Directors of nonprofit organizations have to manage a tight balancing act – they need to worry about providing services now while preparing for unknown future needs of the next generation of donors. It’s a task that is being performed with the support of an aging donor pool. According to the National Philanthropic Trust, the average age of a donor to a nonprofit organization is 64. This has led nonprofits to more actively, and aggressively, court a new generation of philanthropists.

Shiloh Todorov, director of development and communications at Families Flourish in Columbus, said the task of getting the attention of Gen-Z, the next generation of donors, requires a multi-level approach.

“For example, we’ve spoken at young professionals groups and to the Junior League,” she said, regarding the next generation of donors. “When we speak to a group, we are really trying to get them engaged. Maybe they can be a volunteer, maybe they can introduce us to someone. All of those things can help. The point is to get people to think more holistically about ways they become involved.”

Kristy Roby, market director for the Southern & Central Ohio Chapter of BreakthroughT1D, previously known as JDRF, said it’s about creating new opportunities that engage the next generation of donors directly with an organization’s mission like “volunteer roles, advocacy opportunities, and exclusive research events, like lab tours.” The goal of this outreach, she said, is to “...foster transparency, accessibility and a sense of community.”

While much has been written about the perceived downsides of social media, there can be no denying that its reach, and ability to capture attention, can be powerful tools in engaging the next generation of donors.

“We’re really looking at how we can engage with people differently on our social channels. In particular we are expanding our focus on videos,” Todorov said, adding Families Flourish recently launched a series of video shorts as an extension of coaching materials and classes they currently offer to clients to appeal to the next generation of donors.

There are certainly outlets that cater to a younger audience but the question, as Todorov noted, is about more than establishing a vibrant TikTok presence.

“We’re looking at how we can connect with their values,” she explained, regarding the next generation of donors. “With older donors, they offer support because they have a connection to the organization. What we see with younger donors is that their donations are more value-based.”

Read the full article about the next generation of donors by Noell Wolfgram Evans at Columbus Jewish News.