Archive for: December, 2011

Why Millennials are the Perfect Donor

Dec 30 2011 Published by under Liz B. 

by Liz B.

In my humble opinion, Millennials bring together all of the aspects of a perfect donor. At Building Tomorrow and in general in my watching of the fundraising world, I have seen Millennials do some amazing things by  giving their time, talents, and resources to others and to causes they believe in. Below are the three reasons that Millennials are the perfect donor. 

1. Dollar by Dollar

First Millennials give dollar by dollar.

Even though millennials are often those who eat Easy Mac every single night, they also understand the power of every dollar they give. At Building Tomorrow we work with college-based chapters asking them to raise funds for the construction of primary schools in Uganda. A BT Academy costs $60,000 to build and you’d be hard pressed to find a college student who can write a $60k check. However we’ve seen throughout the years, college students taking that number and saying “Okay… now if every student at my school gave just $2 or $10 or $1.81 then we could build a school.”

Millennials are perfect donors because they will give what they can give, even if that’s simply the change in their pockets and they understand the impact that $1 can have.

2. Friends, friends, friends 

Second, Millennials are perfect donors because they have friends – I know shocking statement.

Millennials have that inborn itch to share with their friends what they care about, what they’re doing this weekend, what they’re reading online and how they feel about it. They want their friends to know about the cause they care about.

However, unlike other generations, a Millennial’s friend won’t just throw in $10 if asked in a form email or letter. Instead they skip the politics of giving just to be nice and actually require a reason.

Millennials utilize sharing functions on many nonprofit or fundraising sites (i.e. One Day’s Wages, DonorsChoose, Building Tomorrow) to tell their friends about causes. However the technology alone is not enough. Millennials and their friends care more about the WHY. For Millennials these functions only work if they make it about sharing stories. That’s what pulls in their friends: the personal message of why their friend cares about this cause – not just a retweet or post on Facebook.

3. They care… a whole freakin lot.

Finally, and this is pretty clear in the first two but worth saying a billion more times, Millennials CARE about their causes. Example A – Millennial Chat team member Megan Emme’s  post about what she wants most this holiday season. Megan could have picked any of the millions of causes out there. Instead she thought about what she cared about most, researched the causes, and then shared information about them to teach others about the cause.

Millennials will give to the causes they care about, the ones they’ve researched and found to be trustworthy. They care where nonprofits spend their money and whether or not they are getting the most bang out of their buck.

Since Millennials are the perfect donors, we have only exciting things to look forward to in the years to come. As this generation grows so will their ability to change the world – literally – by giving dollar by dollar, bringing in a community of friends, and taking the care to learn and teach others about their causes.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————
To learn more from or connect with Liz, follow her on Twtitter – @lizbraden33
You can also follow the rest of The Millennial Chat Team here.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Do you think millennials are the PERFECT donors?
What can we do better?
Comment below or join the discussion on our Facebook page.

7 responses so far

The digital divide: how connected has social media really made us?

Dec 29 2011 Published by under Larkin G. 

by Larkin G.

I recently celebrated a birthday. Not surprisingly many of my friends wished me a happy birthday by writing on my Facebook wall. And yet I spent my birthday alone.

This is the contradiction in social media. Many of these birthday well-wishers are people I had not seen in over a year. We had stayed in touch only because of Facebook. Despite my connection to all of these people, only one inquired about my actual birthday plans, leading me to a night in. Alone. With all my Facebook birthday wishes.

Social disconnect?

The millennial generation is the most connected generation in terms of technology. In fact, when asked, millennials report that technology is what makes our generation unique.

But is all this technology really connecting us where it matters most?

As it becomes easier to connect to the world at large, do we become more disconnected from actual people? Platforms like Facebook allow you to share the most intimate details of your life with the world. You can easily follow the lives of everyone from Kim Kardashian to your high school band mates. Having access to this barrage of information clearly makes you more knowledgeable.

My question is: does this information make you closer to people or just more knowledgeable?

We must remember that behind every tweet, like, and post, is a real person. Simply viewing information about their lives is not an automatic connection. If it was, then I would be friends with Kim Kardashian just because I followed her on Twitter and read about her in People Magazine.

source: State of Social Media: 2011 by Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project on Dec 16, 2011

Is this anonymous, voyeuristic contact, the new interaction?

