While it is understandable that most nonprofits would focus fundraising efforts on older adults with more expendable income, that’s not a sustainable long-term strategy.
Nonprofits who want to succeed in the long run need to attract both older and younger donors, said Karen McCleave, a community supporter and lawyer in the Greater Toronto area.
Charitable causes can continue to direct their messaging to a mature audience of potential donors while, at the same time, making a concerted effort to raise awareness about the nonprofit’s mission among a younger demographic to begin a connection.
“As youthful citizens gain life experience and build wealth, it is important that they have knowledge of your organization. If not, it is going to be that much harder to convince them that your non-profit is the one to which they should donate time and money,” Karen McCleave said. “In today’s world, with the range of technology available for communication, there’s no reason why nonprofits can’t focus on attracting all ages.”
Passion for Constructive Change: Convince of Your Cause
While older citizens might have more money to give to charity, many young adults are drawn to social activism that fuels their involvement and commitment.
Both Generation Z and Millennials have shown more interest in social justice than their parents, though with some slight differences between them.
Millennials are sometimes described as having an overarching concern for human rights and support for social causes. That said, the growing affordable housing and inflationary issues are challenging this group to be optimally charitable.
Among the U.S. population, up to 84 percent of this age group gives to charity. They’re also willing to commit their time, with 46 percent volunteering for causes they care about.
Generation Z, born after Millennials and into the early 2010s, has already demonstrated a clear passion for activism on many issues such as racism, bullying, and poverty. They’re also interested in owning their own businesses, with about 41 percent expressing consideration of entrepreneurship.
So how do Nonprofits best connect with younger adults to build this next generation of donors and volunteers? McCleave suggests:
Focus on Technology
It shouldn’t surprise any nonprofit leader that the key to reaching them is through cutting-edge technology and social media.
“For better or worse, younger people focus on their online lives. Nonprofits who want to deliver their message must meet them in the places they like to gather,” McCleave added.
According to recent studies, around 88 percent of those aged 18 to 29 years old use social media. More interestingly, one study found that 59 percent of Generation Z donated to a charity after seeing something on social media.
Key sites for targeting young people are TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Every nonprofit should have a robust presence across social media platforms, McCleave said, including their events, fundraising, and calls for volunteers.
Recruiting Volunteers
Knowing the willingness of youth to volunteer, a challenge for non-profits is educating them about the array of opportunities they offer. For example, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, where McCleave serves on the Board of Trustees, has a Director-In-Training program involving young people participating in Board and Committee meetings, with the further possibility of involvement in special projects that can offer a myriad of experience and meaningful contributions. “These types of programs should be communicated across social media platforms reach this demographic for optimum success”, adds McCleave.
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Before using these social media platforms, however, it is vital to understand how each of them works. What kinds of content are likely to attract that platform’s users?
“The best strategy can be to hire a Millennial or someone from Generation Z to handle their social media messaging,” McCleave suggests.
Other ideas include:
- A mobile-friendly [AKA cellphone accessible] website that enables all users to easily explore the non-profit’s mission, and volunteer opportunities and donate from whatever device they’re using. Is your website easily navigable?
- If your nonprofit doesn’t already have a Donate Online option, make it a top priority. Digital payments are now preferred by many supporters.
- Website visitors enjoy a video, so creating and posting content aimed at their interests can be effective.
“We know that the world is changing fast. Young adults are the ones who are going to shape the future, including the nonprofit sector,” McCleave said. “There’s still time for nonprofits to adapt, but the clock is ticking. What is your organization doing to adapt to our new realities?”
