Small Acts, Big Legacies: Public Media’s Make‑A‑Will Month Results
Every August, Make‑A‑Will Month (MAWM) invites people to protect what — and who — they love. This past year, public media supporters across the country turned their intentions into impact, making plans for their families while strengthening the future of trusted journalism, education and cultural programming.
Make‑A‑Will Month 2025 unfolded against a challenging backdrop. Federal funding cuts sent shock waves through the public media landscape, creating real uncertainty for stations and the communities they serve. Budgets tightened, hard choices loomed and yet stations stayed the course.
That commitment paid off. Despite the turbulence, public media rallied around long‑term sustainability. In just two months, Make‑A‑Will Month drove nearly half of the total planned‑giving activity and gift value for 2025 (through September 30th) across public media organizations on the Giving Docs platform, proving that even in difficult times, purpose‑driven strategies resonate. These efforts aren’t just numbers — they’re seeds of stability that will grow quietly and powerfully for decades to come.
What happened during Make‑A‑Will Month?
Legacy gifts surged. Public media supporters completed 92 gifts on Giving Docs in August and September, bringing the year-to-date total to 170. That means more than half of all 2025 gifts through September 30th happened during MAWM.
Big impact in dollars. Those gift commitments weren’t just promises. They added up to $3.13 million in two months, nearly half of the year’s total gift value through September 30th.
Donors spoke up. 71% of the Giving Docs users that indicated a gift disclosed their intentions during MAWM (80% overall this year), giving stations the chance to thank and steward these future changemakers.
Paperwork got done. 383 estate documents were completed in August and September — almost half of the year’s total.
Interest stayed strong. 137 new handraisers stepped forward during MAWM, representing 49% of all 2025 handraisers through September 30th.
Activations skyrocketed. 1,128 Giving Docs accounts were activated in those two months, again, nearly half of the year’s total through September for public media.
Make‑A‑Will Month isn’t just awareness: it’s action. In 2025, a single two‑month window accounted for roughly half of the year’s activations, documents, handraisers and gift value, plus a majority of completed gifts — proof that seasonal focus paired with accessible tools converts intention into tangible legacy commitments.
Public media’s membership pools are steeped in longevity and loyalty — prime planned‑giving potential. When we make estate planning easy, free and accessible, supporters can align their values with future‑focused generosity that sustains local reporting, educational content and cultural programming for decades to come.
If you’re interested in learning more about Giving Docs’ user-friendly online estate planning tools download our one-sheet or contact us at cdp@cdpcommunity.org.