Prepare today for tomorrow’s donors

By Doug Scott
VP, Fundraising Solutions & Grants

I’m jumping headfirst into my new role with Ashley|Rountree, and that includes getting out and hearing about the challenges our communities’ fundraising professionals are facing and what’s on their minds when they think about the landscape going forward.

Recently, a number of people I’ve spoken with have expressed a sense of urgency around leveraging grants to supplement commitments to their annual fund, major gifts, and planned giving programs. Many people are feeling anxious as they stretch to reach fundraising goals, despite the Lilly School of Philanthropy predicting that giving will increase by 4.2% this year.

But I’d like to encourage everyone to take a time out – let’s get back to basics and not forget our “bread and butter”! As recently as 2022, individuals contributed about 73% of all dollars given to charity.

And a growing trend in capturing individual dollars is hyper personalization, especially when it comes to targeting Gen X and millennial donors. While it’s tempting to focus on Baby Boomers as they’ve had decades to build wealth, it’s critical that fundraisers start taking note of the younger donors coming to the table – including how to cultivate and steward them.

Through 2045, some $84 trillion dollars will pass mostly from baby boomers to Gen X (born 1965-1980) and millennials…an estimated $12 trillion of that will find its way into philanthropy, either through foundations, donor-advised funds, impact investing, or personal direct action.

Daniel X. Matz, Candid.org

Now is the time to prepare for a massive and historic transition of wealth. We need to begin shifting communications and relationship-building efforts to these groups, who tend to give online rather than writing a check after coffee and conversation. Consider your online communication and fundraising strategy. The days of the mail house sending a targeted mailing to specific ZIP codes seem to be nearing their end – at least for now. Today’s technology can home in on your donors and donor prospects, not only by their physical address but by their interests and the places they visit, shop, and work – and follow them there. Email marketing can segment your donors, allowing you to personalize messages to specific groups, and help identify who clicks on certain links. Social media analytics can tell you which post resulted in the most engagement and action.

It’s time to take advantage of tools that can help you shift your strategy and vision toward younger generations, following the impending transfer of wealth and responding to the unique preferences and communication styles of tomorrow’s major donors. If we can help think through these strategies with you, please don’t hesitate to reach out!