Moving Millennials to Connect, Get Involved and Give

Released today, the Millennial Impact Report showcases new findings from a survey of close to 7,000 Millennials. The third such annual survey from Achieve and Johnson, Grosnickle and Associates, the report aims to identify and better understand various forms of engagement with Millennials from across sectors—with a concentrated focus on nonprofit engagement.

The report surfaced many new and exciting conclusions and offers real world tips and take aways for organizations looking to enhance their engagement with this generation. Ultimately, the survey found that “Millennials continue to be a study of contrasts… after three years of research, we’ve learned that, yes, these young donors are fully immersed in the pace and technology of our times, but they are also invested in timeless values.”

The report breaks things down into three categories:

Connect: Technology has made it possible to have almost immediate and constant interaction, and Millennials have come to expect this same level of responsiveness from organizations.

• Organization websites are still the primary online venue for Millennials looking to learn more about a group, seeking volunteer opportunities and giving.
• Three-fourths of survey respondents own a smartphone, emphasizing the round-the-clock access they have to your organization online.
• Don’t use the latest tech tool or platform just for the sake of saying you use it…If there is not a clear purpose and dedicated strategy for each site you may end up creating a negative impression on users.

Involvement: Inspiration is the name of the game here. Millennials tend to be very generous with their time when they feel inspired by a nonprofit.

• When Millennials volunteer, they want a continuum of options—“from one-time engagements to long-term opportunities.”
• While they want to be hands on, they also expressed a strong desire to leverage their knowledge and expertise to help lead nonprofits.
• Respondents felt that young professional groups and events helped them to informally get to know an organization and feel more engaged.

Give:

• Three-fourths of survey respondents reported giving a financial gift to a nonprofit in 2011.
• While many participants noted that they made a financial at some point in 2011 to a nonprofit that was “in the moment” and a response to an “emotional reaction,” they still wanted to know what their gift was going towards supporting and that it had an impact.
• More than 70 percent of those surveyed reported having raised money on behalf of a nonprofit. Still want more? Check out the report to access case studies, tips, infographics, best practices and much more: http://themillennialimpact.com/millennial-report/

After you’ve looked over the findings yourself, be sure to join us on July 19, 2012, for MCON12, a virtual conference bringing together leading panelists exploring the latest in Millennial engagement.