Why younger generations aren’t donating and 4 ways charities can change that 

A recent survey revealed that younger generations donate less to charity than older age groups, and it looks like there’s more to it than someone’s financial situation. It appears that attitudes to charity in general have shifted among generations. 

This echoes the findings of our latest consumer research report, The loyalty divide. We polled 3,000 consumers to ask what drives loyalty, and charity donations came out as a low motivator for both Gen Z and Millennials.

As economic uncertainty continues, with many households looking for ways to cut outgoings, it’s naturally a tough time for non-profit marketers. Coupled with a generational attitude shift, this could be a real problem for charities. Charity marketers have to make waves with the younger generations sooner rather than later. 

In this blog, we’ll explore the reasons for this shift alongside advice and strategies for marketers to combat this. These strategies will help drive support among the younger generations, which is essential for long-term sustainability and growth. 

Why are Gen Z and Millennials disillusioned with charities? 

The obvious and simplest answer to why these generations are donating less is that they have less disposable income. The headlines around younger people increasingly struggling to get on the property ladder or be able to afford raising a family are plenty. That avocado toast really adds up you know. 

But really, we live in a time of economic uncertainty and most people are tightening up their budgets – especially those at the start of their career and without the security of owning a home. So it’s finances, end of right? Not quite. Data shows that those with less tend to give more in relative terms. Studies show poorer communities donate a higher proportion of their income to charity than the wealthy, with one study finding 2.2% vs 0.5% respectively. So it can’t simply be finances driving the decline.  

If we put finances aside, attitudes must be at least partly driving this shift. One theory here is that the younger generations are more sceptical. Having grown up in the age of the internet, younger generations are naturally more cautious about believing information off the bat.

A cultural moment 

Charity Link found that 12% of people who don’t donate said it’s simply because they do not trust charities. You have to wonder if huge cultural movements like Kony 2012, named one of the most viral videos of all time by the New York Times, have changed how online-first generations see charity organizations. The Kony 2012 movement was a huge shift in how charitable causes could be shown to potential supporters, allowing unfiltered footage to be shown to the masses. There was a huge swell of support, with celebrities like Bill Gates and Rihanna sharing the video. 

The attention quickly changed course as people began asking questions about the charity behind the video. People were critical of the way the charity spent its money, and began to raise concerns about the ethical impacts of such a campaign. The founder then had a public breakdown, covered by TMZ, and this became the main story – the perceived flaws and untrustworthiness of the charity behind the video, instead of the importance of the cause. This blog isn’t here to debate that one incident, but it was certainly a cultural moment in how Millennials at least viewed and trusted charities and was an important shift the role of social media for charities. 

This was the start of social media activism, or ‘slacktivism’. ‘Slacktivism’ is coined by Merriam Webster as ‘the practice of conspicuously showing support for a cause (as by posting on social media or hanging a flag or sign) without taking any real steps to effect change’. The term is generally derisive, and its usage is controversial. 

Despite its shaky start, social media is a very powerful tool for charity marketers. When it’s used correctly, social media can boost awareness, support, donations, and drive policy change too. 

The importance of visibility 

Another consideration is that people like to know their money is making a definite impact. This is true for all generations, and younger generations are used to being able to find information easily. 

Thanks to the internet, there is now an ability to see the public accounts of charitable organizations, such as running costs and CEO salaries. When these costs are high, supporters can feel like their donation is lining the pockets of office workers rather than directly helping the people in need. 

Charity marketers need to show supporters exactly how their support is helping in order to maintain momentum. This also ties into the lack of trust, by showing your audience the clear impact their support is having, you can alleviate those concerns. 

So, we’ve discussed what could be causing this disconnect. Now let’s look at four strategies charity marketers can take to bridge that gap, encourage donations, and create loyalty.  

4 tactics to boost support with younger generations 

1. Use loyalty program tactics 

Our loyalty report showed that customers are less motivated by charity rewards in ecommerce loyalty programs. However, what we did find is that across all generations and regions, loyalty programs were a favored loyalty driver. And loyalty means revenue, or in this case, donations. 

While you may initially think loyalty programs are for ecommerce, there are ways to apply the formula to charities. No one is going to expect money off or cashback from a donation, but there are low to no-cost ways to gamify and reward supporters. 

One of the best examples of this is the UK’s NHS blood donation reward scheme, where donors are given pin badges to mark milestone donation amounts. This scheme rewards donators and encourages advocacy by allowing supporters to show their support in everyday life by wearing the badge proudly. 

