A diversified fundraising strategy requires support from all demographics—including Millennial and Gen Z donors. Millennials (born between 1981-1996) and Gen Z (born between 1997-2012) may be younger donor generations, but they’re ready to spend money on things they care about.
Millennials are entering their prime spending years, and Gen Z will see the fastest growth in spending power in the next 10 years.
However, according to a GivingTuesday Data Commons report, younger donors are less likely than older people to trust nonprofit organizations. Therefore, your organization must make an effort to meet these donors where they are: online! Millennials and Gen Z alike prefer to give to and engage with your mission online through platforms like social media and texting.
Here are five strategies to engage Millennial and Gen Z donors in a digital-first world.
1.) Offer a simplified online giving process.
Providing a positive experience for Gen Z and Millennial donors starts with offering convenient ways to give online. According to a special report from Giving USA and Dunham+Company, 76% of Gen Z say they donate online. Millennials had the largest percentage participating in online giving, with 81%.
Create a simplified, effective donation process for young donors by following these steps:
- Make the form as simple as possible. Ask for only the necessary information, like contact details and payment information. Keep the form to just one short page so it’s quick and easy to complete.
- Give a compelling reason to donate. Highlight the impact of giving at different amounts. For example, let donors know that a $100 donation funds a week of meals for a family in need.
- Make it easy for donors to share their donations. Young donors use social media to stay connected to their family members and friends, so provide social media sharing widgets that donors can use to share information about their gifts with their networks.
- Ensure your online giving process is secure. As the most knowledgeable generation regarding data privacy and cybersecurity, young donors want to know their sensitive personal and payment data will be safe with your organization. Leverage a PCI-compliant payment processor that encrypts sensitive data to reassure donors their gifts will be protected.
Bloomerang’s guide to online fundraising platforms also recommends offering multiple ways to give on your online donation page, “including credit and debit cards, ACH, digital wallets, and Tap to Pay.” Younger generations are especially drawn to platforms like Venmo or Paypal.
These donors are also interested in “buy now, pay later” platforms like Affirm and Afterpay, which allow them to make purchases in installments. Consider offering a similar payment option on your online donation page to appeal to this preference.
2.) Use social media to tell stories about your mission.
A robust social media marketing strategy is essential for engaging young donors. These supporters prefer social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
But it’s not enough for your organization to simply post on these platforms every once in a while. Supporters want to see that your nonprofit actively engages its community online and takes a genuine interest in interacting with donors and other supporters.
Follow these tips to appeal to young supporters on social media:
- Be authentic. Younger generations prioritize authenticity in the online content they seek out. Make your social media presence as “real” as possible by creating content like unpolished behind-the-scenes videos of your nonprofit’s headquarters or day-in-the-life videos from volunteers.
- Allow beneficiaries to share stories in their own words. Because young supporters are less likely to trust nonprofit institutions, it’s helpful to decenter your organization and instead spotlight the people you help. Ask beneficiaries if they’d be willing to share their stories in your social media content, whether through direct quotes, video interviews, or photo essays.
- Work with influencers. A recent report found that 40% of Gen Z consumers trust influencers more than they did a year ago. These consumers seek credibility markers like follower counts and posting frequency to determine which influencers to trust the most. Partner with influencers relevant to your cause to promote your brand on social media. For example, if your organization is an ocean conservation nonprofit, you might partner with a pro surfer influencer who can share their personal connection to your cause.
Interact with supporters online to grow your social media following. Share and comment on their posts about your nonprofit and tag them in photos or videos from events. These activities can help you grow your following organically and boost your clout among your younger audience.
3.) Host interactive online experiences.
Since digital philanthropy is surging to the forefront of nonprofit work, online events and other digital engagement opportunities are gaining popularity. These experiences allow donors to engage with your mission wherever they are and are especially popular among tech-savvy younger supporters.
