Developing communication strategies to engage a new generation of donors: Fostering relationships between Gen Z and non-profit organizations

Kimberly A. Parker; Anne Amegbeha Amissah; Matthew Deffendall; Samantha N. Pfeiffer; Madison Adams; Christopher Clements; Sylvia Scheuer; Madison Guay; David Abney; Mark A. Ribott; Nadia Rahman

doi:10.1002/nvsm.1829

Developing communication strategies to engage a new generation of donors: Fostering relationships between Gen Z and non-profit organizations

Kimberly A. Parker, Anne Amegbeha Amissah, Matthew Deffendall, Samantha N. Pfeiffer, Madison Adams, Christopher Clements, Sylvia Scheuer, Madison Guay, David Abney, Mark A. Ribott, Nadia Rahman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

A current challenge for non-profit organizations (NPOs) is attracting and retaining a new generation of younger philanthropic donors. As such, this exploratory focus group study examined how donor-perceived barriers and motivators may inform NPOs' understanding of strategically approaching and motivating Generation Z (Gen Z; born 1996–2012) donations. More specifically, the findings revealed that the participants (1) experienced pseudoinefficacy as they felt their small donations would not make a difference. In addition, they felt (2) a general lack of trust toward NPOs regarding financial stewardship. Finally, (3) they wanted organizations to develop data-driven narratives to share how funds were used to help the community. As such, the analysis and recommendations are rooted in Narrative Theory. Narrative strategies present a potential avenue for generating persuasion and fostering positive relationships between NPOs and emerging Gen Z donors.

Original language	English
Article number	e1829
Journal	Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing
Volume	29
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/nvsm.1829
State	Published - Feb 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keywords

emerging donors
focus groups
Gen Z
narrative messages
non-profit organizations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Economics and Econometrics
Strategy and Management
Marketing

Access to Document

10.1002/nvsm.1829

Cite this

Parker, K. A., Amegbeha Amissah, A., Deffendall, M., Pfeiffer, S. N., Adams, M., Clements, C., Scheuer, S., Guay, M., Abney, D., Ribott, M. A., & Rahman, N. (2024). Developing communication strategies to engage a new generation of donors: Fostering relationships between Gen Z and non-profit organizations. Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing, 29(1), Article e1829. https://doi.org/10.1002/nvsm.1829

@article{f8367fc8239c4eeeb50b84a898484a84,

title = "Developing communication strategies to engage a new generation of donors: Fostering relationships between Gen Z and non-profit organizations",

abstract = "A current challenge for non-profit organizations (NPOs) is attracting and retaining a new generation of younger philanthropic donors. As such, this exploratory focus group study examined how donor-perceived barriers and motivators may inform NPOs' understanding of strategically approaching and motivating Generation Z (Gen Z; born 1996–2012) donations. More specifically, the findings revealed that the participants (1) experienced pseudoinefficacy as they felt their small donations would not make a difference. In addition, they felt (2) a general lack of trust toward NPOs regarding financial stewardship. Finally, (3) they wanted organizations to develop data-driven narratives to share how funds were used to help the community. As such, the analysis and recommendations are rooted in Narrative Theory. Narrative strategies present a potential avenue for generating persuasion and fostering positive relationships between NPOs and emerging Gen Z donors.",

keywords = "emerging donors, focus groups, Gen Z, narrative messages, non-profit organizations",

author = "Parker, {Kimberly A.} and {Amegbeha Amissah}, Anne and Matthew Deffendall and Pfeiffer, {Samantha N.} and Madison Adams and Christopher Clements and Sylvia Scheuer and Madison Guay and David Abney and Ribott, {Mark A.} and Nadia Rahman",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2024",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1002/nvsm.1829",

language = "English",

volume = "29",

journal = "Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing",

issn = "1465-4520",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Inc.",

number = "1",

}

Parker, KA, Amegbeha Amissah, A, Deffendall, M, Pfeiffer, SN, Adams, M, Clements, C, Scheuer, S, Guay, M, Abney, D, Ribott, MA & Rahman, N 2024, 'Developing communication strategies to engage a new generation of donors: Fostering relationships between Gen Z and non-profit organizations', Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing, vol. 29, no. 1, e1829. https://doi.org/10.1002/nvsm.1829

TY - JOUR

T1 - Developing communication strategies to engage a new generation of donors

T2 - Fostering relationships between Gen Z and non-profit organizations

AU - Parker, Kimberly A.

AU - Amegbeha Amissah, Anne

AU - Deffendall, Matthew

AU - Pfeiffer, Samantha N.

AU - Adams, Madison

AU - Clements, Christopher

AU - Scheuer, Sylvia

AU - Guay, Madison

AU - Abney, David

AU - Ribott, Mark A.

AU - Rahman, Nadia

PY - 2024/2

Y1 - 2024/2

N2 - A current challenge for non-profit organizations (NPOs) is attracting and retaining a new generation of younger philanthropic donors. As such, this exploratory focus group study examined how donor-perceived barriers and motivators may inform NPOs' understanding of strategically approaching and motivating Generation Z (Gen Z; born 1996–2012) donations. More specifically, the findings revealed that the participants (1) experienced pseudoinefficacy as they felt their small donations would not make a difference. In addition, they felt (2) a general lack of trust toward NPOs regarding financial stewardship. Finally, (3) they wanted organizations to develop data-driven narratives to share how funds were used to help the community. As such, the analysis and recommendations are rooted in Narrative Theory. Narrative strategies present a potential avenue for generating persuasion and fostering positive relationships between NPOs and emerging Gen Z donors.

AB - A current challenge for non-profit organizations (NPOs) is attracting and retaining a new generation of younger philanthropic donors. As such, this exploratory focus group study examined how donor-perceived barriers and motivators may inform NPOs' understanding of strategically approaching and motivating Generation Z (Gen Z; born 1996–2012) donations. More specifically, the findings revealed that the participants (1) experienced pseudoinefficacy as they felt their small donations would not make a difference. In addition, they felt (2) a general lack of trust toward NPOs regarding financial stewardship. Finally, (3) they wanted organizations to develop data-driven narratives to share how funds were used to help the community. As such, the analysis and recommendations are rooted in Narrative Theory. Narrative strategies present a potential avenue for generating persuasion and fostering positive relationships between NPOs and emerging Gen Z donors.

KW - emerging donors

KW - focus groups

KW - Gen Z

KW - narrative messages

KW - non-profit organizations

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85181746734&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85181746734&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/nvsm.1829

DO - 10.1002/nvsm.1829

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85181746734

SN - 1465-4520

VL - 29

JO - Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing

JF - Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing

IS - 1

M1 - e1829

ER -

Developing communication strategies to engage a new generation of donors: Fostering relationships between Gen Z and non-profit organizations

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this