Ways to gamify support include:

• Setting clear, achievable goals. This taps into Gen Z’s love for purpose-driven action. Whether it’s raising £1,000 for a local shelter or planting 10,000 trees, goals give young donors a tangible outcome to rally behind. Break these down into milestones to create a sense of progression and achievement, much like levels in a game.
• Progress tracking. Visual progress bars, countdowns, or interactive maps showing how many people have signed a petition or donated from different regions can make participation feel dynamic and impactful. It makes support not just about donating, but builds community by showcasing being a part of a growing movement. This also encourages repeat engagement, as users return to see how their contribution is helping the cause move forward.
• Shareable Badges. Recognition matters as it boosts feelings of satisfaction and makes your supporters feel good. Making this recognition easily shareable spreads awareness among peer groups, especially among younger audiences, boosting visibility and growing your organic reach. Create digital rewards for different types of support, such as donation or fundraising milestones, volunteering hours, or completing a challenge. 

2. Use mobile-first marketing channels

It’s a bit of a trope that young people are glued to their phones, but it’s true, and actually, the data shows we all are. The global screen time average sits somewhere between six and seven hours per day, depending on the study. So, mobile-first marketing is going to boost your reach to the more disengaged generations, such as Gen Z and Millennials, and still benefit your overall audience strategy. 

Mobile-first marketing centers on the channels that are just for mobile devices. So we’re talking: SMS, MMS, push notifications, and WhatsApp. 

Ways to tap into mobile-first marketing: 

• Make your cause visible. Use rich media marketing channels like multimedia messaging service (MMS), and WhatsApp to share photos and videos. Sharing real-life evidence of your cause and the impact your organization is making is a great way to add trust, evoke emotion, and drive support.
• Start the conversation. Use these channels to hold two-way conversations such as sharing thank you messages, answering queries, or sharing relevant information around events. We dive into this more and share examples of winning WhatsApp campaigns in our WhatsApp playbook. 
• Make donation simple. Another, more practical consideration is to make sure your donation journeys are mobile-first. A fast, card-based checkout and the ability to create one-click repeat donations are essential for supporters with limited time or short attention spans. 

3. Generational tap-in 

We’ve just discussed how the younger generations are on their mobile phones more, and a lot of that screen time is being spent on social media. A strong social media strategy is essential for engaging Gen Z and Millennials. 

For a social-first digital strategy, you need to build a presence on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook where users are active daily. 

Ways to use social media for good: 

• Embrace social shares. Turn the negative connotation around ‘slacktivism’ on its head and tap into the value that social shares can bring. Fun challenges can reach a huge audience, without costing you a cent. A great example of this is the ALS ice bucket challenge which went viral in 2014 and is now being revamped in 2025. Some supporters won’t have the disposable income to donate regularly, or at all, but might have a large audience made up of people who do have the means to support financially.
• Build trust and motivation. Your social channels should be educational, informative, and engaging. A balance of what you need and what you’re already doing will keep supporters motivated. Supporters need to trust your organization, and the best way to build trust is with transparency and proof. This can be created by showcasing the impact your work is having.  
• Keep your audience updated. People want to feel their money is making a difference. Updates using real stories and images whenever possible builds trust and clearly demonstrates progress to supporters. This in turn, creates the proof and sense of satisfaction supporters often need to feel like their money is making a difference. 
• Partner with suitable influencers. Another way you can grow on social media is to tap into existing audiences by working with social-media influencers that your audience already know and trust. Partnering with influencers can be a mutually beneficial move that doesn’t come at a cost. 

4. Adapt to reflect the mood and economy 

As much as finances aren’t the only reason for a decline in donations, it is certainly a big part of the picture. By pivoting to reflect the current economy, you can show your audience that you understand them and appreciate any way they can help, from volunteering to smaller donations. 

By finding and outlining alternative routes for support that aren’t financial, you can keep the supporter engaged and motivated. Throughout different periods of life, people will find themselves time-rich and asset-poor, or vice-versa, so a strategy that covers all angles will drive long-term loyalty and support. 

Ways to reflect different financial situations: 

• Highlight the impact of even seemingly small donations. Run a campaign that shows the value of different amounts and makes the impact tangible, such as $5 will provide nappies for a baby in need. 
• Create personalized messaging. Of course, not everyone’s financial situation is the same. Use segmentation to tailor your messages to suit all of your supporters. If you do run a campaign about small donation amounts, you’d naturally want to filter out your regular, high donors and instead serve them messaging that reflects their donation level.
• Offer alternative ways to support. As well as promoting smaller donation amounts, be sure to offer clear routes to support that don’t cost a cent. Share options that vary in commitment and effort, for example sharing a social post or signing an online petition takes a lot less effort than running a marathon to get sponsorship donations. 

Final thoughts

Ultimately, everyone is different and there are lots of reasons why someone donates regularly or doesn’t. Millennials are the biggest generation in the United States, with Gen Z close behind in second place. It’s crucial that marketers adopt these strategies to engage this audience and build loyalty among the younger generations for long-term support that is robust in the face of economic shifts.