Engaging Millennials Tommy Pearce, Consultant

mil  len  nial noun 1.An arguably productive member of society born between the early 1980s and early 2000s; also known as a Gen Y-er “These darn millennials won’t donate to my organization despite their insistence on $4 soy lattes.” Definition

Size Source: Pew

Beyond. (2013). Bucking the stereotype.

So, you can essentially make up any narrative based on perceptions of Millennials and convincingly defend it.

Blackbaud (2014). The Next Generation of American Giving. Giving

Causes > Organizations Projects > Ongoing Work Influenced by peers (70% willing to solicit for an org) and workplace/supervisors (48% donated through work) Time = Money = Network = Skills 49% gave only to groups that clearly demonstrated their impact

Giving Why? Extra money at the moment, generally Specific cause, campaign Specific organization Convenient (grocery checkout) Make up for not volunteering To make a measurable impact Fulfilling Compelled (religious, etc.) Corporate structure Sucker for sad advertisements Do you donate to any nonprofit organizations or on behalf of an issue or cause?

Giving Why Not? No money! (student loans) Lack of transparency, impact Prefer to volunteer Already work for a nonprofit Never thought about it Lack of passion for a cause Don’t want to get on a marketing list Do you donate to any nonprofit organizations or on behalf of an issue or cause?

Volunteering 70% volunteered  1 hour in % are more likely to volunteer if they can use their skills 50% of volunteers did so through work-sponsored events Of people who volunteered in the last 12 months: 96% feel an enriched sense of purpose 95% believe they have enhanced their community 94% have improved moods 78% feel less stressed More likely to find a job (27%)

Volunteering Do you volunteer for any nonprofit organizations or on behalf of an issue or cause? Why? Connection to the organization Build professional skills Personal fulfillment Corporate program Specific interest, passion Want to give back Fun, enjoyment Compelled (faith, karma, etc.) Meet people, networking Build, take part in community Why not? Peer pressure Previous benefactor

Volunteering Do you volunteer for any nonprofit organizations or on behalf of an issue or cause? Why Not? No free time Not a priority, don’t want to Laziness Lack of peers, different social group Already work for a nonprofit Easier to just donate Not sure how Lack of specific passion

How To Engage >Learn and share on social media, but donate elsewhere >Facebook is the top site for now, but Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest are fast-growing >Millennials follow 1-5 nonprofits Center for Social Impact Communication. (2013).

How To Engage >Gamification, competition, incentives

How To Engage >Tell a story, and use imagery

How To Engage >Demonstrate impact

How To Engage >Provide shareable and actionable content

How To Engage >Use mobile-friendly sites

How To Engage >Talk to companies about sponsoring or conducting volunteer and donation programs >Explain the benefits of being engaged. For instance: Positive mental health outcomes Develop professional and management skills Better odds of finding work Make connections (e.g. Community Bucket) >Cater giving programs to a younger audience Smaller, but more frequent donations Get them to donate for you

Resources >Interactive Census tool to compare young folks (18-34) over time, broken down by states and metro areas census.gov/censusexplorer/censusexplorer-youngadults.html >Findings from Blackbaud’s Next Generation of American Giving report, comparing generational philanthropic habits Report: Infographic: report-infographicwww.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/generational-giving- report-infographic >The annual Millennial Impact Report from Achieve tracks donation and volunteer trends >The Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) tracks volunteer trends over time by state and region >A White House report on the economic impact of Millennials