How to Engage Gen Z Donors: A Nonprofit's Guide to Giving, Stewardship, and Loyalty

Ranging from early-career professionals to future job seekers, Gen Z (born 1997 to 2012) is actively shaping the non-profit space by donating their time, talent, and treasure. Compared to older generations, Gen Z is more social-justice minded and eager to make change. However, many nonprofits are still struggling to engage these young donors and build the kind of loyalty that will sustain their organizations for decades to come.

Much of this disconnect comes down to basic misunderstandings. Let’s address the biggest myths about Gen Z giving: 

• “They’re too broke to give.” A recent report by Blackbaud found that 84% of Gen Zers report supporting nonprofits or charity in some way. Although Gen Z is in the early stages of growing their wealth, nearly a third of Gen Z donors reported planning to increase their donations in coming years. 
• “They don’t care about philanthropy.” Although younger donors participate in philanthropy differently than older generations, they are actively driving online giving initiatives (like Giving Tuesday), online social media fundraising challenges, and crowdfunding like GoFundMe.  
• “They’re not loyal donors.” A report by the Lilly School of Philanthropy found that Gen Z and Millennial donors are more likely to support issues rather than specific organizations and think of themselves as social change agents. However, many younger donors are looking for organizations to get involved with long-term that address the issues they care most about. 

How Gen Z Gives 

Gen Z cares about causes, not brand names. They build momentum through peer-to-peer fundraising, with over 50% willing to champion an organization to their own network. As digital natives, their wallets live on their phones and they favor platforms like Venmo or Apple Pay over checks. Even better? They love subscriptions.  80% of Gen Zers express interest in small, recurring gifts that fit easily into their monthly budgets.

Above all, Gen Z wants to feel a part of the organizations they support, and they value engagement through social media, transparent communication, and volunteer opportunities. 

How Gen Z Wants to be Stewarded–And How Your Organization Should Respond 

1. Digital-first Communication. Gen Z is more likely to respond to texts, video, and social media content over handwritten notes, traditional newsletters, and galas. For environmentally minded Gen Zers, paper appeals signal waste, not impact. Gen Z is also less interested in formal galas, which can feel transactional and not aligned with how they build community and participate in philanthropy.
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‍➡️ Action Item: Your organization should be using social media as a fundraising channel, not just marketing. Make sure your stewardship plans include a digital component. You might also consider offering hybrid or lower-barrier events - like volunteer days or community meetups - in addition to or instead of your gala to engage younger donors. 
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‍2. Transparency and Impact. Gen Z values transparency and wants to know where their money is going and that their gift matters. Because these donors are so issues-driven, they want to give their dollars to organizations that can show impact and build trust. 
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‍➡️ Action Item: Show the impact, win the trust: nearly 70% of Gen Z is more likely to give when they are presented with clear impact reporting. It’s also important to prioritize authenticity over polish in messaging, especially when many Gen Z donors are skeptical of AI-written content.  
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‍3. No More Passive Giving. Gen Z sees themselves as changemakers, not checkbooks–they want to bring their time and talent to the organizations they support. Many Gen Zers are also looking for ways to build community and participate meaningfully in building a better world. 
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‍➡️ Action Item: Create pathways for younger donors to get involved such as task forces, committees, board seats, and volunteer roles. Gen Z wants a seat at the table, and they want to feel like their voice is heard and their participation genuinely matters.  
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‍4. Peer-to-Peer Giving. Gen Zers thrive with peer-to-peer giving. They are motivated by fundraising challenges and looking for ways to bring their personal network into the causes they care about. 
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‍➡️ Action Item: Build shareable fundraising challenges to make it easy for young donors to fundraise on your behalf through social media or other digital channels. 
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‍5. Easy Digital Payments. Gen Z wants to donate through convenient payment methods they already use; they are less likely to write a check, give cash, or fill out a lengthy online donation form. 
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‍➡️ Action Item: Make sure you can accept donations through Venmo, Apple Pay, and Zelle and optimize your online donation page for easy giving. Organizations that offer subscription donations or recurring tiers are also more likely to engage Gen Z over one-time asks. 
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If you have any questions about engaging younger donors at your organization, don’t hesitate to contact Bec Brown at rebecca@evolvegg.com. And don’t forget to download our freebie, The Gen Z Readiness Audit, to see how your donation flow stacks up and where you can remove friction for young givers!