Middle school and high school fundraisers have a large potential to become a community event. Be sure to engage everyone, and as many people as possible, regardless of age. Each generation responds to different communication channels. Seniors are used to seeing printed materials while millennials rely on the digital environment. These differences also impact how they donate to the community. Choosing a good candy selection is just not enough to engage the entire community. You need to know what appeals to each generation and reach them with the right tools. The ability to reach out to each generation will gain their support and encourage them to quickly participate in your middle & high school candy bar fundraisers.
Millennials
Millennials are the kids born between the 1980s and 2000s. They use smartphones to stay informed, buy, sell, communicate and donate. The 76 million millennial Americans use social media daily and are likely to donate to charity, especially online. While few schools can sell middle school fundraiser kits online, you can advertise the sale online. A great way to engage this generation is to organize an event at the local school, where they can come and donate. Despite being tied to their smartphones, millennials still value offline items, so give them something to put their hands on and they will be happy to support your school.
Generation X
People born between 1965 and 1979 are known as Generation X. Along with millennials, they are the parents of middle-schoolers and your main donors. This generation is responsible for 20% of all American donations, so your middle school fundraiser needs to attract as many Gen X individuals as possible. They are experienced internet users and they love using their smartphones, but they are also used to writing out checks. This means they are likely to respond well to both online and offline money raising efforts. If they are given the chance to donate online, they will use it, but they will be happy to donate offline as well. Generation X is going to be highly responsive to children who sell fundraiser kits door-to-door or at the local community center.
Baby Boomers & the Silent Generation
Baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964, when socializing was something you were doing at the local bar, not online. However, this generation managed to adapt to the digital era really well, so they now spend a lot of time online, mostly on Facebook. They still control a lot of the usable income of America, so not engaging them in your middle school fundraiser efforts would be a huge mistake. As baby boomers prefer offline donations, all you have to do is bring the fundraiser kits to their doorsteps.
The silent generation consists of all the seniors born before 1945. They saw the WWII and the Great Depression, which made them very realistic. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t give to charity; quite the opposite. Because they know how it feels to be short on money, they are willing to support a good cause, especially when it involves children, the future of our society.
Generation Z
Generation Z consists of kids aged 13 and younger. They are the children your school is raising money for, they are the future adults, who need to be educated on charity and fundraising. As they are not your donors, they should be involved in every stage of the fundraiser, from planning to selling and putting the money to good use.
Because they were born in the digital age, they are easy to engage via technology. They can help promote the event in the digital medium and then sell the fundraiser kits, reaching the other members of the community.
All in one, a successful middle school fundraiser campaign should be advertised online, but you should also hold an offline event, where people from every generation can come and show their support for the school.
