Does your nonprofit feel stuck on how to engage with Gen Z? You’re not alone! Each generation has its own trends, preferences, and language. Of course, generational categories aren’t standardized, and leaning too hard on generational labels can lead to oversimplification at best, and bias or bigotry at worst, but it’s useful to pay attention to how different generations of donors are connecting with nonprofits.

3 questions to ask to get your organization started engaging across generations

1.    How can we tap into identity association to fuel action?

Your donors are not just donors, they have their own identities. For example, Truth Initiative (TI) ®, one of the largest and most successful national youth tobacco-prevention campaigns, wanted to empower teens to speak out against tobacco products for sale in drugstores’ chains.

They launched a campaign and created specific opportunities for the teens to get involved. First, they informed them about the issue of cigarette sales in Walgreens’ pharmacy chains. Second, TI provided a way for their young activists to do something about it featuring the #NOTHAPPYORHEALTHY hashtag. A petition on thetruth.com called for Walgreens to end the sale of tobacco products in all their stores. Then, they spread the word about the petition, across their digital channels including: SMS, email, and thetruth.com.

TI set a goal for the petition to get 1,000 signatures. The petition surpassed that goal within the first hour of going live. SMS drove 55 percent of participation — more than email marketing and social media combined — with a targeting strategy based on a teen’s engagement with the petition.

Lastly, TI empowered young activists to speak directly to Walgreens. TI provided an online toolkit for activists to make their voices heard during a Walgreens shareholder meeting, including SMS and email to promote the digital toolkit, which included social media messages, graphics, and a phone script for those who called into the meeting. Dozens of TI activists showed up to protest the Walgreens shareholder meeting in person in New York City.

Consider the identities of your donors. Could you offer “Moms for the Art Museum,” “the Retiree River Clean Up Crew,” or “Kids Fighting Homelessness”? Where are the possible connections between their identities and your work?

2.    Have we built community to engage younger constituents?

Your younger donors are ready to engage. Gen X leads all generations in volunteer hours served – 8 hours per month on average. Millennial donors are more likely than other donors to attend events virtually or in person. Gen Z is 3X as likely to advocate on an organization’s behalf compared to traditional donors.

All of those activities – volunteering, event attendance, and advocacy – are community-based. Have you nurtured opportunities to build a community for your younger donors to be part of?

SAGE, a nonprofit offering advocacy and services for LGBTQ+ elders, connects younger and older generations of LGBTQ+ people to increase visibility and feelings of belonging through its Friendly Visitor Program.

The program builds community, not just for elders, but for everyone involved. “The Friendly Visitor Program has shown me that aging can be engaging and fun, while also reminding me of the importance of community and stewardship… To hear life stories and lessons from an older member of my community is something that I never experienced in my youth and has shown me that even at [a young age], there is still so much to be learnt from those that came before and paved the way,” said one young volunteer.

3.   Are we being authentic and real?

If Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z have one thing in common, it’s a craving for authenticity. If you provide the transparency and honesty they require, they’ll be much more connected to your organization. Show them the impact of their gifts. Demonstrate real urgency in your calls for action. Be who you say you are.

Generational engagement is not about adopting a one-size-fits-all approach; it’s about respecting the diverse identities, community values, and authenticity each group brings to the table. By tapping into personal associations, creating spaces for connection, and delivering genuine, transparent messages, your organization can forge powerful bonds across generational lines. With a thoughtful approach, nonprofits can activate each generation’s potential to support, advocate, and amplify your mission in ways that feel personal, relevant, and deeply impactful.