The Gen Zers are making waves in the philanthropic world! This next generation of donors is quickly reaching millennial donation levels and is changing the ways that nonprofits are focusing on donor engagement.
According to GWI, 42 percent of Gen Zers donate to charity at least one a month. This generation has a philanthropic focus. In fact, in 2020, Gen Zers and millennials gave more than any other generation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s how this generation is revolutionizing the nonprofit world.
- They are more socially conscious: Like millennials, Gen Zers are very in-tune with what is going on in their communities and the world. This generation is heavily involved in environmental, social and political causes and tends to give money to the causes that speak to them.
- Gen Zers long to be engaged: Sending a postcard asking for donations is not sufficient for this generation of donors, Gen Z wants to be engaged, nurtured and communicated with. This means that nonprofits need to have an engagement strategy to reach these new donors.
- They are event-focused: Whether you have started hosting in-person events again or are still hosting them virtually, keeping a regular cadence of events is important. The Gen Z generation is social and craves connection, and events provide them with the space to network, ask questions and get to know the leadership at the organizations they support.
- They enjoy volunteering: Gen Zers want different options for ways to engage in your organization and are much more boots-on-the-ground than other generations. This means that, in addition to providing options to donate, you should also be heavily promoting volunteer opportunities so this new generation can become involved and engaged.
Gen Z is changing the face of philanthropy and it’s up to nonprofits to meet this generation where it’s at to reap the benefits of their socially conscious, generous leanings.