Strategies for Reaching Millennial and Gen Z Supporters
Folks, we’ve got some bad news. Despite the population of Canada growing over the past half decade, fewer Canadians are making donations. According to Statistics Canada, “The proportion of Canadians aged 15 and older who made a donation decreased from 68% in 2018 to 54% in 2023.”
Meanwhile, more Canadians are relying on nonprofits for services. Charities are reporting both an increase in demand as well as an inability to meet that demand since 2020 (Charity Insights Canada Project).
So, while demand is growing for the work that charities carry out, the pool of donors supporting causes is growing smaller and smaller.
What is an over-capacity charity to do? Inject new faces, new energy, and new donors.
Today, we’ll look at how to attract Millennial and Gen Z supporters. What are their giving habits? What opportunities are they looking for? And what do they want from nonprofits?
Begin with Tangible Opportunities
Now, some good news. Both Millennials and Gen Z are more likely to volunteer, promote, and advocate for your charity than older generations. These findings come from Blackbaud Institute’s 2024 report “Charitable Support Across Generations in Canada,” in which they say: “Gen Z is highly driven to create positive change and feels empowered to support causes they are passionate about.
Create tangible opportunities for supporters, particularly younger supporters, to contribute. Get people in the door and start building relationships.
Get to Know Your Younger Donors
If we want to start growing a younger supporter base we need to start by understanding our audience. What do Gen Z and Millennial donors want from charities?
One critical factor is accountability. Younger donors want to know that their donations are being used to support the causes they believe in, and they want to see those dollars in action. And they’ll put in the work to research causes: “75% of participants say they research causes— mainly through their website, social media channels, or charity review sites—before deciding to support.” (Blackbaud)
The more you can show how their donations have made an impact, the better.
They also want to know that their personal information is kept private and secure. In short, younger donors need to know that they can trust your organization both with their own information and with your organization’s mission.
Discover Their Giving Habits
Younger donors have distinct giving habits that you should consider. At this point, it should come as no surprise that they are much more likely to give online, so make sure you have ample opportunities to do so.
One of the interesting habits that Blackbaud uncovered in their recent report is that Gen Z is more likely than other generations to volunteer for charitable causes through their workplace (14%), while Millennials are the most likely to donate through workplace giving programs (15%). Building relationships with employers can take time, but they can seed long-term rewards.
Thank Your Donors
Finally, don’t overlook recognition. Everyone wants to be thanked for their donation, but it turns out Millennials and Gen Z value this more than other generations. According to Blackbaud’s report, “These younger generations are also receptive to more visible recognition, including recognition on social media, email newsletters, annual reports, or other publications.”
Remember: younger donors have the potential to be your donor base for years to come. In 2026, look out for 1 or 2 ways to start engaging Millennials and Gen Z givers to give you a cushion for your work to be supported long term.
Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash
