How has donor behaviour changed since COVID-19?

The pandemic hasn’t left anyone or any organisation untouched. Throughout the past 18 months, the increasing prevalence of digital tools has changed the way supporters interact with charities.

We’re taking a look at some of the new ways donors and volunteers support their charity causes. First, it’s important to highlight that donors have not stopped giving. As Anna Josse, chief executive of the donation management charity Prism the Gift Fund, has said: “I have seen many major donors continue the giving they had already committed to, and some who have increased giving to include emergency COVID-19 donations.”

But due to the pandemic, new trends in giving are now emerging, which we will explore below.

Donors are getting younger and Gen Z is leading the charge

Those who are giving are changing. According to Enthuse, people belonging to the Gen Z are donating more and have plans to keep doing so. The research shows that 84% of the Gen Z generation donated during the pandemic and half of them say they will continue to give.

Enthuse also reported that, as part of their own data set, the Gen Z donor group increased 700% during the pandemic.

All this bodes very well for future donations.

Gen Z members engage online when it comes to giving. To attract them as your target audience, you need to prioritise mobile. In fact, for younger donors, mobile phone and social media are the best ways to reach their wallets.

According to research by Blackbaud, 92% of Millennials and Gen Z are willing to give via mobile versus only 44% of Baby Boomers. For charities targeting these audiences, social media and mobile phone accessible information goes a long way. To sew up donations, make sure that you’ve got the right payment options, including debit and credit card methods. 

Donors want to give to specific causes

Giving is becoming less general. Digital Reason reveals how donors are thinking about charitable causes. In a survey of 2,000 people representative of the UK, the results show that nearly 60% of donations made were to combat the effects of COVID-19.

Third Sector sums up how donors feel. “Now at the start of 2021, more individuals than ever want to do worthwhile things for society and increasing volumes of people want to help fund these important causes,” says the magazine.

Taken to heart, charities need to go online and communicate to audiences what the cause is. Whether it’s dedicated help for COVID-19 victims or business as usual, charities can use tech to improve trust and transparency in terms of where funds are going.