At 80 million strong, Millennials now make up the largest chunk of the U.S. population. But because they’re often still in school or just beginning careers, they generally don’t have the financial resources to make large charitable gifts. Another fact about Millennials: They use their mobile devices to do everything. What logically follows is that nonprofits hoping to harness the giving potential of this demographic must make it easy for supporters to text microdonations — as small as $1 a pop.

But it’s not just about engaging young people. Traditional fundraising strategies that exclusively target well-heeled donors via phone calls and letters need to evolve to accommodate all kinds of supporters and communication methods. Accepting microdonations ensures that anyone who wants to give to your nonprofit probably can. 

What are they, exactly?
There’s a saying about microdonations. They’re the amounts you don’t think twice about giving. Whether it’s $5 to a text-to-give campaign or $15-a-month automatic checking account withdrawals, microdonations typically won’t break the average donor’s budget.

Micro-giving is likely contributing to a shift in the charitable giving landscape. A Chronicle of Philanthropy survey found that people earning less than $100,000 gave 4.5% more of their income in 2012 than they did in 2006. And the 2017 Giving USA survey reports that donations from individuals rose 7% last year. Patrick M. Rooney of Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy says that recent trends represent “something of a democratization” where growth can be attributed to “donors among the general population,” as opposed to the wealthy.

High net worth donors are still responsible for most charitable dollars spent. But even these prized supporters — solicited by dozens, if not hundreds, of charities every year — welcome opportunities to give small. If you encourage microdonations, your nonprofit is more likely to receive something from big donors. Once you have their support and they get a chance to learn more about your organization, big donors making small gifts could become big donors making major gifts.

What app?
The micro-giving concept is an old one. Consider the “spare change” collection boxes that have graced supermarket checkouts for decades. Those boxes probably aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but consider: Online giving increased almost 8% in 2016 over 2015, and 17% of online donations in 2016 were made on a mobile device, according to Blackbaud Institute’s fifth annual Charitable Giving Report. Think of apps such as Spotfund and Google’s One Today, which enable $1 to $3 gifts, as 21st century collection boxes.

Other technological platforms allow shoppers to contribute to a nonprofit of their choice through their purchases. AmazonSmile donates a percentage of every purchase to a shopper’s charity, while Cheerful rounds up a shopper’s total and donates the change. GiveCampus is tailored to the giving preferences of Millennials, with fundraising and volunteer management features. And Facebook allows users to build fundraising pages where their friends can donate directly to a charity without leaving the social media site.

What’s your responsibility?
Although technology is changing how donors give, some things never change. That includes your nonprofit’s responsibility to substantiate gifts for income tax purposes. If a microdonation, however small, is made in cash, make sure you provide the donor with a receipt.

You aren’t required to substantiate gifts of less than $250 from donors paying by check, credit card or payroll deduction. But sending a letter of acknowledgment is a great way to show your appreciation, particularly if the volume of smaller donations you receive makes sending personalized thank-you notes difficult.

Give them what they want
There are many different ways to encourage micro-giving to your nonprofit. Although the current focus is largely on online and mobile donations, you should also offer such choices as automated monthly contribution plans. After all, many donors prefer to “gift it and forget it.” To ensure you’re offering supporters the options they want, conduct formal and informal surveys of your base.    

BPM for Nonprofits
BPM is one of the largest California-based public accounting and advisory firms, ranked as one of the 50 major firms in the country. With six offices across the Bay Area, we serve emerging, mid-cap, and closely-held businesses as well as high-net-worth individuals in a broad reach of industries. Our Nonprofit services group consists of over sixty professionals who employ a full-service approach to accounting for nonprofits. One of our founding goals was to make a significant difference in the way nonprofits were served by those in our industry. We assist with auditing and tax preparation, consulting, outsourcing, technology, and investment consulting. For more information, contact Daniel Figueredo at (415) 288-6284 or Shannon Winter at (408) 961-6308.