Leadership – Kathleen Provost
By Kathleen A. Provost, CFRE, MAdEd
As a professional fundraiser I often wonder how to better engage with different segments of the population. There are many generational divides in society and being an “older” Generation X’er, I often seek new ways to relate to other Gen X’ers, and Gen Y’ers, and Gen Z’ers, as well as Baby Boomers. Over the years I have noticed that each of these generations have things in common; however, I have also become aware of how their philanthropic interests are so very different.
No matter the age, the demographic, or the wealth of a donor, it is the intent of a donor that must be our focus as brokers in a philanthropic transaction. As a fundraiser, I need to not only understand the intent a donor has by making a donation, but more importantly I need to better understand the motivation behind the intent. Does the donor perceive a societal problem? Why is it a problem according to them, and what do they want to do about it? There are, and have been, trends in each generation we interact with. However, when considering the “why” of a philanthropic gesture it is imperative to really understand “how” does this gesture relate to the donor “today” — in their current life.
The depth of the divide
In a recent Philanthropist Journal article entitled: “Generations may collide in the non-profit sector, but many challenges remain eternal”, Tim Harper, a Toronto journalist and author, presented an interesting comparative of two extremes on a generational spectrum and their approach to answer today’s challenges. Harper states that:
“After engaging two cohorts, … indelicately branded ’elders’ and ’reformers’, to look back and to look ahead, … one obvious truth arises: today’s elders in the sector were yesterday’s reformers. And today’s reformers, should they stay in a sector, are tomorrow’s elders.”
How one practices their philanthropy is guided by a number of factors. Wealth is at the center of philanthropy and we have been talking about an intergenerational transfer of wealth for a number of years now. However, having disposal income to make philanthropic decisions does not necessarily equate to this wealth being invested in the charitable sector in the same manner it was with previous generations. The philanthropic transaction is much more than the dollar value of the transaction. Some individuals want to revolutionize society, at times called “reformers” to address longstanding issues. Others, sometimes under a different label, need to measure and understand data to inform how they will make their donation.
So as fundraisers, how do we engage with various cohorts of donors and best align their interest or their affinity with our charitable work?
The complexity of problems
Forbes article: “The Great Wealth Transfer from Baby Boomers to Millennials”, published by Jack Kelly – claims great wealth transfer in the US is expected to make Millennials the richest generation in American history. Millennials will benefit from their Baby Boomer parents, a generation who currently holds half of the nation’s household wealth and is expected to leave more than $68 trillion to their offspring when they die.
Though these facts are true — this transfer of wealth may not necessarily be available to the charitable sector. “Next generation donors” may not have the same reality or perspective then previous generations. As professionals in this sector, we need not only to understand the interest of the individuals holding these “discretionary funds”, but we need to engage them and meet them where they are at today.
The magnitude of solutions
Identifying, prioritizing, or agreeing on how to solve a societal issue, or address a perceived injustice, is too complex of a situation to command one solution. The lens by which we regard a problem to be solved and the method we agree to solve this problem will be tainted by numerous factors.
I am a firm believer that when we sit around a table to engage and exchange, we bring our own personal baggage. Each individual comes to the table with a set of morals, ideals, experiences, beliefs, and expectations. Which is why there is enormous complexity when we attempt to solve a problem. In my opinion it is not the “problem that we need to solve” that is complex — it is how we think our actions can solve the problem based on the baggage we bring.
Consideration can also be given to a more empirical approach to a donor’s journey to problem-solving. To better understand how a donor makes a decision on their philanthropic gesture, I gave some consideration to Harvard Business Review’s “How to Solve Problems” by Laura Amico which proposes a 5-stage approach to solving problems.
When we consider this approach or a variation of this approach, the fundraiser in me can sees how many additional factors to contemplate when engaging with a specific donor. At each step in the decision-making process, an individual will use the lens they have in an attempt to solve a specific issue. Their own age may offer a colonial perspective on inequalities. Their financial situation may inform if they want to make a long-term commitment towards a charity or invest in small increments to better assess the impact they are having. Whatever motivates the donor in their reflection to reach a solution to a problem they want to have an impact on — we must become aware and understand the steps they are taking in adapting a specific action to reach their end goal.
We must remember that each donor’s intent with their donation will be shaped by many external factors — most of those factors often being outside of your charity’s needs or agenda. How do we reconcile this problem-solving journey then? More so, how do we ensure that the philanthropic gesture of an individual, or a group of individuals, has the intended impact?
My final thoughts
Whether a donor is young or old, intending to have a huge impact or simply contributing to your charitable goal, each relationship is now more tailored and segmented based on several external factors that are out of our control. Donors expect individuality. So, gone are the days of mass mailing or bulk approaches. Regardless of my personal opinion regarding a donor’s introspection, each donor will filter information and data with a personal lens with the intent to contribute to a solution to address a perceived societal problem. Today, we must understand how the “donor perceives this issue” because it influences their philanthropic gesture. Charity is not about contributing to a cause or a need. Charitable giving, such as the size of a gift, the length of the donation (one-time or multi-year), or even the type of gift, is chosen for the expected outcome or impact a donor wants to have. Understanding this donor is paramount to our work as fundraisers.
I believe we must adapt much more to all segments of our population in order to better engage with these different segments. We must not only understand a donor, but journey with them, and engage with them in shared goals for our organizations as well as the donor’s philanthropic goal.
We are not only working with a new generation; our everyday work is about engaging a new genus of donors.
Kathleen A. Provost is currently the Vice President, Philanthropy and Communications at United for Literacy (previously Frontier College), a national organization with 125 years of community partnerships in Canada, offering free tutoring and mentoring to adult, youth, and children who need literacy and numeracy support. Kathleen has over 30 years of experience in the charitable sector. She has been a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) since 2007 and a long-time member and volunteer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Kathleen holds a Masters degree in Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University as well as a Baccalaureate Arts in Political Science and a certificate in Public Relations from McGill University. As a recognized leader, Kathleen has tailored presentations for French and English audiences at various events including AFP-Nova Scotia, AFP-Ottawa, AFP-National Congress, Coady Institute and the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education. She has received numerous recognitions during her career, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions to the charitable sector and was recognized as 2021 Fundraiser of the Year in Nova Scotia. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.
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