Working Harder? Thank a Millennial.

Their impertinence is misunderstood. Or maybe this Boomer is madly in love with a generation who is yet unaware of the lasting impact they will have on the way things are done in the world.

This Millennial generation isn't really rude, disrespectful, lazy, or spoiled (okay, that last one might pose an opportunity for those that spoiled them to take a bit of responsibility...), in fact, they have helped non-profits immensely.

Millennials are independent. They are impatient. They are innovative. They are global in orientation to life and curious to understand why things "have always been done that way" when things don't seem to work. Technology is their sandbox with Snapchat, Instagram, and the newest social media app their shovel and pail.

They want more than just the warm fuzzy of giving to a cause that seems to be on the right track helping solve a social issue. They want results, outcomes, strategies, and answers for their gift of financial resources.

Their need to know what has been achieved rather than what was intended, or merely hoped for, pushes non-profits to refocus the way we find and cultivate donors and view them as investors. It also makes us work harder.

This shift couldn't come at a better time.

In a world where so much needs to be done and so many organizations are raising money for a variety of efforts, Millennials underscore the need for non-profits to succeed and understand that finding the possible fit of a donor's giving patterns to their organization can create a possible connection for long term impact level giving.

This rethinking helps release the notion for development professionals that because an individual is of means she should give to your organization. Sounds crazy, but it can happen. Folks in development can simply view an individual's wealth as a welcome mat for their organization's solicitation and are annoyed when they walk away with a "No".

While such a strategy can be understandably irresistible, donors in non-profits are far more sophisticated no matter their level of giving. They look to provide resources to organizations that meet their philanthropic interests and are successful in their work rather than just give for the sake of giving.

So thank you Millennials. Your impertinence provides incentive for more effectiveness in securing outcomes of impact for an organization to report out. Your independence reminds us that all donors do not think, act, or have an interest in all things that require philanthropic giving. Your impatience to solve inequities and injustice in our world fuels the work of nonprofits to secure success from its stated intentions. And your innovation challenges the status quo in the world of development that for too long has been a piece of an organization slogging through the muck of tradition rather than capitalizing on the expectations of a generation bent on leaving a mark on this world.