Sarah Ford | June 17, 2014

Lifestyles, Attitudes, and Technology Are Shaping Millennials’ Giving

By Megan O’Neil

Instant access to information and a migration away from institutional affiliations are shaping how members of the millennial generation engage with philanthropic causes, according to experts who spoke at the annual meeting of the Council on Foundations.

Unlike their parents and grandparents, individuals born in the 1980s and 1990s aren’t necessarily maintaining life-long relationships with churches and community organizations. And they are more likely to change employers many times over a lifetime.

“So the network of peers they take with them, that is going to be more influential,” said panelist Katherina Rosqueta, founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania. “That means a more fragmented market. We don’t have the luxury necessarily of just targeting this institution and all of its affiliated community.”

Other speakers on the June 9 panelincluded Wendy Harman, director of information management and situational awareness at the American Red Cross, and Derrick Feldmann, president of market research firm Achieve.

Achieve, in partnership with the Case Foundation, is scheduled to release this week a comprehensive report on employment trends among millennials, including their involvement in employers’ social responsibility and cause-related work.

Millennials mirror previous generations in their desire to work together and create change, Ms. Rosqueta says, but the difference is the new tools and technology they have to assess an organization’s work.

>> Continue Reading

Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox

Explore More Articles

Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

July 18, 2025

July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the unique mental health challenges faced by minority communities. It’s an…

Read Article

International Self Care Day

July 18, 2025

Today, July 24, 2025, we celebrate International Self Care Day, a day dedicated to promoting self-care practices and their numerous benefits for physical, mental, and…

Read Article
How the “Big Beautiful Bill” Will Impact Individual Giving and Employer-Sponsored Workplace Giving Programs

How the “Big Beautiful Bill” Will Impact Individual Giving and Employer-Sponsored Workplace Giving Programs

July 14, 2025

The One Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law on July 4, 2025, introducing a range of provisions that will affect how individuals, companies, and…

Read Article

Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox

Receive our monthly/bi-monthly newsletter filled with information about causes, nonprofit impact, and topics important for corporate social responsibility and employee engagement professionals, including disaster response, workplace giving, matching gifts, employee assistance funds, volunteering, scholarship award program management, grantmaking, and other philanthropic initiatives.

newsletter-mock