While society argued over who was ruining things more, baby boomers or millennials, one generation was seemingly ignored. Gen X is like the middle child caught between ever-feuding baby boomers and millennials. As mainstream media focused on millennials and boomers, Gen X was overlooked. A Boston Globe article reported that in March 2019 millennials were mentioned in media 1,372 times and boomers 486, while Gen Xers got a mere 79 references. Poor Jan.
Leading the pack in giving back, approximately 36.4 percent of Gen Xers volunteer. Popular volunteer opportunities among Xers using VOMO include helping at vaccination sites and holiday volunteering. It’s been said that women volunteer more often than men and, when it comes to Gen X, that appears to ring true. Of Xers volunteering through VOMO, 65% are female and 35% are male.
If you’re a nonprofit, don’t sleep on this generation as the rest of society has. Gen X could be your greatest, untapped donor population. According to Kantar, Gen X makes up 17% of the U.S. population. However, with an average disposable income of $93,964, they hold 31% of the country’s spending power. Be sure to be transparent when connecting with Gen X donors. While they were stereotyped as being cynical, Xers are intentional in their charitable giving. QGiv reports that 60% of Gen X donors research an organization before giving to the mission.
Once they do donate, don’t collect Gen X’s money and then forget about them again. A couple of reasons Xers quit giving to an organization include having a bad experience and never being asked to give again. Keep them in the loop of what your organization is doing through social media and digital communications. Having a good online reputation can help you keep your donors connected to your mission. According to a QGiv study, 39% of Gen Xers claimed they are more likely to give through a social media post.
To help make both volunteering and donating effortless for Gen X, find a volunteer management solution that does both. A volunteer platform that also has a mobile app can make finding and signing up for volunteer opportunities quick and easy. Streamline your process even more by utilizing tools with donation integrations. By introducing giving tools to your audience, you can more easily convert your volunteers to donors.
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