Training Generation G
Trouble is on the horizon for our nonprofits. The solution begins with Generation G. And Givio Charitable Foundation wants to do something about it.
Background
Two-thirds of donations to charity come from baby boomer and Greatest Generation demographics, and as they age out of giving, they are not being sufficiently replaced by our younger generations. In the US, we’ve lost millions of donors over the past 10 to 15 years, and while the causes are many, there is little doubt that replenishing the boomers with “Gen whatever” is an important part of the solution.
The donor attrition problem is compounded when you think about the multi-generational wealth transfer that some experts predict will result in as much as $30 trillion changing hands over the next 20+ years. What happens to our nonprofit sector if donor pools are not being replenish, while generations of inheritance ends up in the hands of individuals who have fewer connections to the charities, schools and religious organizations that our communities depend upon?
Generation G to the Rescue
Generation G is our term for the current generation of young people in high school, college or early into the workforce. They see problems but don’t know how to solve them. Sometimes, they don’t even know how to get involved.
Training Generation G
GCF launched a training program for Generation G that we call “Future Fundraisers of America”. The goal is to educate tomorrow’s nonprofit leaders today, by teaching them about fundraising, donor engagement, and the kinds of modern fundraising technologies that can help transform what is a very old industry – charitable giving. We started in 2021 by contacting several universities about how to connect to their internship programs. Before we knew it, we were approved to recruit interns on more than 200 college campuses across the country. At one point, we were interviewing applicants for our program in groups of ten or more.
We put together a curriculum that could support up to 20 interns each semester. We trained them on digital marketing tools, fundraising software, and the ins-and-outs of planning a giving program. We brought in industry speakers, and tackled interesting topics. Students worked both individually and in teams. Along the way we opened a lot of eyes. One student told us:
Hey, this is pretty cool. I was interested in charity, but I had no idea how many jobs and careers are available in the nonprofit world.
The goal was for every intern to come away from our program with a working knowledge of fundraising, especially the sort of tech-based viral fundraising that appeals to younger people today. Then we coached them through their own fundraiser – how to select a meaningful charity to support (if they did not already have a passion for a particular cause), how to build awareness, set goals, market a fundraiser and more.
The results have been rewarding. Through 4 semesters, we have engaged 75 interns on 51 college campuses. Together, they chose dozens of nonprofits to work with, and raised thousands of dollars for their favored causes.
The Rescue Will Take Time
Training and education. Building new relationships. Reconnecting disconnected communities. Solving big problems. These things take time. We don’t pretend otherwise. But every young person who gains a greater awareness of and appreciation for the work done by our nonprofits becomes part of the solution. And a program originally designed to educate Generation G also turned into a workforce development program for young people. Pretty cool.
Epilogue
GCF is looking for opportunities to expand Future Fundraisers of American, training many more members of Generation G. To accomplish this goal, we are looking for program sponsors. If this story inspires you and you or your company has an interest in sponsoring the program, please get in touch. Thanks for reading.