Special millennial needs or just good fundraising?
I just received an enewsletter from Museum Hack (which sounds like a ton of fun) sharing advice on ways that millennials are different from the generations of donors before them.
Here are two of the differences they cited:
- ” Millennials want to feel like they are a part of something and making a difference, but if the only time the XYZ contacts the donor is for money, they will not feel like they are a part of the bigger picture.”
- “When the person who asks for money and the person who thanks them knows absolutely nothing about the donor, it turns them off. Millennials feel like it is a very personal thing to give, but when they are met with no reciprocation, the engagement drops off.”
Am I missing something here? Doesn’t every donor, regardless of their age, expect the same?
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Yes yes yes! I’ve been asking myself the same question with many of the comments about, by and for millennials. People of all ages want to give and to feel appreciated. We all want to see the impact of our gift, we know that it’s a very personal decision and yes, we get annoyed (and may stop giving) if the charity doesn’t seem to notice us.
Perhaps the stated desire for reciprocation was lower for the Builder generation, but the Builder donors I’ve met with have always been appreciative of a genuine thank you.
Thanks Gayle for pointing this out!
Thanks, Kirsten. I’m sure that there are differences between younger people and older folks in any generation… but my guess is that those differences are more about use of technology than any of the core elements of philanthropy. Though there is that troubling concept I hear espoused from some millennials that fundraising is 1) begging and 2) not sustainable as a revenue form.