What Gen Z’s Giving Style Can Tell Parents

Members of Gen Z (those born in 1997 – 2012) are entering young adulthood and their early careers, beginning to make financial decisions for themselves. Many of the ways Gen Z prefers to spend and donate their money differ from older generations.?

When practicing generosity as a family, these differences don’t need to lead to division.?

Parents can find points of shared passion by connecting with the generosity styles their Gen Z children may already be developing. These intersections can help families create a unified giving plan.?

Trend 1: Look for causes close to your community.?

Young adults are more likely to give spontaneously as a real-time reaction to a need they learn about.?

Celebrate sensitivity to the most visible needs. This sensitivity can help your family identify needs close to your neighborhood or recent experiences.?

Trend 2: Think systemically about the cause.?

Gen Z givers often look at issues by looking at the systems and other contributing factors that shape those issues.?

Your family can take the time to dig deeper, researching the causes and complications of a cause you love. Finding a lasting solution requires understanding where the real problems lie.?

Trend 3: Find a nonprofit close to the root of the problem.?

Young adults prefer to support small and/or local nonprofits run by people close to the issue.?

You can connect with your Gen Z children over their desire to listen to local, perhaps underrepresented, voices for solutions to problems you both care about. Your research will probably lead you to nonprofits that work at the right scale to solve the right problems.?

Trend 4: Give and live for the cause.?

Gen Z is often called “the activist generation” because of their commitment to fighting for causes they believe in.?

This means getting creative about pursuing multiple solutions to the problem.?

Some of the most common ways young adults use all their resources to support a cause include:?

• Using social media to raise awareness.?

• Volunteering with local nonprofits.?
• Buying products from companies that support the cause—through nonprofit partnership or socially responsible business practices.?
• Investing in companies that support the cause.?
• Giving through tax-advantageous tools like donor advised funds to maximize each donation.?

Family generosity is a wonderful way to grow closer as a family by pursuing common values and goals.?

Gen Z’s tendency to approach charitable giving holistically is a great opportunity for older generations to connect with their passions and work together toward creative solutions.?

Wondering how to start finding places of commonality? Try these family discussion questions to get the giving conversation going: Three Questions to Find Your Family’s Cause?