Monetary Donations Are Perceived as the Most
Impactful Way to Make a Difference Across Generations, but
Volunteering and Advocacy Remain Important
LONDON, Nov. 19,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Blackbaud Institute, a
sector research lab at Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading
provider of software for powering social impact, has released a new
report, Charitable Support Across Generations in the UK and
Ireland, highlighting shifting
donation patterns and support preferences among Gen Z, Millennials,
Gen X and Boomers. This comprehensive study sheds light on
generational attitudes toward charitable support, factors
influencing giving, and the emerging challenges nonprofit
organisations face in an increasingly complex landscape.
The report, based on survey responses from over 1,000
participants, uncovers distinct generational differences that shape
charitable behaviour today. While financial donations remain the
top way for each generation to make an impact, Gen Z notably
prioritises volunteering and advocacy, signalling a new direction
in charitable engagement. Health, children, and animal causes are
most widely supported, with each generation holding unique
perspectives on how best to help.
"With economic challenges reshaping how individuals prioritise
their support, understanding the unique motivations of each
generation has never been more essential," said Dan Keyworth, Vice President and Managing
Director, Customer Success, Blackbaud. "This report highlights
that while traditional giving remains strong, younger generations,
especially Gen Z, are redefining engagement through volunteering
and advocacy. By aligning with these shifting preferences,
charities can build deeper, more sustainable connections with
supporters across every age group."
Key Findings from the Report:
- Diverse Support Preferences Across Generations:
Donations are the most common form of support across all
generations, though Gen Z emphasises volunteering, with 50%
participating, while Boomers focus more on advocacy and spreading
awareness.
- Influential Drivers for Charitable Support: Across
generations, trust in the organisation, belief in the mission, and
perceived impact on urgent needs are paramount. Younger generations
also express a strong need for transparency and privacy, shaping
expectations for nonprofit communication.
- Generational Giving Barriers: Economic constraints,
limited time, and concerns about organisational efficiency are
prevalent reasons for non-support. Lack of trust is notably higher
among Gen Z and Millennials, emphasising the importance of
transparent, impactful messaging from nonprofits.
- Preferred Communication and Acknowledgment: Email
remains the most preferred form of recognition. However,
Millennials and Gen Z value public recognition and detailed impact
reports, underscoring the evolving expectation for digital and
personalised nonprofit engagement.
The report further provides actionable recommendations for
nonprofits to effectively engage supporters across generations,
including strategies to build trust, enhance volunteer programmes,
and diversify donation methods to meet evolving preferences. Get
more information on Charitable Support Across Generations and
access the full report here.
bbcon 2024 London
Publication of the new report
follows the success of Blackbaud's recent bbcon London
event, hosted in late October. Over 200 Blackbaud customers,
technology partners, expert speakers and Blackbaud staff
attended the event to hear more about the major waves of
innovation that will transform the future of social impact for
Blackbaud's customers in the UK and across Europe.
These announcements included a host of AI-powered solutions,
enhanced functionality of Blackbaud's core fundraising product,
integrated payments experiences to help organisations raise and
save more, and more flexibility to help customers extend their
Blackbaud software. Breakout sessions provided the opportunity for
delegates to hear best practices for fundraising, grantmaking, and
corporate impact, as well as network with like-minded peers.
To learn more about Blackbaud's most recent innovation, visit
www.blackbaud.co.uk/newsroom.
About Blackbaud Institute
The Blackbaud Institute develops leading-edge research and convenes
expert voices to equip the social impact community with knowledge,
insight, and confidence. The Blackbaud Institute draws from
Blackbaud's data set, the most comprehensive in the social impact
community. In addition, the Institute facilitates public research
studies to drive original qualitative and quantitative insight. Our
research agenda is grounded in a commitment to topics that social
impact organisations can apply immediately to better understand,
benchmark, and improve their essential business operations. We are
guided by our commitment to the social impact sector to provide
timely, transparent, and well-rounded research that is free to
access. From how organisations run to how donors give, we're 100%
focused on research and resources for this sector.
About Blackbaud
Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the
leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social
impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies
committed to social responsibility and individual change makers,
Blackbaud's essential software is built to accelerate impact in
fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving,
grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education
management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through
Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud's solutions are
unleashing the potential of the people and organisations who change
the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek's list of America's
Most Responsible Companies, Quartz's list of Best Companies for
Remote Workers, and Forbes' list of America's Best Employers. A
remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa
Rica and the United
Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more
at www.blackbaud.co.uk or follow us on X/Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram and Facebook.
Media Inquiries
media@blackbaud.com
Forward-looking Statements
Except for historical
information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions
contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that
involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements
regarding expected benefits of products and product features.
Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these
forward-looking statements, it is possible that future
circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such
statements are based. In addition, other important factors that
could cause results to differ materially include the following:
general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business
and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales
growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other
risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with
successful implementation of multiple integrated software products;
the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated
with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles;
technological changes that make our products and services less
competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time
in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available
free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request
from Blackbaud's investor relations department. All Blackbaud
product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.
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