The Quest for Younger Donors

● Don't swing before the pitch. Don't waste direct-response fundraising budgets on 20- to 40-year-olds. Wait until they enter the age group of donors. But do get them involved! They make terrific volunteers, they're inexpensive to reach and engage through social media, and they can turbocharge your advocacy programs.

OK, I take it back. When I said folks were wrong to try to get younger people to give, I was just getting your attention. It really depends on how you define "younger." The seniors and boomers will continue to provide the lion's share of nonprofit donations in the decade to come. That's where you should focus the lion's share of your fundraising budget. But if the average age of your donor file is 65 or even 70+, you should be working to acquire "younger" donors: people in their late 40s and 50s.

Tom Harrison is CEO of Russ Reid and a member of the FundRaising Success Editorial Advisory Board. Reach him at tharrison@russreid.com