Donor Demographics

As far as we fundraisers are concerned, there are two kinds of people in the world: Donors and non-donors. These two groups are so different from each other that they might as well live in different worlds — which, in a way, they do.

The over-60 age group has propelled a significant increase in online donations to arts and culture and religious causes, according to JustGiving.

Adding weight to the argument that the Internet, and online giving, is not exclusively the domain of the young, JustGiving has released figures showing that donations from people aged over 60 have made a significant impact on some types of charity.

When identifying ways to engage the millennials of Generation Y, organizations are encouraged to connect with this future pipeline of donors and their soon-to-be board members.

Yes, you want to engage younger donors, but do you even know who they are?

Ted Harts speaks with Emily Davis, executive director of the Colorado Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation and author of "Fundraising and the Next Generation," about next-generation giving on his Nonprofit Coach radio show.

Sometimes we forget. We forget that the whole world isn't just like us. We forget that fundraising efforts are often appreciated by our donors. They care about our work and are glad when they are able to help us accomplish more.

A billboard in London by children's advocacy group Plan uses facial-recognition technology to know whether you're a man or woman. And it gives you a different advertisement depending on your gender.

Women who walk up to the billboard are greeted with a 40-second film explaining the plight of women and girls in poor countries around the world.

Men, however, get a cut-down version of the content. They can't see the film, but they do get to see shocking statistics about the situation, like the fact that 75 million girls are denied education.

The longer a donor has been involved with an organization, the more loyal and valuable that donor is. Thus, fundraisers must always be on the lookout for ways to engage young donors now to establish a relationship that will bear fruit for years to come.

W.K. Kellogg Foundation released a new report, “Cultures of Giving: Energizing and Expanding Philanthropy by and for Communities of Color” with support from Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. This new report shows how the face of philanthropy is changing rapidly to become as ethnically, culturally and socioeconomically diverse as our country’s population, with some of the most significant growth stemming from identity-based philanthropy — a growing movement to spark philanthropic giving from a community on behalf of a community, where “community” is defined by race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.

The book "Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists" fulfills a long-standing dream of its author, Charlotte resident Valaida Fullwood, who with photographer Charles W. Thomas Jr. has assembled more than 60 stories of residents who have demonstrated that giving time, talent and treasure is as much a privilege as it is a central component to African-American community life.

"African-Americans have a legacy and history of giving that extends back centuries," Fullwood said. "Giving circles, where individuals in the community pool their contributions, are an extension of that charitable heritage."