Social networks reduce people to pictures on a screen, status updates, and articles they share. Anyone can view this collection of information without ever speaking to or even meeting the person you’re learning about. Are we substituting commenting writing on someone’s wall for genuine face-to-face time? Are we taking the “social” out of social media by removing the human interaction?

To make the most of social networks, we must use them as AN ADDITION to our friendships, not our only means of contact. We must occasionally pick up the phone, seek out information about our friends not readily available to the world at large.

Like asking if they have plans on their birthday.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————
To learn more from and connect with Larkin, follow her on Twitter – @LarkinGrant
You can also follow the rest of The Millennial Chat Team here.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————

How do YOU think social media is inhibiting our generation?
What can we do to maximize our relationships with social media?
Comment below or join the discussion on our Facebook page.

8 responses so far

Where’s all the Foursquare Love?

Dec 28 2011 Published by under Uncategorized 

by Jennifer S.

Location-based social media was the next big thing in 2010.  Everyone was talking about the best ways to use it and we saw the same examples over and over.  Since then, the hype has died down and I rarely see a post on Foursquare come across my RSS feed.  It seems like, even though everyone is talking about mobile sites and apps, sites like Foursquare have fallen off our radar.

I jumped on the Foursquare bandwagon in early November 2010, but I am amazed at what it means for nonprofit organizations (along with slightly addicted to checking-in).  The hype may have died down but Foursquare should still be in your mind when you think about social media.

Why should nonprofits bother
with Foursquare?

Like with every other social media site, people are talking about your organization even if you are not there.  And with Foursquare, they are talking while they are close by.  Just by checking in, they tell you that they know about your organization.  Your next step should to be go out there and find out more about them.

Want to find out what others are sharing about your organization?  Check out the tips people have left.  Chances are these are some of your biggest supporters and they want others to know why they love you!  Would you spend time typing out a tip if you didn’t think anyone would benefit from knowing about it?

What about organizations without a lot of traffic?

Now, you’re probably thinking “this is fine for organizations that get a lot of visitors, but we are do work abroad/have multiple offices/spend a lot of time outside of the building.”  Guess what, you should still be thinking about using Foursquare to help build awareness.

During my internship at Children’s HeartLink, I used Foursquare to promote their Heart to Heart Campaign.  They are a small nonprofit based in Minnesota that works in medically underserved countries, there are not a lot of people visiting their office.  However, their Heart to Heart Campaign was held in 20 grocery stores across the Twin Cities.  I created a Children’s HeartLink Foursquare account and started posting tips at stores holding the Heart to Heart Campaign.

While there wasn’t a lot of people clicking on the “I did this tip” button, it was a simple way to let people know your organization is there and a profile gives them an easy way to find out more.  Think about creating a profile for your organization to leave tips and make lists about the places that support the work you do.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
To learn more from and connect with Jennifer, follow her on Twitter – @JenniferLSpies
You can also follow the rest of The Millennial Chat Team here.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Have you even thought about bringing Foursquare into the social media mix?
I’d love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments.

4 responses so far

Millennials: Consider Giving Back this Holiday Season

Dec 22 2011 Published by under Megan E. 

by Megan E.

The holidays are supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year”. And they are for many reasons. I love spending time with my family, the food, the music, etc.

But here’s the shocker. I could care less about the presents. Crazy, I know. But here’s why.

As I get older presents become less about what I want and more about things that I “need” but can’t afford (fellow college students will understand). There’s no more child like wonder about what treasures lie beyond the packaged exterior of a gift.


So I started to think about the things I really want. I figured that there has to be some sort of gift that would make me feel the same way I did as a child, something that would instill the spirit of the Holidays in me once again. So I thought about what makes me happy, what makes me excited, and what inspires me.

It took me a while but I came up with 3 gifts
that would really make my Holidays special.

These gifts aren’t things that can be wrapped in a box, they’re more than that. They’re solutions to the issues that I’m most passionate about. They’re answers to the world’s most pressing problems. They go beyond ribbon and paper and dig down deep into what really matters.

For me, the most integral themes of the Holidays are generosity, love, and companionship. All of those themes can be found in the gifts listed below, making them the most perfect presents I could possibly dream of.

