How Do Your Donor's Giving Habits Compare with Canadian's?
	Posted by Mike Johnston at Sep 30, 2013 07:02 AM CDT

Whether you’re a fundraiser in the U.S., Canada, or anywhere else, knowing how donors really give should inform your fundraising strategy.

For example, imagine that your organization has a declining donor base. You need to find new donors, and have decided to focus on acquiring younger ones. Your organization agrees to focus on Gen Ys. Your board approves a text-to-give campaign, and you’ll now be focusing on social media – you even hire a social media guru. This sounds wise since Gen Ys are future donors, and they’re attached to their smart phones. Right? Maybe not.

The Next Generation of Canadian Giving 2013
hjc, Blackbaud, Edge Research, and Sea Change Strategies recently studied the giving habits and communication preferences of four generations of Canadian donors and published their findings in a report called The Next Generation of Canadian Giving 2013. The study looked at the philanthropic habits of the following generations of Canadians:

• Generation Y (or Gen Y, born 1981 - 1995)
• Generation X (or Gen X, born 1965 - 1980)
• Baby Boomers (or Boomers, born 1946 - 64)
• Civics (born 1945 or earlier)

And, the results of the study may surprise you.

For starters, Gen Xs are a quickly rising force in philanthropy in Canada. Gen Ys in Canada hardly ever text to donate. And, social media isn’t viewed as an appropriate fundraising channel for any age group.

And, that’s just the beginning. Because The Next Generation of Canadian Giving 2013 builds on a similar study conducted in 2010, and was based on similar studies into the habits and preferences of American donors, the report not only identifies trends in Canadian giving, but also provides insight into the differences between Canadian donors and their American counterparts. For example, giving support for advocacy organizations in the U.S. is about double that in Canada, and support for military troops/veteran organisation is about three times greater in the U.S. However, Canadians are far more likely to support health and children’s charities than their American counterparts, and growth in Canadian Gen X giving outpaced that in the U.S.

As communication and giving habits continue to change, solid data about donors’ behavior is especially important. Before you start your next campaign, be sure you know how donors give and how they prefer to communicate, and you’ll be well-positioned to engage with them more effectively.