Philanthropy beat: Young donors want to see results

July 30, 2013 at 1:11AM

The video clip shows the Facebook page of the American Pianists Association, with a voice-over of a donor critiquing it.

"It doesn't look like there's any conversation going on," says the young woman, a participant in a new survey of philanthropy habits of donors in their 20s and 30s.

"You're not asking any questions: You're just posting notifications," she says. "People are liking your stuff, but you're not commenting or asking them things."

The critique is part of a dozen videos that are included in the 2013 Millennial Impact Report, a survey of 2,665 young, mainly college-educated donors conducted by Achieve, an Indianapolis-​ based fundraising agency.

The report reinforces previous surveys that show young donors are motivated not by organizations, but by causes they feel passionate about.

Younger donors support their causes not just by giving money, but by volunteering and sharing related information with their friends through Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites, the survey found.

When it comes to volunteering, they prefer opportunities that give them professional or networking experience.

The survey found that younger donors want to see the results of a nonprofit's work on its website, not just information about the organization. Most wanted to see stories of program or individual successes.

The survey showed:

• 80 percent of young donors preferred nonprofits with mobile-device-friendly websites, especially those offering links to news and related information.

• 72 percent were interested in participating in young professional groups.

• Three of four were willing to raise money for a cause they cared about.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the survey is the section with video clips of donors critiquing social media sites of a variety of nonprofits.

The report, funded by the Case Foundation in Washington, D.C., is at www.themillennial impact.com.

Jean Hopfensperger • 612 673-4511

about the writer

about the writer

Jean Hopfensperger

Reporter

Jean Hopfensperger is the religion, faith and values reporter for the Star Tribune. She focuses largely on religious trends shaping Minnesota and the nation. 

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