are likely the primary driver for new donors as well. However, the Passport Users Index continued to improve, with a 2.0% increase for the same 12-month period.

The High-Dollar Gifts Index, tracking gifts of $500 or more, has been a bright spot for public media fundraising with increased investment in our midlevel and major giving efforts. This reporting period is no exception. In the last three months, gifts of $500 or more increased by 41.5%. TV/Joint licensees had gains of 42.1%, and Radio saw growth of 27.6%.

Breaking out the results across all organizations by size, a notable data point stands out: Growth rates across all four fundraising key performance indicators were strongest for the largest organizations (40,000+ active donors). As public media organizations navigate how to adapt their fundraising messaging in this climate of funding threats, it’s possible that stronger growth rates for larger organizations that serve more densely populated areas could be related to a more direct approach in their appeals.

At last week’s Public Media Development and Marketing Conference in Philadelphia, conversations seesawed between celebrating these recent successes and concerns about how we move forward. Will we stay the course with solid, traditional fundraising practices, or will we use these external pressures as a catalyst for long-overdue change?   

While the path forward remains to be seen, it’s clear that our strength during these uncertain times is in our collaborative spirit, which was on full display at Greater Public’s PMDMC and in the many cooperative projects that are underway.

This monthly report on the fundraising performance of public media stations is provided through an editorial collaboration between Current and Contributor Development Partnership (CDP). The collaboration draws from CDP’s National Reference File, which collects monthly membership and revenue data from more than 170 public media stations. (Read more about the methodology.)

Deb Ashmore joined CDP as Analytics Strategist in September 2023. With more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and public media fundraising, she is passionate about working to help clients understand their fundraising data to inform strategies for long-term file health and growth. Her previous public media experience includes 10 years as director of individual giving for WXPN in Philadelphia.