New research by global generosity movement GivingTuesday shows that the rising generation of philanthropists in Florida are generous and that generosity is spread among causes and modes of contribution. The research shows that 87% of young Floridians – those age 18-45 – give to charity, primarily through the giving of items, though donating and volunteering are also common.
The study, presented at the Florida Nonprofit Alliance annual conference, looked at both donors and non-donors to better understand their reasons for and patterns of giving, their perceptions of nonprofit efficacy, and how they compare to their national peers. This research looked at a variety of types of generosity – including monetary, donations of items and time – and contributions to organizations, individuals, informal groups, and more. This study is a partnership between GivingTuesday, through the GivingTuesday Data Commons, and Florida Nonprofit Alliance (FNA). It was funded by the Jacksonville-based private foundation the Jessie Ball duPont Fund (duPont Fund).
“Florida’s nonprofit sector is growing, but we still rank near the bottom in terms of revenue per capita, so this research is critical to helping us understand the patterns of generosity among under-40 Floridians, and how best to reach them,” said Sabeen Perwaiz Syed, president and CEO of the Florida Nonprofit Alliance. “Our nonprofits serve critical needs in communities across the state, especially as we have one of the fastest-growing populations in the country. The sector is planning for the future thanks to research like this.”
“It’s heartening to see that the rising generation of Florida’s philanthropists is already quite generous,” said Mari Kuraishi, president of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. “This new research provides actionable insight so that our state’s nonprofits can further encourage and expand the reach of that generosity.”
This research differs from past surveys in that it captured information about the perspectives, attitudes, and values of survey respondents to generate psychographic giving profiles. These profiles define unique groups that vary in their patterns of giving and in what engagement style and messages resonate with them. Analyzing generosity through the lens of distinct giving groups allows nonprofits to rethink and reorient messaging to their audiences to attract new donors or reach previous donors in new ways.
This whole-person approach reflects that Millennials and Gen Zers expect to engage holistically with the causes they support and fills in gaps in the sector’s approach to engaging whole populations.
“Our data shows that younger Floridians are committed to supporting local causes, charities and communities,” says Woodrow Rosenbaum, Chief Data Officer at GivingTuesday. “But not all Floridians give in the same way, and nonprofits should embrace these differences to increase their reach and impact. Spontaneous givers need to be compelled through storytelling while frequent givers value efficiency and convenience when they give. To reach the largest group of givers—those who give rarely—charities need to experiment with radically different ways of framing, demonstrating and connecting on an emotional level.”
Key Findings from the Study Include
To read the full report, visit flnonprofits.org/page/GrowingGenerosity.
