Getting the Younger Donor to Say Yes

By Joe Boland

"The first step," Groves said, "is understanding who you want to reach."

Why bother with a younger crowd?
Considering the fact that older donors tend to donate larger amounts, an immediate question is what's the point of communicating with younger prospects and/or donors anyway?

For one thing, Groves said, baby boomers and Gen Xers make up a larger portion of the population than do folks 65 and older. That means that even though combined boomers and Gen X give less in terms of average gift, they give more actual dollars because there are more of them giving. In fact, they comprise the largest segment of donors out there. Ignoring them leaves valuable dollars on the table.