Aspiring Leaders United - Building The Next Generation Of Nonprofit Community Leaders
ALU volunteering at Verona Elementary in Battle Creek, MI.
A group of my peers and I have been challenged to spark community-minded passion into our demographic. It has proved harder than we anticipated, but we're up for the challenge.
It's a commonly shared fact within the nonprofit community that the older generations (boomers, specifically) give more than the youngest generations. According to Forbes, 43% of the giving is from boomers. Surely any Millennial can explain why our generation doesn't give as much. It's not rocket science. We don't make as much money, we have college loan debt that for many can exceed the price of their mortgage, and frankly nonprofits haven't become more transparent despite the demand for it. Gone are the days where organizations can hide behind the veil of secrecy. The internet has opened the doors and we like those doors opened. The organizations that embrace transparency and are able to connect on a deeper level with their donors - these organizations will have lasting power.
I think another reason why sparking the interest in the younger generation is tough is because we've been taught to be selfish. More often than not, I'm asked the question of 'what's in it for me?' We are called the "Entitlement Generation" . The hard thing is to know what people find valuable enough to become involved. Crowdfunding seems to work well for Millennials, as giving to specific causes and stories pulls at the heartstrings of all generations. The difference is, Millenials know what crowdfunding is and boomers typically don't understand the term at all. Crowdfunding doesn't seem to work well for established nonprofits though, as the general target receivers of donations are John Smith and Jane Smith with _____ affliction and not established nonprofits with grand needs and broad reach.
Reaching how Millennials want to give isn't as much of a conundrum identifying what makes them GET INVOLVED in nonprofit work. I've never felt comfortable telling people to give to Charity A over Charity B. This will be confirmed by every nonprofit I get involved with when they're running their capital campaigns. It's not my thing. I feel uncomfortable with that. What I do feel comfortable with is exposing everyone to the nonprofits that they feel passionate about, and I believe the money will follow eventually. Every generation would agree that giving to a nonprofit that you're directly involved with is much simpler than being solicited to give and have no connection whatsoever.
That's where I think Aspiring Leaders United will succeed. Aspiring Leaders United is made up of individuals 45 years old and younger, who are gainfully employed within the for-profit or nonprofit world and that are tasked with getting our peer groups involved in the community by both giving monetarily and volunteering their time. We offer networking events including local leaders, host professional development courses covering topics like public speaking, think creatively about raising funds for local nonprofits, and create volunteering opportunities across the wide spectrum of nonprofits in the community.
I think we should look at volunteering differently though. Tim Terrentine, a local community leader now a Vice President at WMU, challenged a leadership class he was leading to volunteer with their talents instead of as just another set of hands. An accountant volunteering with a nonprofit helping them with their books. An electrician re-wiring that new annex instead of hiring a contractor. A nurse doing lice checks at the elementary school her children attend. Even a biometrician helping maintain a database of donor data. All of these opportunities are doable, and more importantly as nonprofit budgets seem to be getting smaller and small, these opportunities are a necessity for organizations to survive on their shoestring budgets.
What opportunities do you want to become involved in? What groups pull at your heartstrings? Feel free to leave your comments below.
If you want to know more about the group, check out our website . A Facebook page is coming soon as well. Stay tuned.