Generation Z and Millennial donors are approaching charitable giving differently than the generations that came before them, according to a new report from the Indi-ana University Lilly Family School of Philan-thropy. Dynamic social, economic and political shifts, globalization, and technological advance-ments over the last 20 years have reshaped how next-generation donors engage with the philanthropic sector.˜The Next Generation of Philanthropy˜study analyzes the interests and needs of younger donors, their evolving patterns of giving, and the opportunities and challenges those present. The report also examines younger donors’ motivations, their attitudes toward giv-ing, the causes they support and their preferred methods for making donations and evaluating the impact. The research was completed with funding from DAFgiving360. “Younger generations of donors are impact-ing philanthropy in positive ways by seeking long-term, hands-on involvement with the issues that are important to them.˜They rely heavily on technology to inform their giving decisions, and invest time into looking for trust-worthy and transparent nonproÿts to support,” aid˜Amir Pasic, Ph.D., the Eugene R. Tempel dean of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “The generational differences re˛ected in our new research underscore the need for nonproÿts to adapt to Next Gen views, preferences and practices in order to advance their missions and build the long-term relationships that sustain them.” The new report highlights that Generation Z (born 1997-2012) and Millennial (born 1981-1996) donors focus their giving on supporting issues rather than speciÿc organizations and consider themselves to be active social change agents. Next generation donors bring a decid-edly tech-forward approach to all aspects of their philanthropy, including learning about and advocating for causes on social media and making donations online. They participate in crowdfunding at higher rates than older gener-ations, and growing numbers of younger donors are giving through social media-based charity streaming events hosted by in˛uencers. “A signiÿcant wealth transfer is currently underway, and some estimates indicate that $18 trillion will go to charity by 2048, creating the opportunity for next gen donors to have a signiÿcant charitable impact in the future,” said Fred Kaynor, managing director, relationship management, marketing & partnerships at DAFgiving360. “Generation Z and Millennials are passionate about and deeply connected to the causes they support. It’s incredibly important for charities to engage with their philanthropic spirit. In addition, the ÿnancial advisors who are guiding this next generation of donors should also recognize their distinct needs and priorities to better support them and to help maximize their giving potential.”
Key Findings include:
- Basic needs and religion are top causes for philanthropic giving across all generations from 2003 to 2021, while giving to education is less common for younger donors.
- Generation Z giving to secular causes is similar to what Millennials gave at the same stage of life, despite an overall drop in secular giving.
- Compared to Millennials who gave to religious causes, Generation Z donors who gave to religion were signiĂżcantly less likely to also sup-port secular causes. This Ăżnding challenges the historical trend of religious donors being more inclined to also contribute to secular causes.
- Giving across all generations has declined since 2008. In each stage of life, individuals are less likely to give than they were in 2003. Many of the report’s key ÿndings were derived using the Indiana University Lilly Fam-ily School of Philanthropy’s Philanthropy Panel Study, a module of the University of Michigan’s Panel Study of Income Dynamics, which has been tracking thousands of US households since 2000. By following the same households over time, this longitudinal approach provides unique insights into changes in giving behavior within individuals, households and families.
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