Boomers To Give $6000 Each in 2006!
That's a BIG number from a survey just completed by Fidelity Charity Gift Fund.
But then read the fine print and discover the sample was limited to those who indicated they planned to give at least $1000 during the year.
Headline hyperbole aside, The Agitator knows that Boomers are indeed ready to rock the charity universe. We've conducted our own in-depth study of Boomer giving attitudes and behavior, comparing them with both Pre- and Post-Boomers.
Called Navigating the Generational Divide in Fundraising and Advocacy, our DonorTrends study found that Boomers are currently giving on average $1361 per year, compared to $1138 for older Americans. The pace is set by “late” Boomer donors (born 1956-1964), who give 21% more than their “early” cousins. Moreover, while 33% of Boomers say they intend to donate even more in the future, more older pre-Boomers plan to reduce their giving (26%) than increase it (12%).
Like their elders, Boomers give about 75% of their donations to traditional charities working in the fields of health, education, social needs, disaster relief, arts and culture, with the remaining 25% devoted to issue advocacy and political campaigns.
Download our study for a ton of cross-generation data and analysis on donor loyalty, nonprofit performance expectations, issue interests, online giving, perceptions of charities and giving habits.
PS: Don't forget to take our “Transparency vs. Privacy” survey. Just go to the Survey box at top right of blog, or click here. Just takes 3 minutes!
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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