Engaging Millennials in Your Organization

Ah, Millennials. Can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em. And apparently, can’t get ’em engaged in nonprofits these days! So…what steps can you take to actually engage them in your work?

As Volunteers:

Many members of this generation have had “mandatory service hours” in their educational years, but how do you to continue to engage this group after their (ironic) forced volunteering? Give options for volunteering that are “outside” of normal business hours! Millennial peeps are between the ages of 23–38 this year, which means that most are working or attending classes during the day. By only allowing volunteers to serve your mission from 8–5, you are effectively leaving out your next core of volunteers. (Can I also mention that making the volunteer sign-up process as easy as possible also helps?)

As Employees:

Instead of wondering why your workplace is perhaps lacking this age group, ask where your workplace is recruiting new talent! Try graduate school message boards, social media, and some favorite local hangouts. And once you have a few in the door (ha-HA! You got ‘em!), create a culture that makes them want to stick around. For more ideas on this, check out further thoughts here.

As Stakeholders:

Many talk about achieving board diversity. But how does yours look when considering age? Maybe you’ve managed to obtain a range of professions, ethnic cultures, and even socioeconomic backgrounds, but if all your B-O-D occupies every 2 o’clock meeting because they’ve all retired, it’s time to look at some intentional age diversification. A diverse board is healthy for the future of of successful organizations.

As Donors:

Do…do I dare mention the dreaded student debt here? Okay, I’ll just say it — Many Millennial persons went to post secondary school, and many took out large, high-interest loans in order to do so. As such, budgets can be extra-tight, so major gifts may be out of reach for many in this generation. But this doesn’t mean organizations should rule them out completely! The following is true for potential donors born in any year: If someone truly believes in the change and impact your organization makes every day, that person will support you however possible; $100 here, $25 there, maybe even a much-needed bag of donated in-kinds goods! And when success comes in the future, those wonderfully-stewarded donors will remember their favorite (c)(3)s. (Read: The key here is thanking donors no matter the gift size- any gift can be major.)

As Champions:

Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach. Those who can’t do either can at least share your impact. And even those who can do and teach can do the same. Having champions for your organization means on-the-spot publicity throughout the community to share your stories, which can generate new volunteers, employees, stakeholders, and donors that span the generations!