How Charities Can Appeal To 

J A K E C R O M A N

M I L L E N N I A L S

As consumers and trendsetters, young people born in the 1980s and 90s have

tremendous influencing power. And along with rethinking workplace culture and

values, millennials are now reimagining charitable giving in the 21st century...

While millennials are passionate

about helping people and improving

society, they have little interest in

emulating the giving patterns

modeled by their parents and

grandparents. They want to give,

sure, but it’s not like any organization

will do. More than baby boomers,

millennials value authenticity and

the ability to engage directly with

their charity of choice.

The sheer size of our millennial generation makes us an increasingly influential demographic.

And in the years ahead, the nonprofit sector is likely to cater to the tastes and preferences of

this demographic. My millennial peers and I wield lots of trendsetting power.

Though 18- to 32-year-olds

represent just 11 percent of

total charitable giving,

philanthropic organizations

stand to benefit from

cultivating ties with this age

group. Considering that 80

million millennials will enter

adulthood in the coming years,

nonprofits feel a growing

urgency to build ties with these

young people. Among nonprofit

organizations, knowing how

and where millennials want to

spend their surplus income is

going to be critical.

In the spirit of working together and

creating change, let’s take a closer look

at millennial giving. Here’s how charities

can get millennials to support their cause:

Leveraging Social Media +

Digital Technology

Whether we’re keeping in touch with friends or researching nonprofits, millennials demand

tech-centric approaches to everything we do. This mindset extends to charitable giving, as

millennials prefer using social media and online platforms in supporting charitable causes.

Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook allow nonprofit organizations to

engage millennial supporters in an ongoing dialogue around the clock.

 Social media can also be used by charitable organizations to

appeal to millennial values and personify their organization’s branding.

Because young people expect to do our charitable giving online, we are

more likely to donate to organizations whose websites and social platforms

exhibit sleek web design and high UI/UX functionality.

Also, mobile-friendly websites are a must.

Causes, Not Institutions

When Millennials check a nonprofit’s website, we look for information about what an

organization does and how donations are used.

In other words: we want to see tangible results.

Unlike baby boomers, millennials aren’t as attached to specific organizations or brand

names. Institutional pedigree doesn’t impress them. Rather, we feel connected to certain

causes and are passionate about helping people and making a difference. We want

nonprofits to show us concrete evidence that our support has an impact. We like having

regular updates about successful charity projects and campaigns.

We want to know who we have helped.

Transparency + Accountability

In that same vein, millennials expect transparency and accountability from the

organizations we support.

This expectation is only logical: with less disposable income to spare than our

parents, millennials want to ensure our hard-earned dollars have an actual,

quantifiable impact.

Survey trends cited in the New York Times corroborate this fact. “Millennials expect

transparency, sophisticated storytelling and technical savvy from their charitable

organizations,” says Nicholas Fandos. "Causes matter more than institutions.”

Hands-On Engagement

Rather than writing checks, millennials prefer to support charities through active

participation. More than donating money, millennial donors seek opportunities to

volunteer and leverage their own networks in supporting causes they believe in.

Digital brands like Charity: Water and Warby Parker have an advantage in this regard,

as these organizations are designed as digital fundraising efforts and social impact

companies. They appeal to millennials’ need for simplicity, access to information, and

hands-on involvement.

Corporate Responsibility +

Social Impact 

While we recognize that governments and charities do important work, millennials realize

that nonprofits lack the technological prowess and resources of the private sector.

We see far more potential to have an impact through supporting private-public partnerships

(PPP) and social impact investing.

“Major companies are paying attention to millennials’ interest in corporate philanthropy,”

Fortune notes, citing efforts like a Goldman Sachs fund that awards grants to nonprofits

based on recommendations from millennial employees.

Commitment to Environment

We are living in a time when ethical and sustainable products are king.

“From involvement with charities and nonprofits to spreading awareness about key

environmental concerns,” an overwhelming number of millennials value sustainability and

environmental justice. Numerous studies have shown millennials are willing to pay more for

sustainable products. These statistics are worth noting for organizations looking to attract

millennial supporters.

F O R M O R E   P L E A S E V I S I T M Y

W E B S I T E :

J A K E C R O M A N . C O

T H A N K S F O R R E A D I N G !