Nonprofit Marketing Insights: How to Engage Generation Z in Philanthropy

Nonprofit organizations have had their eyes set on millennials for several years, but they also must keep Generation Z in mind as that population emerges from childhood into adulthood. Recognizing their interests, needs, emotions and motivators is a key factor in engaging them toward volunteerism, philanthropy and financial support.

As they are trying to engage Generation Z in philanthropy, nonprofit organizations should keep a variety of factors in mind.

1. A Pew Research Center analysis of the most recent Census Bureau data stated that the “post-millennial” generation was expected to be the most racially and ethnically diverse generation – as only 52% were “non-Hispanic whites.”

2. About half of the people in this age group are still pursuing K-12 education, but adult post-millennials have been enrolling in college over the past several years at a significantly higher rate than millennials were at a comparable age.

3. While not all Gen Z’ers are in a position in their lives to donate financial support, studies show that they are highly likely to contribute their time and talents to organizations if they deeply believe in the organizations’ missions. Gen Z’ers are engaged, compassionate, driven to make a difference in the world around them and generous when they do have the means to donate.

4. Because they were born into the age of technology, they likely have a creative and entrepreneurial mindset.

5. At the same time, they may be experiencing information overload associated with technology and demands on their time.

What does all this mean for fundraising and volunteerism? It means that nonprofit organizations, now more than ever, must truly understand their audience. It means nonprofit organizations must meet Gen Z’ers where they are – and be able to identify how and when to reach them. 

Understanding Generation Z: Demographics, Interests and Motivators

Generation Z is the cohort born between 1997 and 2012, making them approximately between 12 and 27 years old in 2024.

With such a span of ages and backgrounds, this is a significant group to watch in order to increase engagement with your nonprofit organization. While some are very young, others are well into their adulthood, which means that they have a range of interests, experiences and goals that may apply to a wide variety of nonprofit organizations.

Generally, Generation Z is complex, driven, creative and extremely intelligent with an entrepreneurial spirit – all while having to cope with modern stressors associated with a constant barrage of technology and time demands.

Because this cohort is so young, exploring the data related to their habits may provide you with surprising insights that you can apply to your fundraising, engagement and in-person efforts.

While social media use is one of the first things most people would think of in regard to the interests of this age group, it’s important to recognize the deeper issues as well to ensure your communications don’t detract recipients. 

For example, many studies, including those by the American Psychological Association, have found that the mental health of Gen Z’ers is poorer than that of previous generations, as growing up in the age of social media and its pressures have taken a toll on the mental health of these teens and young adults. According to a 2023 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on social media and youth mental health, some of the major concerns that come with social media use are sleep loss, cyberbullying and harassment, body image issues, disordered eating behaviors and depressive symptoms. 

At the same time, this highly diverse age group is known for being compassionate, empowered to communicate their emotions in positive ways and being more likely to participate in social causes they believe in. And the words “believe in” are key. In more ways than the generations before them, Gen Z’ers investigate the issues and make informed decisions before partaking in philanthropic activities or donating financial gifts.

Individuals in Generation Z are also unique in the fact that they are the first cohort born into the Information Age, or after the Third Industrial Revolution. Individuals in prior generations experienced life as it was before this time, but that’s not so with Gen Z. Technology is, therefore, natural and essential to them – in both positive and negative ways.

Compared to other generations, Gen Z is most likely to use social media for discovering new products, keeping up with the news and reaching out to brands with customer care needs, according to the Q1 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey on Sprout Social.

Nonprofit organizations must engage Generation Z sooner rather than later in order to create a pipeline of future donors and volunteers. Teens and young adults keep up with trends on social media if they are interested and engaged, which means that nonprofit organizations can capture their attention with the right information. And the more you can empower them to participate in your organization and understand how much they can make an impact on the world around them, the more likely you are to continue to have long-term supporters.

Gen Z Giving Trends and Volunteerism

According to research presented in The Nonprofit Times, nearly 85% of the Americans in Generation Z support charitable causes in some way.

However, only about 19% of Gen Z’ers who were surveyed reported giving money directly to an organization. Gen Z supporters who did not give directly to organizations reported giving to individuals or contributing in other ways, such as by donating goods and services, volunteering, advocating for the organization or participating in community fundraising activities.

The study also found that 89% of Gen Z’ers embrace opportunities for workplace giving and 92% embrace workplace volunteering. Not only does this finding have implications for fundraising and volunteerism, but it also can be impactful for nonprofit organizations that are looking for talent to join their teams. Promoting the impact of the organization and its volunteerism opportunities may help attract individuals who are committed to the organization’s mission and core values.

Overall, these findings are promising for fundraising organizations. It’s not surprising that this young age group doesn’t have the income to support organizations they believe in financially. However, they do have the drive and desire to support nonprofit organizations in some way, and those who contribute financially do so generously. In fact, over the 12 months from late 2022 through fall 2023, Generation Z donated the second-highest amount of money to nonprofit organizations, at $785 on average. (Baby boomers gave the most, at an average of $1,225.)

Additionally, because Gen Z’ers are well-connected on social media, they are likely to share news about their activities online – making them brand advocates and unofficial influencers for nonprofit groups. With this in mind, it may also be helpful for nonprofit organizations to make it easy for people to contribute time, gifts and talents by implementing QR codes, tap-to-pay options and visible, convenient CTA buttons on fundraising-based communications, such as print and email appeal letters, landing pages and social media posts.

