Where are your donors post-pandemic?

This has been a tough year for young patrons. Beyond the obvious, pandemic-induced recalculation of priorities, lies the second order implications of living an isolated, remote life. Many Millennials and younger Gen Xers have been forced to leave the workforce or forced into a new industry. I’ve seen references to a “shecession” as many working mothers (myself included) quit their jobs to care for their families and juggle virtual learning. The clear consequence of all of this for nonprofit organizations is the availability of disposable income to donate to institutions. With potentially fewer dollars to give, in a climate with greater attention to long-ignored social injustices, it might be safe to say that younger people might be currently less inclined to give to the arts than to social issues. I haven’t seen any data on giving to arts and culture other than anecdotes about numerous memberships not renewed and generous year-end giving by a few wealthy (and likely older) patrons. Perhaps with widespread vaccinations and reopenings, incomes will return to pre-pandemic normalcy, and giving to the arts will pick up where it left off. 

Another intriguing dynamic is the growing number of young people who are choosing not to go back to the workforce or who are indulging in monetarily risky passions and pursuits in the gig economy. In the short-term, this likely means less disposable income, but this could also mean a much higher return on investment for the lucky few. And when those few strike it rich, will they think to give to your institution? Younger generations have typically been turned off by big gala events and gallery naming opportunities, but the conscious abandonment of the expected career progression could mean that more people stray from the social ladder of college, family, make money, give money, gain status.

I think there is a real danger of nonprofits losing future generations of support if they can’t adapt to the changing needs, resources, and expectations of young people. It’s more than just programming. Despite their best efforts to produce original and meaningful programming to fill the gap during closures or while visitors remain wary of public spaces, nonprofits are facing the serious challenge of staying connected when everyone is Zoomed out. Endless opportunities to tune-in has definitely contributed to Zoom fatigue, which can lead to apathy over programming, or at least the feeling that we can always catch up on that curator talk later. But when you say that dozens of times a week, there is no catching up, and in the end, you’ve become disconnected. I worry that many of my peers will stop engaging and stop giving. They need to see these institutions as relevant and an inextricable part of their lives.