By Don Philpott, Executive Director
If your CSO hasn’t made plans for an end of year donations campaign, think again because it is not too late! For motivation, just think about the following two statistics. In 2017,
Americans gave $410 billion to charities – up 5% over 2016 – AND, nearly one third of all annual giving occurs in the month of December. That means that in 31 days, Americans give $125 billion to nonprofit organizations. Corporate giving is also on the rise -- $20.77 billion in 2017, up 8% over 2016 – and while very important, this pales in comparison to private donations.
If you don’t ask, you don’t receive, so if you are planning a major capital project or want to raise funds for improvements in your park, get to work now on crafting the right messages for your target audiences. Remember, you have several target audiences and for the best results, they each need a message tailored specifically to them and delivered in the way they are most likely to respond to it. Your CSO needs to deliver the appropriate year-end appeal that resonates with the donor on a personal level. Here is some helpful information on your different donors:
Millennials: Age 22-36 (26% of the population) are most likely to donate via mobile means—they watch campaign videos and prefer to give via crowdfunding. These supporters respond to text messages and are active daily on social media. 40% of millennial donors are enrolled in a monthly giving program and 46% donate to crowd funding campaigns.
Generation X: Age 37-51 (20% of the population) are most likely to fundraise on behalf of your organization, make a pledge, and volunteer. These supporters respond to email messages, phone calls and texts and stay up-to-date on social feeds and trends. 49% are enrolled in a monthly giving program, 64% volunteer locally, and 56% attend fundraising events.
Baby Boomers: Age 52-66 (24% of the population) are most likely to make recurring gifts. These supporters respond to phone calls, check email regularly, and are mainstream adopters of text messaging and social media. 49% are enrolled in a monthly giving program, 71% volunteer locally, and 58% attend fundraising events.
Greatest Generation: Age 67 and up (12% of the population) represent 26% of total US giving. Donors are most likely to respond to direct mail and give by check. Wealthy seniors are more likely to own smartphones and donate by credit card. 88% give to charity and they tend to give 25% more frequently than younger groups
Perhaps the most important statistic I can share is that 12% of all giving takes place in the last three days of the year so you still have time to create a plan and execute it!
