501derful.org
Hey Gang. The fine folks over at Convio have released some interesting stats on the next generation of online giving. Basically it’s a research study into the charitable giving behaviors and attitudes of Gen Y, Gen X, Boomer and Mature donors from Convio, Edge Research and Sea Change Strategies.
The art and science of fundraising, as we know it, is undergoing rapid and permanent change driven by technology, the imperative to attract new donors, and by the evolving traits of different generations of supporters. This report is a contribution to understanding this change and offers some strategic guidance for fundraisers who are struggling to keep up with it.
Download the full report below. What do you think? Is your non profit ready?
Thanks for posting this David. I actually recently said on a post I did for theKbuzz, that this was my instinct but I had no proof to back it up. Fundraisers are so busy swimming against the current trying to create “life long” donors out of younger givers instead of recognizing that their giving patterns are inherently more impulse driven. As for why they give, the peer to peer model of being asked by a friend or family member has actually always been more important than I think this study, it’s just the vehicle has changed a bit. The question is how do fundraisers repeatedly generate a groundswell of support to interact with donors and accept that they may be different donors each year. The old paradigm of LYBUNTS and lapsed etc. just doesn’t work with younger givers. I think this says that fundraisers HAVE to adapt, especially in individual giving. It’s time to step up the game and get creative, EVERY YEAR, because people get bored with the same shtick and you lose their attention much faster. Also, I suspect that younger donors (I know I kind of am) can actually get irritated by direct mail because of the environmental implications, of which they are more likely to be conscious of I think.