3 Ways To Craft a Nonprofit Model That Appeals to Millennials

Millennials don’t like to be told what to do. I should know—I am one. I’m also the founder of Human Heritage Project and CEO of the National Rongxiang Xu Foundation, which is why I feel compelled to inform my peers that the world needs their help.

As a young generation in the throes of adulthood and armed with $600 billion in annual spending power, according to Accenture, we expect more from our nonprofits than older generations did. We don’t donate at the office and forget—we invest in the causes that interest us. That means we expect the nonprofits we invest our money in to be transparent because we care more about issues than we do business—and we’re willing to take our time and money elsewhere if a nonprofit doesn’t deliver.

Unfortunately, most nonprofits haven’t adapted to this shift in mindset. Millennials want nonprofits to engage them instead of just hitting them up for a check each month. More importantly, we want to be able to quantify the effects we have on the world. To bridge this gap and keep your philanthropic efforts viable, nonprofits must learn how to work with a more hands-on generation.