Emptying Nests Might Be Good News
Yankelovich Research has released a study of the parenting attitudes of Gen Xers, who now represent the cohort most likely to have children under the age of 18 in their households. This was a distinction formerly held by Boomers.
In 1995, Boomers comprised 65% of parents who had children under 18 in their households. Today they represent 37%, while GenXers now commprise 46% of parents with children under 18 at home.
As children leave Boomer households, these homes become the “empty nests” that have accounted in the past for the preponderance of small donations to non-profits, particularly with respect to cause and political giving. History would suggest that giving will accelerate in these empty nest Boomer households.
As we reported in our DonorTrends study, Boomers: Navigating the Generational Divide in Fundraising and Advocacy, Boomers are already giving more than the pre-Boomer generation that previously fueled most non-profit direct marketing. Check out the free study to see where this money might flow.
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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