I had a fellow nonprofit friend at one point asked me why I put so much focus on engaging millennials through social media when the big givers are usually older.
My answer was simple - The “Millennial” generation is the future and engaging, courting, and keeping them interested in your mission will make you sustainable in the coming years.
Read on for all the tea on this huge pool of potential donors who are waiting to fall in love with your mission.
They Aren't Kids
The image many get when they hear the word millennial might be a disaffected teenager glued to a cell phone.
Pish Tosh it simply isn’t true.
Millennials currently consist of all adults ages 22 - 38 and have serious adult status.
They are the age to purchase houses, have families, and have expendable income because the majority of them have a bachelor's degree or higher and they are having less children and at a later age than previous generations.
The Generation is Huge!
Millenials are the largest generation since the baby boomers. This group accounts for everyone born from 1981 to 1997.
They matter because of the sheer number of them!
When planning long term fundraising they are a group that shouldn’t be ignored because of their tremendous size alone - they are a huge potential donor pool, ripe to become a part of your organization both financially and as volunteers.
They are Online
One reason many nonprofits fail with millennial givers is that they don’t make online giving easy enough.
This generation of coveted givers lives in a world where bill pay, rent, and shopping are all online. It is acceptable to assume that many don’t have a checkbook or never use it. They are accustomed to giving through crowdfunding efforts or PayPal.
To keep up your organization should have a way to give online - preferably with as few clicks as possible. While this may seem daunting, especially, while still engaging older, valuable donors with direct mail, it’s really about keeping your emails and your website optimized for mobile and choosing wisely when it comes to a giving platform.
They Long for a Connection
This generation loves a passionate DIY, peer to peer approach.
All those Facebook fundraisers you see or donation buttons attached to posts - it’s likely, most of the successful ones are instituted by millennial givers.
If this hasn’t been worked this into your fundraising plan, now is the time.
To do so register your nonprofit with Facebook and encourage people to fundraise on your behalf. A special email, personalized of course, requesting this sort of help can be very valuable when appealing to the under 40 crowd. Really it’s as simple as registering and making the ask.
They love to give and be part of a bigger movement
It is true, like with any other group, some don’t have the expendable income to make them big givers. That doesn’t mean they should be ignored.
Volunteering is a valuable part of any organization… and guess who excels at volunteering...
Millennials. They don’t just volunteer - they provide proof through social media. This is free marketing for your cause and organization. Their photos and impassioned pleas provide social proof of the importance of your mission and that is quite simply something that can’t be bought.
Need help with your fundraising strategy?
Nonprofits happen to be our jam.
Email us for a free consultation at angelina@jellynpc.com