Are Gen X and Millennials Ready to Replace Boomers in the Donor Economy?
/The Greatest Generation and the Boomers built the donor economy as we know it. They’re consistent. They give by mail. They write checks. They fund the vast majority of legacy programs across the nonprofit world.
But they’re not going to be here forever.
The question isn’t whether Gen X and Millennials will replace them. The question is: will we be ready in time?
Boomers Are Still Carrying the Load
Right now, Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964) are still the dominant force in charitable giving. They’ve aged into the donor class—defined loosely as people 67 and older—and they’ll keep driving volume for at least another decade..
These are your steady givers. They respond to mail. They trust paper. They write checks. They show up.
And you’ve got about a decade left to build while they’re still funding your programs.
The Next Generation Isn’t There Yet
Let’s talk about Gen X and Millennials. These donors are younger. They’re digitally native. They’re cause-driven.
They’re also less consistent.
Lower average gift size
Lower retention
Less likely to respond to the same outreach that worked in the past
That’s not a judgment. It’s just the data. And it’s what we should expect.
Because while they’re giving now, they haven’t hit their prime. They haven’t entered the donor class yet—not by the traditional definition. They’re still in the phase of life where money is tight and time is tighter.
But they’re coming.
You Can’t Replace the Engine While You’re Flying the Plane
So here’s what this means for fundraisers:
Don’t stop doing what works. Direct mail isn’t old-fashioned. It’s the engine funding your work. If your programs depend on revenue from donors 67 and older, don’t abandon the channel they prefer just because it doesn’t feel modern.
But don’t get complacent either.
Now is the time to double down on Direct Mail as your revenue workhorse—and use some of that margin to fund R&D for the next generation.
Figure out how to talk to Gen X and Millennials now, before you need them. Test digital. Test mobile. Test stories that speak to different values, different timelines, different attention spans.
Don’t wait until the revenue falls off.
This Isn’t Urgent. Yet.
You’ve got time. But not unlimited time.
The donor class will keep growing through 2031. And it will hold steady a few years after that. But after 2035, things will start to shift.
The organizationss that make it through that shift won’t be the ones that had the best year-end campaign in 2024. They’ll be the ones who used the tail end of the Boomer wave to build systems, strategy, and messaging that can survive after it.
Respect the check. Fund the future.
Let’s get ready.