Next Generation of Canadian Giving Means Opportunity for Nonprofits

Other key takeaways were:

• The channel through which donors are asked to give (solicitation), and the channel through which they actually make the gift (transaction) may be different. Donors are willing to give using a variety of channels, regardless of how their gift was solicited.
• Similarly, the way that people stay connected to their charity of choice is not solely a matter of how they donate. Many keep in touch in one channel (e.g. mail) but give in another (e.g. website) and want to engage with the charity’s work beyond making a financial gift.
• Personal connections lead to the most donations. The popularity of pledge-event fundraising is based on this factor.
• Monthly giving is common across all generations. The data refuted the commonly-held belief that older donors prefer to give single gifts over monthly gifts. In fact, monthly giving was relatively even across all four groups of donors.
• Social media and mobile phones represent a small portion of current giving — 2.6 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively — but these methods will grow in popularity as younger donors age.

“Our research sheds light on what strategies will be sustainable and fruitful for Canadian nonprofit organizations in the long-term,” said John Willis, director, campaigns & research at Strategic Communications, Inc. “It also serves as a reminder that, as fundraisers, we need to establish an integrated suite of tools and channels to engage people now, and start planning for the future.”

According to the findings, Canadian donors continue to increase their giving, and expect fundraisers to connect with them using a variety of channels, including mainstream media, email, mail, phone, and social networks.

Differences between Canadian and United States Donors

Because the study was based on a similar study into the habits and preferences of United States donors, the study also provides insight into the differences between Canadian donors and their American counterparts in areas such as monthly giving programs and mobile giving. Key differences between Canadian and US donors include: