Although members of Generation Z are still far from their prime giving years, it’s never too soon for fundraisers to learn how to attract their support. A new report offers some insights into how this generation — born from 1997 to 2005 — likes to give and corrects some common misconceptions about their philanthropic style.
Nineteen percent of Gen Z respondents said they donate money, but 84 percent said they support nonprofits or causes in some way — including by volunteering (33 percent) or following or promoting them on social media (25 percent). A third of Gen Z donors said they plan to give more as the year progresses.
The findings come from Gen Z at the Table, a new report from the Blackbaud Institute. The report includes results from two online surveys: one of 1,008 Gen Z consumers and the other of 280 fundraisers of all ages. Comparing results from the two surveys, the report identifies misperceptions some fundraisers hold about how and why Gen Z gives and the kinds of communications those donors prefer.
One misconception involves mailed thank-you letters, which just 14 percent of nonprofit professionals thought Gen Z donors would find meaningful, but actually 34 percent of those donors did. What’s more, 57 percent said they would give more if an organization mailed them a thank-you note.
Another significant misconception: While 63 percent of fundraisers surveyed said they thought Gen Z donors were giving through social media, only 23 percent of Gen Zers said that was the case.
What Makes Gen Z Unique
In some ways, Gen Zers are like other donors — they’re more likely to contribute to organizations they trust. In other ways, they’re unique. Unlike other generations, Gen Z has always had access to the internet and, as such, is very connected to social media.
Fifty-two percent of those surveyed said they turn to social media to research organizations they’re considering supporting. Twenty-one percent said they felt they could make the biggest difference on causes that mattered to them by promoting them on social media. Twenty-two percent said the same about volunteering, and 18 percent about advocating. Just 11 percent said they felt they could make the biggest difference by giving.
Interestingly, much lower proportions of Gen Z reported donating through traditional channels — such as through monthly giving programs (8 percent), in response to an email appeal (8 percent), or in response to a mailed appeal (8 percent). Gen Zers were far more likely to say they made a donation at a checkout counter (40 percent), at a fundraising event (30 percent), or through the nonprofit’s website (29 percent).
One reason Gen Z donors can be so hard to reach is that their giving is unplanned. Forty-two percent said they tend to give spontaneously — responding to appeals from people they trust or messages that connect with them personally. Fifty-six percent of Gen Z donors said they prefer to give “periodically, when I feel like it.” Just 18 percent said they like to give annually and 11 percent said they make monthly gifts.
The top three causes for Gen Z are human services (35 percent), the environment (31 percent), and health care (31 percent). Just 13 percent they support faith-based causes — once a tent-pole of philanthropic giving.
Among the other findings from the report:
- 24 percent of fundraisers said they’ve successfully cultivated Gen Z donors.
- The most common reasons Gen Z donors don’t support causes or nonprofits are that they don’t have much money to give (48 percent) and they don’t have much time to volunteer (23 percent).
- 31 percent of Gen Z respondents expressed interest in serving on a board or advisory committee for the nonprofits they support. Among Gen Z public media supporters, that share was 49 percent.