Please take a look, and consider making a donation to the organizations that make these gifts possible.

1. No Person Ever Goes Hungry.

Feeding America (@FeedingAmerica) hopes to combat that pain of hunger. Through their website, you can shop their catalogue for gifts that can be made in a friend or family member’s name. You can also search their database for the food bank nearest you to donate to. And guess what, every dollar you donate equals 8 meals for those who need it.

2. No Person Discriminated Against for Any Reason.

Have you ever felt judged for who you are? Perhaps for your religious denomination (or lack of), your political beliefs, or the color of your skin?

The Human Rights Watch (@HRW) combats that discrimination by giving “voice to the oppressed and hold[ing] oppressors accountable for their crimes”

3. Every Woman Feels Safe

Every woman has the right to be in control of her own body, end of story. RAINN (@RAINN01)helps make that possible.

This is what the Holidays are about. Not ipods or big screen TVs, but making a difference for the powerless and creating change for the voiceless. Be that power, be that voice, and donate today.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
To learn more from and connect with Megan, follow her on Twitter – @MeganEmme
You can also follow the rest of The Millennial Chat Team here.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

As you have become older, how have you kept the Holiday spirit alive?  Comment below or join the discussion on our Facebook page.

We also want to invite you to our #MCHolidayBash that is going on ALL NEXT WEEK! We will have plenty of special events going on throughout week online.  No plane tickets need to be purchased, just a quick login to Twitter, Facebook, or subscription to this blog should work!

2 responses so far

Resolving to Do Good- Will You Volunteer in 2012?

Dec 21 2011 Published by under Sarah B. 

by Sarah B.

As the holidays approach, it’s time to start thinking about what you’ve accomplished this year.

Did you get a job?  Graduate?  Move to a new city?

Byrd Theater New Years Ball

The Ball Drop flickr photo by Gamma Man

It’s time to celebrate what we’ve done and decide what we’ll do next.  It’s time for New Year’s resolutions.  Volunteering is one of the most popular resolutions and for good reason.  Volunteering benefits your community, and it can even be good for your health.  If you’ve decided you want to add service to your life in 2012, you’ll want to read more of my Millennial Chat posts in the upcoming year.  But to make sure your commitment to volunteering doesn’t end up like that unused yoga class Groupon from last year (you know exactly which one I mean), ask yourself these questions:

Why am I motivated to volunteer?

Many Millennials will tell you that they want to volunteer in order to meet new people or because they want to gain new skills.  While these are great advantages to volunteering, a recent study shows that service will benefit you the most when your motivation is to help others.  Look around your community.  What do you feel passionate about? How can you help others the most?  Your resolution will stick if someone else is really counting on you.

How much time do I have to volunteer?

Once you’ve discovered your motivation, you’re probably going to feel very inspired to start helping out as much as you can!  A group is planting trees next weekend?  You’re there.  A homeless child needs tutoring?  Sign you up.  The animal shelter is hosting a fundraiser?  You love puppies.  WAIT.  Before you overcommit, decide how much time you have for volunteering.  Do you have time once a week?  Twice a month?  Maybe you’d like to explore micro-volunteering at home from your iPad.  You’re more likely to follow through with your commitment if it fits into your schedule.

Would I rather write a check?

While service can be a very rewarding resolution, maybe there are other goals that you’d like to put at the top of your list this year.  If you decide that you can’t commit your time, explore your giving options.  Millennials are pretty generous people, and you don’t need a lot of money to make a difference.  Want to make a philanthropic resolution?  Resolve to become a monthly donor for an organization you care about, at whatever level works for you.

Where does volunteering fit into your list of resolutions?

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
To learn more from and connect with Sarah, follow her on Twitter – @SarahKathleen
You can also follow the rest of The Millennial Chat Team here.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Comment below or follow the discussion about volunteering on our Facebook page!
Don’t want to miss another #MCteam post? Subscribe to our blog.

3 responses so far

POLL TIME: Vote for the topic you want to chat about tomorrow!

Dec 19 2011 Published by under Poll Time


Comments are off for this post

Confessions of a Millennial in a New Workplace

Dec 16 2011 Published by under Ashley H. 

by Ashley H.
[Subscribe to our posts to make sure you don't miss another #MCteam post]

If you participated in this week’s chat you were in on the great discussion about Moving, Adjusting and Making a Splash in a new area.

