Generation Z’s impact is unmistakable. With thoughtful and creative approaches, your nonprofit can tap into their energy to support your cause. These ideas for connecting with Gen Z will help you get started.

Seventy-five percent of Gen Z believe their generation will change the world—and I’m included in that, with my 1997 birth year.

Many reports on my generation suggest that while Gen Z is realistic enough to know that one person alone can’t change the world, they are still idealistic enough to join collective efforts to make a positive difference. This makes them a great fit for community-led nonprofits.

Here are five tips for involving Gen Z in your nonprofit’s work:

1. Get to Know Gen Z.  

If you want Gen Z to support your nonprofit, it’s important to understand who they are and what they value. We shouldn’t generalize about a group that makes up 32% of the global population, but there are some common traits. One thing I’ve noticed is that Gen Z values and knows how to create a strong sense of community.

Around 83% of Gen Z say the pandemic has made them appreciate in-person interactions more.

A year of political turmoil at home and the rise of TikTok, which connects users with content and people they hadn’t interacted with before, has driven a new wave of youth activism focused on collective action rather than self-interest. Gen Z is not only branding themselves as more community-minded, but they also seek a sense of purpose.

Research on Gen Z shows that 82% believe it’s important for their job to contribute to the greater good, and 70% would rather do something meaningful than earn a lot of money.

What fosters a sense of community, drives positive social change, and provides fulfilling work? Community-led nonprofits!

By emphasizing community, collective action, and purpose in your programs and communications, your nonprofit can build meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships with young people both locally and globally.

2. Determine How to Engage Gen Z in Your Nonprofit.  

Now that you have a better understanding of what Gen Z values, think about how your organization can connect with them. Whether it’s creating programs specifically for young people or increasing social media engagement, the possibilities are endless and should be tailored to your organization. Here are a few ways your nonprofit can engage with Gen Z:

– Develop youth-led projects to train young leaders for your cause. Look at how America Solidaria is creating a network of young social change leaders across the Americas.

– Create volunteer programs aimed at young people. See how Kapamagogopa Incorporated is involving Muslim youth in peacebuilding in the Philippines.

– Set up a youth advisory board to get regular feedback from young people. Explore how Adolescent Health Champions uses a youth-led board to guide health training sessions in Indian schools.

– Encourage youth involvement through civic engagement. Discover how the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is motivating young people to support communities affected by nuclear waste and participate in UN advocacy.

– Collaborate with Gen Z influencers or youth activists to increase brand and cause awareness. Nonprofits like Sunrise Movement and Global Citizen are known for partnering with youth influencers to spread awareness about their causes.

– Post content that Gen Z will naturally want to share on social media. Check out these tips for creating engaging social media content.

– Recruit Gen Z staff members to bring fresh perspectives to your workforce. Charity Village offers some helpful tips on attracting Gen Z employees.

3. Be Bold with Your Messaging.  

Once you’ve decided on your approach, focus on getting your message to Gen Z. Whether you’re building a youth coalition, promoting youth-led projects, or something in between, you’ll probably be raising awareness online. After spending countless hours on TikTok, I can confidently say that Gen Z won’t respond to your content unless you do something that grabs their attention. With more voices competing for attention than ever before, there’s pressure to create content that could go viral. But this doesn’t mean your content needs to be expensive or highly planned.

Instead, I encourage you to be genuinely bold. The key is figuring out what boldness means for your organization. Maybe your nonprofit is bold in the way you identify problems and propose solutions. Maybe you excel at sharing stories in a bold and creative way. Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to think outside the box and have fun with it.

4. Build Trust Before Making a Request.  

I’ve noticed that many in my age group are highly critical of brands that use emotional tactics like guilt or shame to sell something. Even if a product is more sustainable than the traditional alternative, presenting it in the wrong tone can quickly turn people away. The same applies to donations. Gen Z is not the most financially stable group. Despite having significant spending power, the financial situations within this generation are varied and unpredictable.

Before the pandemic, one-third of Gen Z worried about covering basic expenses like transportation and food, and a quarter worried about paying for their own or a family member’s education.

That’s why I suggest building trust before asking Gen Z for anything. Sharing educational content on topics they care about or offering your nonprofit’s perspective on a current event can help this critical group develop a relationship with your organization before they’re asked to take action. Another key to building trust is being accountable and transparent. If your organization makes a mistake, be upfront about it. Explain how you learned from the experience and how you plan to improve in the future. At GlobalGiving, we call this process Listen, Act, Learn. Repeat.

5. Learn from Others Who Have Harnessed the Power of Youth.  

Developing and implementing a Gen Z engagement strategy that works for your nonprofit can be challenging. It may be helpful to see what other organizations with similar goals are doing. Many nonprofits within the GlobalGiving community are already tapping into the power of youth. Here are a few examples of how nonprofits are engaging with Gen Z worldwide:

– Climate Action: The Center for Hands-on Actions and Networking for Growth and Environment (CHANGE) in Vietnam is helping university students in Ho Chi Minh City become environmental leaders through their project, *Educate, Empower, Activate Future Plastic Warriors*.

– Disaster Recovery: The project *Recovery of Puerto Rico through Youth Leadership* by Jovenes de Puerto Rico en Riesgo, Inc. is creating a “community leadership incubator” to help young people build strong support networks to quickly and effectively respond to disasters.

– Racial Justice: The *Youth – Civic Action for Racial and Social Equity* project by Parti Program creates platforms for students of color in California to participate in civil, social, and service leadership.

– Justice and Human Rights: The *Enrich the Quality of Life in Bulgarian Villages* project by the Ideas Factory Association fosters meaningful connections between urban youth and elderly people. They work together to renovate shared spaces, learn traditional crafts, collect stories, and receive training from professional ethnologists on preserving folklore.