Four Ways to Engage the Next Generation of Donors

Successful nonprofits strike a balance between honoring long-time supporters and engaging new donors. Loyal contributors have sustained your mission and fueled meaningful impact over the years — but securing the future of your organization also requires reaching the next generation of givers.

Generational change is constant: while new potential donors are entering adulthood every day, long-time supporters will eventually step back. The challenge for nonprofits is twofold — maintaining strong relationships with current donors while cultivating the next wave of philanthropists.

Here are four strategies to help your organization attract and retain younger donors:

1. Analyze Your Data to Understand Younger Supporters
Many nonprofits are surprised to discover that younger donors often respond to traditional outreach — just not in traditional ways. For example, a direct mail campaign may prompt a younger recipient to visit your website and donate online rather than sending a check by mail. Without tracking this cross-channel behavior, these gifts may go unnoticed, leading to the mistaken belief that younger audiences aren’t engaging.

By using integrated data analysis across mail, digital, and other channels, nonprofits can more accurately measure results and make informed decisions about how to reach younger donors. The right analytics partner can help identify multi-channel giving trends and create acquisition strategies that appeal to younger audiences without losing sight of older donor preferences.

2. Explore New Outreach Channels
To reach younger demographics, nonprofits should consider expanding beyond traditional mail and phone campaigns. Alternative channels can include:

Face-to-face fundraising: Street campaigns and in-person events can be particularly effective, often leading to recurring gifts from supporters in their 30s and 40s.
Text messaging: Broadcast fundraising texts can achieve high engagement rates with younger audiences, generating click-through rates as high as 30–40%.
Connected TV (CTV): Many individuals under 50 no longer subscribe to cable, but they still stream video content. CTV campaigns can deliver mission-focused messages, build awareness, and drive donations among younger viewers.

3. Broaden Your Data Sources
Many organizations rely heavily on transactional history — such as years of giving and number of gifts — to guide their outreach. While this is useful, it can unintentionally favor older donors who have longer giving histories.

To identify and attract younger supporters, nonprofits should blend transactional data with other behavioral and demographic insights. AI-powered modeling can incorporate thousands of variables, providing a more complete picture of potential donors’ values, interests, and giving potential — regardless of age or donation history.

4. Build Awareness Before Asking for Support
Donating is rarely the first interaction someone has with a nonprofit. Younger audiences often need to connect with your mission in meaningful ways before making a financial commitment. That means starting with awareness-driven marketing campaigns and engaging them with relatable, accessible entry points.

Examples include social media influencer partnerships, mission-related challenges, or downloadable resources tied to your cause. These initiatives can generate qualified leads and build trust, paving the way for long-term donor relationships.

The Bottom Line
Connecting with younger donors doesn’t mean replacing your current supporters — it means building a broader, more resilient community. By applying data-driven insights, diversifying outreach channels, and building awareness early, nonprofits can inspire a new generation to give while continuing to honor and serve those who already do.

At DBC, our nonprofit specialists understand the unique challenges of fundraising in a changing donor landscape. We work with organizations to develop strategies that attract, retain, and engage supporters of all ages.

To read the full article “4 Ideas for Finding Your Next Generation of Donors” by Greg Fox, please visit 4 Ideas For Finding Your Next Generation Of Donors – The NonProfit Times