Appeal to your youthful audience by hosting interactive virtual experiences that speak to their desires to feel connected to your mission. These opportunities could include:
- Educational workshops on topics related to your mission
- Advocacy training
- Q&As with your organization’s leaders or staff
- Social media challenges/contests
- Virtual volunteer opportunities
Consider whether an app may be the best way to facilitate these online experiences. For example, you could use a volunteer app to organize virtual volunteers or a livestreaming app like Zoom to host virtual events. These tools will help you stay organized and scale up your online experiences to accommodate more participants.
Promote these opportunities as a way for donors to get more involved with your cause, learn new skills related to your mission, and interact with their fellow supporters. Giving younger supporters the chance to join your thriving community will appeal to their desire to feel personally connected to your cause.
4.) Launch text-to-give campaigns.
It’s a cliche at this point that young people are glued to their phones, but how much do these generations really like to text? It turns out that many of them actually prefer texting to face-to-face communication! 75% of American Gen Z and Millennials told researchers that they like to talk with others via text message instead of talking with them in person.
A text-to-give campaign effectively engages donors via SMS messaging and makes it easy to give from their phones. In a text-to-give campaign, donors will text a unique keyword to your nonprofit’s dedicated text-to-give number to kickstart the giving process. They’ll be sent a link to your online donation form where they can complete their gift.
Use a text-to-give tool to create mobile campaigns by following these steps:
- Choose a unique, memorable campaign keyword. A simple keyword is easier for donors to remember and text to your dedicated phone number. For example, a keyword for an initiative to bring clean water to communities in need could be GIVEWATER or ENDTHIRST.
- Use QR codes. Include QR codes on printed materials like flyers, bus stop ads, and postcards. Supporters can quickly scan the QR codes with their phones and give to your mobile campaign from wherever they are.
- Ensure your giving form is mobile-optimized. Tap targets like buttons and form fields should be large and spaced out enough to be easily tapped. Your form should also load quickly on mobile devices, so optimize image file sizes and reduce pop-ups and other code-heavy elements.
Thank donors over text for their donations and send a follow-up appreciation email and donation receipt. You can skip the thank-you phone calls for these supporters since a quarter of 18- to 34-year-olds say they never answer calls. Keeping your thank-you messages on digital platforms will help you stay connected to these individuals in the long term.
5.) Provide advocacy opportunities.
Although Millennials and Gen Z are increasingly ready to donate to nonprofits, some members may still not be able to contribute regularly to your cause. However, these generations stand out for their engagement in activism, which can be an effective way to stay on their radars until they have an increased capacity to give. In other words, today’s volunteers and activists are tomorrow’s donors.
According to a United Way of the National Capital Area survey, 32% of Gen Z and 24% of Millennials regularly engage in activism or social justice work. These generations are particularly drawn to issues like climate change activism and healthcare access.
Therefore, your organization should provide multiple ways for young supporters to get involved with your work. Create educational website pages and resources with information about how supporters can:
- Participate in educational training workshops.
- Attend local rallies, marches, or protests.
- Recruit petition signers.
- Train supporters as advocacy leaders or mentors.
- Participate in peer-to-peer fundraising.
- Volunteer at a local event to spread awareness of your cause.
Use your nonprofit’s CRM to send personalized messages to supporters who would be a good fit for this opportunity. For example, you may send a message saying, “Hi Jennie! Thank you for being one of our most active social media supporters. We wanted to reach out with an advocacy training opportunity that we think would fit your skills and interests perfectly.”
This type of personalized outreach shows supporters that you see them as unique individuals and want to create experiences that appeal to their personal values.
Plenty of Millennials and Gen Z are ready and willing to support your nonprofit’s mission, whether through donating, volunteering, or advocating. By making the most of digital platforms, you can reach these supporters on a personal level and win their long-lasting loyalty.
Jay Love, Co-Founder and current Chief Relationship Officer
Bloomerang
Before founding Bloomerang, he was the co-founder and CEO of eTapestry for 11 years, which at the time was the leading SaaS technology company serving the charity sector. Jay and his team grew the company to over 10,000 nonprofit clients, charting a decade of record growth.
He is a graduate of Butler University with a B.S. in Business Administration. Over the years, he has given more than 2,500 speeches around the world for the charity sector and is often the voice of new technology for fundraisers.
