How to Build Loyalty With Younger Donors
What you can do to earn the trust of Generation Z and Millennial donors — and why the long-term strategy pays off.
June 15, 2026 | Read Time: 1 minute
Gen Z and Millennial donors are skeptical of traditional fundraising appeals, more likely to discover causes through social media than direct mail, and far less motivated by tax incentives than by a personal connection to a cause.
To bring them into the fold, you must treat young supporters as ambassadors first and build relationships over time. Seeking financial contributions comes second.
“It’s about their involvement now, their understanding, their advocacy, their storytelling, their network-sharing ability,” says Evan Ehlers, founder and CEO of the antihunger group Sharing Excess. “And then over time, maybe as they gain the means, they’re able to contribute back later on in life.”
Here, we take a deep dive into how to earn their trust and loyalty — and why the long-term strategy pays off.
Editor’s note: Chronicle playbooks are updated on an ongoing basis as new advice becomes available.
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