Targeting Donors by Age: Gen Z
Want to fundraise more effectively? Of course you do! Targeting your donors by age is a great way to accomplish this. We’re wrapping up a four-part series on the important distinctions between each generation and their giving habits and motivations. Here are the best ways to target your youngest donors – Gen Z, also known as the Philanthroteens!
Gen Z: By the Numbers
The youngest generation to be named is Gen Z. This generation also appears to be quite generous – nearly half report donating their own money to a cause. About 10% say they want to start their own nonprofit. Gen Z is responsible for only about 2% of overall giving – right now, but don’t dismiss their philanthropic power based on that! As this generation ages, their income will rise. As a result, we’ll observe great shifts in giving. As digital natives (having never lived in a world without the internet), they are particularly influenced by social media. So THAT’S how you get them in your corner!
Social Media Campaigns
You can thank Gen Z for bringing fundraising and social media together in earnest. (Millenials are active on social media, of course, but the Philanthroteens were really the ones who embraced fundraising through it). This generation loves Instagram and Snapchat, but if you really want to drive donations via social media, your org needs to be on TikTok. With BILLIONS of downloads across the globe, it’s too powerful a platform not to spend some time perusing, even if you yourself don’t plan on accepting any dancing challenges.
Here’s another interesting fact about philanthroteens, and one you may be able to leverage in your org’s favor: Influencers have more sway over them than traditional celebrities. While it’s probably next to impossible to get Mr. Beast to sing your org’s praises to his hundreds of millions of followers, maybe you could aim a little lower. Can you get a micro-influencer to support you?
Get Influencers On Your Side
Do some research on social media to find the influencers or micro-influencers in your market. Learn about their presences. How effective are their channels? What sort of causes an
d/or products do they throw their support behind? Find influencers whose content aligns (even if it’s a tangential alignment) with your org’s mission and values if you can.
Once you’ve vetted them, simply reach out! Direct message them (typically through Instagram) and ask if they’d like to work with you. Once you’ve agreed to collaborate, you can request their deck of deliverables OR provide one outlining your hopes and expectations.
Do you need a budget for this sort of outreach? The good news is, probably not! In most cases, an agreement with aninfluencer can be in exchange for goods and/or services. If your chosen influencer is asking for money right off the bat,that’s a red flag. Wait until you see results. Because if you DO see results for your org, you’ll probably be happy to enter into an agreement involving monetary compensation. But beware: A vast majority of influencers will not bring you true results. The ones who do, however, are worth their weight in gold.
Make A Difference
Gen Z and the Philanthoteens have grown up with economic instability and social unrest. Therefore, they are perhaps the biggest social justice heroes out of all of generations. They are determined to make a difference and to make their unruly world a little kinder. They’re also the most diverse group, with a firm commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Make sure DEI is at the forefront of all of your fundraising efforts to appeal to these budding change-makers. And communicate that to them loud and clear!
We hope you’ve enjoyed our series targeting donors by age! If you have questions, reach out for a complimentary consultation. We have lots more insight on donor development and all things fundraising to share with you!