Monetary Donations Lead Across Generations,
but Volunteering and Advocacy Remain Vital for Younger
Canadians
TORONTO, Nov. 19,
2024 /CNW/ -- The Blackbaud Institute, a sector
research lab at Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading provider of
software for powering social impact, has released a new report,
Charitable Support Across Generations in Canada, that explores how giving
patterns and support preferences vary among Gen Z, Millennials, Gen
X, and Boomers. This Canadian-focused study highlights key shifts
in nonprofit engagement, factors influencing support, and
challenges facing organizations in today's charitable
landscape.
Surveying over 1,000 Canadian participants, the report reveals
clear generational distinctions in charitable behavior. Although
financial donations are a primary way for all generations to make
an impact, Gen Z and Millennials are more actively engaged in
volunteering and advocacy. Causes related to health, social
services, and children's well-being are universally supported,
while each generation brings a unique perspective on how best to
make a difference.
"With economic pressures and shifting values, understanding what
drives each generation to support charitable causes has never been
more important," said Dan Keyworth,
Vice President and Managing Director, Customer Success, Blackbaud.
"This report demonstrates how nonprofits can align with the
evolving preferences of younger Canadians, who increasingly value
hands-on involvement and transparency. Embracing these trends will
help organizations strengthen their relationships with supporters
across all age groups."
Key Findings from the Report:
- Generational Support Trends: While donations are common
across all generations, Gen Z stands out with a strong emphasis on
volunteering, with 53% participating. Gen X and Boomers continue to
focus on traditional donations, though Gen X values promoting
causes through word-of-mouth.
- Top Drivers of Nonprofit Support: Trust, belief in the
mission, and a sense of urgent need are top motivators across
generations. Younger participants are particularly mindful of data
privacy, highlighting the importance of transparent communication
from nonprofits.
- Barriers to Giving: Economic constraints, limited
time, and doubts about organizational effectiveness are key reasons
for non-support. Gen Z and Millennials notably express greater
skepticism, emphasizing the need for nonprofits to maintain
transparent, impactful messaging.
- Preferences for Communication and Recognition: While
email remains the favoured method for acknowledgment, Millennials
and Gen Z appreciate public recognition and detailed impact
reports, underscoring a shift toward digital and personalized
engagement.
The report offers actionable insights for Canadian nonprofits to
better engage across generations, recommending ways to enhance
trust, adapt volunteer programs, and diversify donation options in
alignment with evolving supporter needs. Get more information on
Charitable Support Across Generations and access the full report
here.
To support charities in fundraising and donor engagement,
Blackbaud recently announced several waves of innovation at its
annual tech conference, bbcon. This included a host of AI-powered
solutions and enhanced functionality of Blackbaud's core
fundraising product, Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT®. Blackbaud will
soon be rolling out a new version of the Prospect Insights feature
for Raiser's Edge NXT that is built specifically for Canadian
fundraisers. Prospect Insights puts the power of AI in the hands of
fundraisers to help them identify, qualify and cultivate major gift
prospects.
To learn more about Blackbaud's most recent innovation, visit
www.blackbaud.ca/newsroom.
About Blackbaud Institute
The Blackbaud Institute develops leading-edge research and convenes
expert voices to equip the social impact community with knowledge,
insight, and confidence. The Blackbaud Institute draws from
Blackbaud's data set, the most comprehensive in the social impact
community. In addition, the Institute facilitates public research
studies to drive original qualitative and quantitative insight. Our
research agenda is grounded in a commitment to topics that social
impact organizations can apply immediately to better understand,
benchmark, and improve their essential business operations. We are
guided by our commitment to the social impact sector to provide
timely, transparent, and well-rounded research that is free to
access. From how organizations run to how donors give, we're 100%
focused on research and resources for this sector.
About Blackbaud
Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the
leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social
impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies
committed to social responsibility and individual change makers,
Blackbaud's essential software is built to accelerate impact in
fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving,
grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education
management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through
Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud's solutions are
unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change
the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek's list of America's
Most Responsible Companies, Quartz's list of Best Companies for
Remote Workers, and Forbes' list of America's Best Employers. A
remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa
Rica and the United
Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more
at www.blackbaud.ca or follow us on X/Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram and Facebook.
Media Inquiries
media@blackbaud.com
Forward-looking Statements
Except for historical
information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions
contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that
involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements
regarding expected benefits of products and product features.
Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these
forward-looking statements, it is possible that future
circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such
statements are based. In addition, other important factors that
could cause results to differ materially include the following:
general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business
and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales
growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other
risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with
successful implementation of multiple integrated software products;
the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated
with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles;
technological changes that make our products and services less
competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time
in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available
free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request
from Blackbaud's investor relations department. All Blackbaud
product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.
SOURCE Blackbaud