As the philanthropic sector prepares for the “great wealth transfer,” Gen Z and Millennials will continue to play a larger role in shaping the future of philanthropy. For private foundations, financial advisors, nonprofits, and philanthropists understanding their experiences and perspectives can provide a window into where giving is going—and a framework for effective collaboration.
See Where Giving Is Going
Key Takeaways
We surveyed 1,000 Gen Z and Millennial donors to understand their attitudes, perceptions and even language preferences around giving and philanthropy. Here’s what we learned.
GENERATIONAL CHANGEMAKERS: Gen Z and Millennials aspire to be seen as “givers”, “volunteers”, “advocates”, “changemakers” and “humanitarians”.
PRIMARY DRIVERS: Whether Gen Z or Millennial, their inspiration to get involved in charitable activity is primarily driven by family, having a passion for a specific cause or issue and wanting to help their local community.
GENDER DIFFERENCES: On the whole, women are more likely than men to want to make an impactful change to a cause and demonstrate their family’s values; men, on the other hand, are more likely than women to want to create or continue a legacy.
STARTING YOUNG: Millennials who engage in charitable activities started at an average age of 18; Gen Z started even younger — at age 14.
MONEY MATTERS: Financial contributions were influenced by each participants’ financial resources. Monetary donations are more common among high earners, college graduates and employed individuals. And high earners donate greater amounts.
Hear From Young Givers
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About the Data
Unless another source is provided, the data in this report was compiled in conjunction with Helical Research, Inc. through an online survey conducted between February 27 and March 8, 2024. The sample was provided by national US opt-in consumer panels and included 1,000 respondents between 18 and 43 years old at the time of the survey.
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As of December 31, 2025, Foundation Source supports more than 5,600 private foundations, 20,000 DAF accounts, and 1,700 nonprofits, administers more than $55 billion in charitable assets and facilitate more than 190,000 grants and planned gifts representing more than $4 billion in charitable aid annually.