“Making a splash” is very important to millennials because they are very concerned about their performance, social and corporate responsibility and impacting the areas they’re involved in.

Millennials deeply desire to make a difference. 

Moving to a new area can make “splashing” a little harder. With a million other things to worry about like finding a place to live, the closest grocery store, and the fastest route to your new job, it’s easy to get weighed down by these things. But in reality, this is all the more reason to put extra effort into impacting your new area.  Stay 10 minutes later to work on that committee or volunteer to help with a project. Hit the ground running!

NEW WORKPLACE CONFESSIONS:

Confesonario de la Iglesia de Lonquen

flickr photo by Paul Lowry

I am afraid to speak up in meetings.
Perfectly normal. However, you can’t be heard if you don’t speak up! Pro tip: make sure you are well educated about your organization long before your first meeting.

I am not sure about my co-workers.
Good, because they’re probably not too sure about you either. Some people are warm and friendly from the get-go, but sometimes they are not. Be patient, friendly and personable and your new work-life will be off to a great start.

I don’t know how to make friends.
Start by finding two mentors, one close to your age and one who is a superior. 
Mentors don’t even have to be in your same department, find someone whose attributes and business skills you admire. Having a superior as a mentor serves as a good reminder of how you want to grow within your new organization. Also, seek out a mentor close to your age. It’s a little easier to identify with a fellow millennial. You can ask how they adjusted to a new workplace and pick their brain for tips and tricks specific to your organization.

I am afraid of networking in a new area.
Yes it is very hard to network in a new place! But it only gets easier with practice. Play the “new person” card to your advantage! It’s an easy conversation starter and most people will be eager to tell you all about your new company/city.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
To learn more from or connect with Ashley, follow her on Twitter – @AshleyHurney
You can also follow the rest of The Millennial Chat Team here.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

If you have any Confessions you would like to share, post them here!
You can also join in on the discussion on our Facebook page.

One response so far

Does your job make you wanna get up and dance?

Dec 15 2011 Published by under Uncategorized 

by Larkin G.

I recently got fired from my job.  And, I’m ecstatic.

Confused?

How could something so inherently negative make me so blissful?  Because I hated my job.

Shouldn't you be this excited at work?

Let me be clear. I did not do anything to get fired on purpose nor are the circumstances surrounding my past employment relevant.

Your job=Your Life

Think about what makes up any given 24 hours of your life (on a work day)

  • Work (9 hours including lunch)
  • Sleep (7 hours)
  • Friends/family 4
  • Activities  outside of work 3
  • Random (driving, etc) 1

The majority of your time in any given day is spent at your job. If you love your job, everything is sunshine and roses. But what if you hate your job? Or it’s unfulfilling? Or is just the wrong job for you?  You are spending 8 hours of every day miserable.  To be blunt….

your life sucks.

Where does the time go??

Spending over a quarter of your year (that adds up to over 2,000 hours!!) being miserable is bound to spill over into your personal life, no matter how good you are at compartmentalizing. So no matter how great your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse is, how involved in the community you are, how dazzling your home is, how enticing your friends are, it’s hard to be truly happy if you hate your career. It simply takes up too much of your time.

Do we expect too much??

Now I’ve brought out the c word: career. Fifty years ago, no one talked about a career. They had a job, a place to be from 9-5. But we, millennials, demand much more than a job from our occupations. We not only want a career; we want a career that fulfills a greater purpose and helps define us as individuals.

Think about when you meet someone new. What questions do you automatically ask:

  • A person’s name
  • Where they work

After learning someone’s name, you automatically want to know what they do. Why? Because it is an intrinsic part of their identity. Because it defines them as a person. Think about how many times you’ve included it in your introduction.

Here’s mine: “Hi! I’m Larkin. I’m the Community Manager for Our Valley Events. What do you do?”

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
To learn more from and connect with Larkin, follow her on Twitter – @LarkinGrant
You can also follow the rest of The Millennial Chat Team here.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Now its your turn. I want to know about you. 

  • Do you want a career or a job?
  • What do you expect from it?
  • Do you think you can live a happy life if you hate your job?

9 responses so far

Older posts »