It’s important to note that Gen Z’ers value digital fluency and instant connectivity, print is impactful as well. A recent study showed that more than 57% of Gen Z’ers surveyed said a thank-you note sent through traditional mail would increase their likelihood of giving. Therefore, while nonprofit organizations may focus on digital communications with Gen Z’ers – and rightly so – they also can leverage the power of direct mail to reach these audiences.

Transforming Passions into Action

When communicating with Gen Z’ers, speed, clarity, emotion and personalization are key. Nonprofit organizations can engage Gen Z’ers in philanthropy by focusing on these elements along with presenting facts about how their contributions can make a positive difference on the life of another person, a pet or the planet. 

Calls to Action

Recipients might not have the time or motivation to read between the lines. Tell them what you want and make it easy for them to give it to you.

For instance, do you want them to volunteer? Include a CTA button that clearly states, “Sign up to volunteer,” and make sure that button leads directly to a sign-up page. Don’t make them look for it. 

Of course, your original communication to them should be compelling, engaging and abundantly clear about the fact that they will make a positive impact on this endeavor that they care about

Social Media

When communicating with Gen Z’ers, social media channels may be most effective. In fact, a study through Sprout Social shows they are more likely to go to a social media channel than search engines. As for which social media platforms Gen Z’ers (or Zoomers) use the most, Instagram is at the top, closely followed by TikTok.

According to their 2024 Social Media Content Strategy Report, 91% of Gen Z social media users are on Instagram and another 86% are on TikTok. Gen Z is most likely to use both channels for entertainment and connecting with friends and family.

Digging deeper into how they use certain platforms, Gen Z consumers report TikTok is their favorite channel to turn to for product discovery, closely followed by Instagram. The same report found that they are also most likely to use TikTok and Instagram for staying up to date on the news, and Instagram for customer care.

According to a January 2024 report by Morning Consult, 80% of Zoomers spend time on YouTube as well.

Social media is where nonprofit organizations can increase awareness of their missions. Clearly ask your viewers to share your posts, create videos, tag you in their photos or create their own posts related to your organization. By doing so, you turn them into influencers, benefiting your organization without an extensive amount of effort or expense on their part. At the same time, they can take pride in supporting your mission. 

Email

It’s not all about social. When communicating with Gen Z’ers, using multiple channels is most effective, and that includes email.

Studies show that 53% of Zoomers are happy to receive emails from the brands they like at least once a week. Although that number is lower than it is for millennials, it still signals a solid avenue for connecting with this audience. However, because they are more likely to be on their personal devices than a desktop, organizations should ensure that emails and website giving pages are mobile-friendly and function quickly.

Fulfilling Events

Inviting Zoomers to social events, fundraisers and activities allows them to contribute to the issues they care about while engaging with one another, meeting new people, having fun and being a part of their communities. 

While they’re there, you can take the time to get to know them better with the goals of further personalizing communications, genuinely connecting with them and increasing their commitment to your organization in the future.

For example:

• A fundraising wine/beer tasting event is a fun evening out for those in their early- to mid-20s, giving them an opportunity to socialize while supporting your cause.
• Fundraising runs are ideal for many types of nonprofit organizations. In addition to all their other interests, Gen Z’ers are known for being health-conscious, so this athletic event gives them an opportunity to be active on the day of the event and by training for it ahead of time.
• Environmental protection organizations that are holding a cleanup event can invite Gen Z’ers who are committed to protecting the planet.
• Reach out to book clubs in the community and invite them to a book sale that you organize. Encourage Zoomers to volunteer at the event, while creating emotional messaging regarding how the sales will benefit your organization.

There are hundreds of possibilities for fundraising events that combine participants’ everyday hobbies with the social causes they care about. You just need to utilize effective marketing techniques to ensure donors and volunteers know about them.

The Emotional Factor 

Engaging Generation Z in philanthropy involves a combination of creating emotion, personalizing communications and reinforcing the satisfaction of participation.

Because of the need to communicate your message quickly, using photos and short videos can be especially powerful in telling your story. Stressing the value of their participation in your fundraising event or volunteer opportunity – without being too pushy or “salesy” – and following up with them with factual information about their impact are essential as well. 

Did they save a particular person’s life through a blood donation? Did their donation help a particular pet find a new home? Did their donation provide a homeless family with food? Did their river cleanup make a difference in the chemistry of the water? Telling them these facts will give them a sense of pride and accomplishment, as well as inspire them to continue to help. Additionally, personalizing this to them will make them feel that they, as individuals, are making a difference.

Sustainer Programs (H3)

Although Gen Z’ers financial resources may be stretched, many still have the capacity and drive to give. Sustainer programs, through which they can provide a small monthly gift, could be the ideal solution. The gift doesn’t have to be much larger than the cost of a streaming service, if they choose, and can be set up for recurring automatic payments.

Community Boards

Allowing teenagers to participate in decision-making gives them a glimpse of the power of community service, which leads to philanthropy and gift-giving. Consider creating “junior boards” for civic, church, school or other groups to allow them to have a voice in their own futures.

Working with a Nonprofit Marketing Solutions Provider

Analyzing data and trends is integral to your efforts to engage Gen Z in philanthropy. While fundraising is likely your primary goal, raising awareness of your mission and inviting young adults to participate in your events are pivotal steps toward that goal.

Phoenix Innovate’s fundraising strategies combine the power of personalization with data insights and analysis of modern-day trends. Contact us to learn more about how our personalized, authentic solutions for nonprofit marketing can help you achieve sustainable and transformative results.

Statistics Sources: The 2024 Influencer Marketing Report/Sprout Social; Morning Consult; The Harris Poll; The Nonprofit Times; Ascend Healthcare; United Way of the National Capital Area; NonProfitPRO; Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy; Consumer Affairs; Spring Health