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KEXP gets $10 million anonymous donation

The donor, only being identified as "Suzanne," left one of the largest bequests to a single public radio station in history.

Seattle public radio station 90.3 KEXP-FM has received its largest philanthropic gift from an anonymous donor, totaling just under $10 million.

The donation is among the largest bequests to a single public radio station in history, KEXP said on their website.

What do we know about the donor? Her name is Suzanne, and she loved music.

“We intend to honor her legacy in every step we take in stewarding these funds. Suzanne’s love of music, her support for artists, her sense of philanthropy and service to the community, and the joy she found in exploration and discovery will live on in the programs and services that are made possible through this amazing and generous gift,” KEXP Chief Content Officer Kevin Cole said.

Related: The lost notes of KEXP's LP library

The radio station says the donor requested to remain anonymous in her giving during her lifetime, and KEXP is honoring that by only identifying Suzanne by her first name.

The money will be used for a range of music and media education programs, accelerating KEXP’s digital strategy, and allowing more experimentation with radio and online programming. A bulk of the donation, KEXP says, will be put in a long-term reserve and an endowment to provide seed money for emerging priorities.

Suzanne’s donation, along with other generous KEXP donors, has also inspired the creation of a new planned giving club for donors called the Reverb Society, will allow donors to leave a legacy in their estate plans to help power the station in the future.

Related: KEXP opens new studio at Seattle Center

"The efforts we’re launching as a result of Suzanne’s generosity will impact thousands of lives,” KEXP Executive Director Tom Mara said. “We’ll be reaching into new communities that have historically been under-served by KEXP programs, working more with schools and youth-focused nonprofits, and providing more opportunity for hands-on experience with music and media skills for artists and young people. It’s our fundamental belief at KEXP that music makes our lives better. And this gift means we’ll be getting more music into more people’s lives than ever before, and in profoundly impactful ways.”

Click here to learn more about the donation.

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