Illustration titled 'The Social State of Giving'.

As the world’s largest online fundraising platform, GoFundMe and Classy from GoFundMe are always studying new trends on how people donate, and creating solutions to make giving easier and more impactful than ever. Recently, we uncovered exciting new patterns in the ways supporters of different generations choose to give, share, and interact with causes they care about. Rising digital engagement has afforded people of all ages the ability to connect more online—not just with brands or loved ones, but with fundraisers and charities that matter most to them. Social media continues to help them discover and support causes, share meaningful content, and build communities.

To examine how different generations use social media to connect with causes that matter to them, we surveyed more than 1,000 people.* Using data gathered from the survey, we were able to break down how age groups share, donate, and encourage others to get involved. So, let’s get right into it.

* GoFundMe and Classy from GoFundMe, in partnership with InnovateMR (2024). Survey of the Social State of Giving.

Chart showing digital and IRL activism by generation.

Different generations approach giving and sharing differently

Our survey focused on four key generations: Gen Z, Millennials (also known as Gen Y), Gen X, and Boomers. Although Gen Z includes people born between 1995 and 2010, our research focused only on ages 18+.

Across the board, the top three reasons for giving were 1) It’s the right thing to do, 2) It makes them feel good, and 3) It resonated with them personally. Interestingly, cultural relevance played a much bigger role for younger people, with Gen Z (31%) and Millennials (22%) ranking it twice as important as Gen X (11%) and Boomers (10%).

Gen Z and Millennial donors reported more positive feelings after an online donation with “happy” and “proud” recording the highest sentiment, followed by “accomplished” and “excited.”

We also found that Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X all talk about charitable causes both in-person and online; about a 50/50 split. This indicates a growing convergence between IRL (in real life) and digital activism. Boomers, however, still much prefer in-person interaction. In general, we’re seeing more people passionately sharing and championing causes online, sparking conversations and driving action like never before.

Illustration titled 'The Social State of Giving'.

*Gen Z includes all individuals born 1995-2010 but for the purposes of this research we only surveyed Gen Z of legal age (18+)

Social sharing is a Gen Z superpower

As the first generation of true digital natives, Gen Z is unsurprisingly more inclined to support their favorite causes online. They stand out as the most active generation donating on social platforms.

However, beyond giving, Gen Z views social media as a way to advocate for the causes they believe in. Gen Z is 10x more open to sharing that they donated on social media than Boomers. In fact, 46% of Gen Z surveyed believe people should share donations online to help spread the word and inspire others. GoFundMe research shows that every time an organizer shares their fundraiser, it can help drive an additional $100 toward their goal, on average.

46% of Gen Z surveyed believe people should share donations online to help spread the word and inspire others

Half of Gen Z shares causes or fundraisers at least once a week. As for Millennials and Gen X—around half of them are also sharing, but on a monthly basis. This level of advocacy continues to drop with older generations, with 88% of Boomers occasionally, rarely, or never sharing.

46% of Gen Z surveyed believe people should share donations online to help spread the word and inspire others

Donut charts showing generational fundraiser sharing frequency.

Here are some of the most common reasons Gen Z shares causes and fundraisers:

  • 42% want to be a part of the greater solution
  • 36% believe sharing plays a role in the community
  • 36% want to get more support for a cause they care about
  • 32% want to influence others to give

In our research, we’ve found that when someone shares support for something or someone they care about on social media, it often inspires others in their circle to do the same. Seeing friends, family, or influencers donate can motivate others to contribute as well.

According to the survey, 41% of Gen Z said that social media content has motivated them to research or donate to a cause. This trend extends across generations too. More specifically, about 25% of Gen Y and 20% of Gen X are motivated by what they see on social media.

41% of Gen Z said that social media content has motivated them to research or donate to a cause

Bar chart showing social media's influence on donations by generation: 41% Gen Z, 24% Millennials, 20% Gen X, 8.5% Boomers.

New innovations for new generations

While we found Gen Z to be highly motivated to share causes with their networks, we also discovered they often feel insecure about who to share them with, what to say, and how to share.

Chart showing Gen Z’s reasons for not sharing fundraisers: 20% don’t know who to share with, 15% unsure how to share, 16% don’t know what to say.

Crafting a powerful story is a huge component of successful fundraising. So we’re using AI and insights from millions of users to help organizers better tell their story and share their fundraiser. Tools such as enhanced storytelling, suggested titles, and new sharing options are all built to help fundraisers succeed, while ensuring they remain authentic. We’ve also made updates for supporters looking to share. Now, when they click “Share” on any fundraiser, supporters will see suggested social media captions generated by AI. These suggested captions draw inspiration directly from the fundraiser’s story and provide a starting point for supporters thinking about what to say when sharing.

Social media story showing a fundraiser for Rising Hearts Alliance with the goal of $50,000 and $25,100 raised. Fundraiser for Rising Hearts Alliance with 30 days left, showing $25,100 raised out of a $50,000 goal.

Our all-new Meta integration makes it easier for organizers and supporters to inspire more shares and donations

On top of that, we’re very excited to launch an all-new Meta integration designed to empower nonprofits and their supporters with sharing tools to attract more donors and donations. That way, supporters don’t just have to give back—they can give forward by sharing causes with their network. Whether it’s a campaign launched on Classy or a fundraiser created for a nonprofit on GoFundMe, this Meta integration allows organizers and supporters to seamlessly promote their causes (launching on Instagram, soon available on Facebook).

Social media story showing a fundraiser for Rising Hearts Alliance with the goal of $50,000 and $25,100 raised. Fundraiser for Rising Hearts Alliance with 30 days left, showing $25,100 raised out of a $50,000 goal.

Our all-new Meta integration makes it easier for organizers and supporters to inspire more shares and donations

Impact creators are on the rise

Originally coined by Arjun Das, “impact creators” post content to inspire others to help certain causes. They often use their platform to raise money and offer support where it’s needed most. They’ve also had great success reaching younger donors.

Image showing what it takes to be an impact creator.

Our research reveals the majority of Gen Z and Millennials currently follow impact creators, with one in four Gen Z surveyed saying they’ve been motivated to donate because of a social media creator. A whopping 51% of Gen Z would trust impact creators to make donations on their behalf. Almost half (46%) of Millennials would trust impact creators to make donations under $20 on their behalf, and about 33% would trust them to donate more than $20.

Image showing what it takes to be an impact creator.
Chart showing younger generations, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are more likely to engage with impact creators. 25% of Gen Z and 16% of Millennials are influenced to donate by social media creators, compared to 9% of Gen X and 2% of Boomers. Trust in impact creators with funds, showing Gen Z is most likely to trust with both small (under $20) and larger (over $20) donations.

Social media drives modern philanthropy

Our findings highlight the significant role that social media plays in shaping modern philanthropy, particularly among younger generations. As digital natives continue to lead the charge in using platforms to support and advocate for causes, their influence is undeniable. Social sharing has become a powerful tool for creating awareness, mobilizing action, and driving real-world change. GoFundMe and Classy are empowering organizations and individuals alike to maximize their impact in this rapidly evolving digital landscape. Together, we are building a future where anyone can champion the causes they care about and inspire others to do the same.

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Illustration with the text 'Don't just give back. Give forward.' and diverse individuals representing different communities.
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