Giving By Generations
Here’s a nifty infographic from MobileCause showing the relative charitable giving of the four key demographic segments in the US.
If any of these figures surprise you, think about taking a refresher on the basics of the fundraising biz.
- Millenials (youngest would be 19 years old; oldest 36) — 25.9% of population, 11% of giving
- Gen X — 20.4% of population, 20% of giving
- Boomers (youngest would be 52 years old) — 23.6% of population, 43% of giving
- Greatest — 11.8% of population, 26% of giving
So, those age 52 and over represent 69% of giving.
Try this for a rule of thumb — if you’re team is spending more than 11% of its time fiddling with tools, techniques, gimmicks, channels to reach prospects under age 36, then your priorities are way out of whack.
Time to re-consider the font size of your fundraising messages! To say nothing of better understanding the values, language and images that motivate older folks. Interesting question: How old does a fundraiser need to be to understand the fundraising sweet spot?
Tom
P.S. Here’s the infographic …
2 responses to “Giving By Generations”
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
The report behind this infographic actually came from the Next Generation of American Giving Report and should be cited here. http://www.blackbaud.com/nextgen
But wait, Tom…. If we get those millennials now, when they’re young….they they’ll stay with us forever and give us lots when they’re old. Right? (I’m being sarcastic and snide!)
Enough already! Return on Investment of time and money and energy. Come on people. Could we pay a bit of attention to the research.
I’m just saying…….