How Your Nonprofit Can Effectively Engage Gen Z Donors in Year-End Fundraising

On Oct. 5, 2022, Alyssa Wright, an award-winning artist, social impact strategist, philanthropic advisor, development consultant, speaker, and writer joined Network for Good to discuss how to engage Gen Z donors when crafting your year-end appeal. Alyssa shared her background and experience as a young professional in the social good space, data about the Gen Z donor, the importance of fostering relationships with young donors, and some tactics for reaching this audience effectively. Watch a recording of the session below to hear some of these valuable insights and continue reading for a quick recap of some of the tactics shared.  

4 Key Ways to Engage Gen Z in Your Year-End Appeal 

1. Digital Engagement 

If you haven’t already, take a moment to survey your donors. What percentage of them fall into this Gen Z or even Millennial demographic? Once you have this information, you can consider a segmented approach to your year-end appeal. Gen Z donors have an average annual income of $50,000, so consider targeting this segment with a monthly donor program, allowing them to donate smaller amounts on a recurring basis and sign up for your monthly newsletter. This will allow you to foster a relationship with your younger donors, creating loyal long-term supporters. This could also be a good tactic for your other donor segments due to recent inflation trends. Network for Good fundraising software provides the resources you need to segment your donor base, send personalized messages, and more.  

2. Lean into Volunteerism and Activism 

Encourage your younger donors to get involved with your organization. Gen Z is much more likely to support and advocate for a cause they care about rather than focusing on a specific organization. Share stories of impact on social media and in your communications with a call to action to volunteer, donate, or even host a peer-to-peer fundraiser. When this demographic sees the impact your organization is making and feels they can contribute to the cause, they will be compelled to volunteer their time, donate, and share with their network.  

 3. Engage Gen Z Influencers 

Reach out to several Gen Z influencers to see if they would be interested in sharing your year-end campaign on their social media channels. This will allow you to expand your reach to this demographic, share your cause with a new audience, and even gain new donors. Not sure how to engage with these influencers? Start by reaching out directly through your organization’s social media channels.  

 4. Leverage a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser 

Finally, a great way to engage more Gen Z donors is to ask your existing donors if their children, grandchildren, nieces, and/or nephews would be interested in hosting a peer-to-peer fundraiser for your nonprofit’s year-end campaign. Additionally, you could work with some of your existing Gen Z donors to see if they are willing to serve as a sort of influencer for your cause. Having these donors share your appeal on their social media channels and with friends and family is another great way to expand your reach to this audience. Network for Good has peer-to-peer fundraising technology built in, making it easy for you to turn your nonprofit’s supporters into fundraisers.  

These tips just scratch the surface on ways your nonprofit can better engage with and attract the all-important Gen Z donor during your year-end fundraising campaign. Be sure to watch the webinar recording to learn more about what is most appealing to younger donors from frequent, timely social media content to an updated, user-friendly website. Looking for more year-end and Giving Tuesday resources? Download our Giving Tuesday Toolkit and Planning Guide and Comprehensive 2022 Year-End Fundraising Plan.

Published: October 18, 2022