Demographics Best Practices

To help motivate giving, it's important to understand your donors and tailor your appeals and behavior to better resonate with them. To target a specific group of donors, consider their age group as you plan your fundraising strategy.

Donors born between 1981 and 1995 are likely to give with a sense of community, as part of a connected social movement. To engage these donors:

  • Form partnerships with local employers to create work-sponsored giving, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising events.

  • Optimize your website for mobile devices, and consider text-to-donate.

  • Develop emotionally engaging — and social media-friendly — videos to explain your mission and the impact donors can have. Focus on your mission and those who benefit from your cause more than your organization and its brand. For information about how to engage with donors online and in social media, see Social Media Best Practices.

Donors born between 1965 and 1980 are likely to get personally involved and want to see their impact first-hand. To engage these donors:

  • To enable a personal investment in your organization, provide opportunities to volunteer or fund-raise on your behalf. For more information, see Peer-to-Peer Fundraising.

  • To help them donate within planned budgets, ask for pledges of specific amounts.

  • Develop emotionally engaging videos to explain your mission and the impact donors can have. For information about how to engage with donors online and in social media, see Social Media Best Practices.

Compared to other generations, donors born between 1946 and 1964 give the most to nonprofit organizations. These donors are likely to personally identify with their giving and desire to make a difference. To engage them:

  • Encourage regular giving with recurring gifts and automatic withdraw through credit card or direct debit.

  • Use engaging solicitations through email and direct mail that connect at an emotional level and explain the impact donors can have. For suggestions, see Appeals Best Practices.

  • Ask for gifts-in-kind, planned gifts, or gifts given in honor or tribute of others.

Donors born before 1945 give out of a sense of duty. To engage these constituents:

  • Provide opportunities to volunteer, and encourage regular giving with recurring gifts and automatic withdraw through credit card or direct debit.

  • Use engaging direct mail solicitations to connect at an emotional level and explain the impact donors can have. For suggestions, see Appeals Best Practices.

  • Ask for gifts-in-kind, planned gifts, or gifts given in honor or tribute of others.

Note: For more detail about generational differences between donors, refer to the Next Generation of American Giving infographic.

In addition to age group, the donor's gender may also influence how you cultivate a relationship. While there are no set rules, you may find some trends and differences between male and female donors. For example, to engage women donors:

  • Plan personal interactions that promote a sense of community and a long-term relationship.

  • Allow them time to thoughtfully research your mission and decide whether to give a first gift.

  • Promote opportunities to volunteer and support friends or family on behalf of your organization.

Tip: To engage LGBT donors, ask and respect their gender identity and preferred pronouns.