Fundraising Through the Years

Customizing a fundraising campaign that speaks to every generation isn’t just a question of whether an appeal should be delivered by postman or sent electronically to an inbox.

The method of delivery matters, but so does its message, Blackbaud enterprise solutions engineer Samantha Cohen said at a Blackbaud Delivers event held earlier this month in Philadelphia.

“It’s not just mail for the older and e-mail for the younger,” Cohen said. “It’s about what you say.”

Demographics affect retention
Cohen explained that fundraisers must remember that each age group seeks a different relationship with the institutions it supports.

“It is much more than word choices and cultural references,” she said. “A well-defined mission can appeal to different cohorts.”

The key is for organizations to understand the generations and their ideas, and incorporate them into their fundraising regimes. To get to know various generations better, Cohen recommended reading “Boom, Bust and Echo: How to Profit From the Coming Demographic Shift” by David K. Foot and Daniel Stoffman.

“Boom, Bust and Echo” outlines the understanding of basic demographic dynamics, which can explain current patterns in consumer behavior.

“Donations are a purchase and should be treated that way,” Cohen said.

Age is a very important factor in terms of fundraising because everyone ages and, as they do, Cohen said, life-cycle phases govern their attitudes, careers and discretionary income spending habits.

The boomer
There are the baby boomers, who were born between 1947 and 1966 and are considered the “me” generation. Despite that perception, however, boomers soon will start to shift focus to their legacies, Cohen said.

Boomers are less willing to comparison shop, and they seek quality and a high level of service. Their volunteerism is likely to increase as relatively healthy individuals leave the workforce and look for something to fill the void.

The communication focus for baby boomers is legacy (leaving the world a better place) and financial planning.

Gen X
Generation Xers, born between 1967 and 1979, are much different than their parents and grandparents, Cohen said. There are fewer of them, and they’re not having as many children. They also are the first generation to have a lower quality of life than the one before, and they are more action- than idea-oriented.

This group is more cynical and idealistic, Cohen said. They seek authenticity and want proof that their donations are being spent appropriately.

“Tell them you want to end world hunger, and they’ll say, ‘No, you’re not,’” she said. “Tell them you want to put a piece of fresh fruit in every child’s lunch bag, and they listen.”

Cohen added that the ROI for Gen Xers is more psychic than material. They don’t dwell on benefits and are well-positioned to be the most loyal group in decades.

“They are an interesting group to work with,” Cohen said. “They will respond to letters but not four-color brochures. If it’s cheaper to send brochures, tell them that. If you’re not meeting your (fundraising) goals, tell them — but do it in a positive light.

“They want transparency,” she concluded.

Gen Y
The youngest of the three groups — Generation Y — is one of the more difficult to get a handle on, Cohen said.

“This generation is not about success, but being happy,” she explained.

Born between 1980 and 1994, this generation is the least religious, offers little loyalty and isn’t very rebellious.

Gen Ys’ communication focus is very visual; they prefer multimedia. And though they are able to consume volumes of information, they have very short attention spans.

“They go from organization to organization,” Cohen said. “They see what organization to support on a Facebook page. They don’t do research. They support the hot charity of the moment.

“When you are the hot charity of the moment — get them. Maximize the time you have with them,” she advised.