Generosity in 2025: How Giving Is Evolving This GivingTuesday 

Explore how Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X approach charitable giving, highlighting differences in spontaneity, trust, and preferred ways to contribute. Despite these differences, all generations share a desire to feel connected and make a meaningful impact.

Posted on:   Tuesday Dec 2nd 2025

Article by:   Annika Jagmohan

It’s that time of the year again! With Halloween, Remembrance Day, and both Thanksgivings over, holiday decorations are popping up – and GivingTuesday is here.

GivingTuesday first started in 2012 and has become a global movement that seeks to inspire people to do good – especially by supporting charities or non-profit organizations. In a world full of urgent needs and worthy causes, deciding how and what to prioritize can be a tough decision. What dynamics are charities navigating as they compete for support and attention?

I spoke with colleagues from different generations (Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X representing different Social Values segments) about their own charitable involvement, outside of work. Across these conversations, one insight stood out:

Key Takeaway

In all groups, people give to charities because they want to feel connected and make a positive impact. What differs is how they express their values across different life stages and circumstances

Themes from conversations with colleagues

The Frequency of Generosity: Spontaneous giving is universal, while regular giving may develop over time.

Most people, especially younger people, do not have a strict schedule for how often they give to charities, and instead tend to give spontaneously. Thinking back to the last time they donated money to charity, most recalled an unplanned moment where they just said yes because it felt right.

Right now, I’m not donating on a regular basis. The last time I donated it was on the spot. I had been seeing this campaign around my neighborhood and one day the cashier asked if I wanted to donate, and in that moment I just said yes.

— Millennial, Critical Counter Culturalist

It was pretty random…my friend was doing a run for the cure and fundraising for it, so I just donated to support them.

— Gen Z, Optimistic Observer

As financial stability increases, routine giving emerges for some donors (i.e. seasonal donations, monthly commitments, annual giving), but it doesn’t replace spontaneous generosity – it just adds another layer. Even donors who regularly give or follow a more structured routine still respond to impromptu asks, especially when they’re done well, in a way that doesn’t add pressure.  

My giving is heavily focused on the school system because of my kids. For Christmas, we usually do donations on behalf of the teachers instead of Christmas gifts…. I have twice signed up at the door. It’s usually young people who present well and you can tell they’re well educated. I actually signed up for monthly donations after meeting someone at the door who was raising funds [for an organization]. They were so passionate and well-spoken, I couldn’t say no…. It wasn’t too much pressure because I wasn’t giving money at the door, I was just getting on a list to confirm later.

— Gen X, Security-Seeking Ascetic

I usually give around the holidays…but it’s not really planned, it’s always an in-the-moment decision.

— Millennial, New Traditionalist

The takeaway? While some donors develop more regular giving habits as their financial stability grows, spontaneous giving remains common across the board. Regardless of the group, a well-crafted, authentic ask always has a chance of success.

The Focus of Generosity: Local and grassroots causes feel more authentic, especially to younger donors.

In my interviews, I found that younger donors were more inclined to support local and grassroots causes as opposed to larger charities. While some donors still associate big brands with credibility, many lean toward smaller initiatives where they believe they’re more likely to see the impact of their contribution. All donors want to feel their contribution matters. Some, like this Gen X donor, feel that objective is best achieved by supporting a reputable brand:

I prioritize large international organizations because I need to feel they are credible. Brand recognition matters. If I haven’t heard of them I wouldn’t as readily get involved.

— Gen X, Security-Seeking Ascetic

In contrast, younger donors are seeking causes that they feel more personally connected to. With these audiences, brand recognition isn’t always a prerequisite for trust or credibility.

I prefer local. Maybe the larger ones could have greater impact but the local ones are impacting people around me, in my community, and it’s easier to see the impact.

— Millennial, Critical Counter Culturalist

I’m really skeptical of those large corporate organizations. Like 50% goes to admin and it’s just ads ads ads. The impact should do most of the speaking instead of the ads. People pick up on changes in their community.

— Gen Z, Egalitarian Idealist

I prefer to give to charities that don’t get as much attention, especially when I know it’s going to support the community I live in. With larger organizations, it feels really impersonal.

— Gen Z, Egalitarian Idealist

Instead of donating to big brand charities, these younger donors are seeking smaller-scale causes close to home, such as local food banks, community spaces, parks and greenspace, and Indigenous-led initiatives. In some cases, personal requests like a GoFundMe through social networks are also quite compelling.

In short, donor preferences differ – often by age – when it comes to the tradeoffs between grassroots authenticity and big-brand credibility. But the desire to feel like their donation actually makes a difference is universal across generations and life stages.

The Format of Generosity: Financial giving is most common, leaving a gap for younger donors who value connection through participation.

Since my interviews focused on working professionals with full-time jobs, it’s perhaps no surprise that their charitable support mainly took the form of financial giving. But for Gen Z and Millennials, this pattern was relatively new. In the recent past, many had volunteered time as their main mode of support.

I wasn’t donating for a while because I wasn’t sure I had the finances for it. Now that I feel more comfy I want to start giving back.

— Gen Z, Egalitarian Idealist

I still care about issues but don’t feel like I’m in a place where I can contribute financially. I used to volunteer a lot more before, but life feels too busy now.

— Gen Z, Optimistic Observer

These younger donors still want to make a difference, but they lack the time to volunteer. As volunteering declines, an unmet donor need emerges: they care deeply, yet feel both time-starved and financially constrained, which limits their opportunities to participate in ways that feel meaningful.

Volunteering is less spontaneous, it ties to my values. I was volunteering at my local food bank for a while but I stopped when I moved. I’d like to find one closer to home. Giving financially isn’t a priority for me right now because you can’t always see the results. Anywhere you’re giving labour it’s easy to see the results.

— Millennial, Critical Counter Culturalist

As donors age and build financial security, financial gifts often replace time spent volunteering, but the desire for connection doesn’t disappear. For charities, this shift is an opportunity to innovate and create new ways for younger donors to feel involved in ways that demand less time.

What does this mean for charities and non-profits?

Charities looking to appeal to potential donors and supporters, especially those aiming to nurture younger donors, should consider these Social Values:

1

Goal: Strategic Asks

Value Activated: Intuition & Impulse
Spontaneous giving is common, so make the ‘asks’ feel easy and personal, or encourage giving through word of mouth. Charities can appeal to the Social Value of Intuition and Impulse: a way of understanding and transacting with the world that largely leaves aside controlled and critical thought. These spontaneous asks tap less into reason and ideology and more into feelings. By creating emotionally resonant, low-friction opportunities to give, charities can turn moments of goodwill into meaningful acts of generosity.

2

Goal: Bridging the Trust Divide

Value Activated: Brand Genuineness
Younger donors describe leaning toward grassroots organizations because they value authenticity. Donors with this orientation likely score high on the Social Value Brand Genuineness, which registers a tendency to value brand experiences and relationships that feel personal and authentic. These are often grounded in brands’ unique founding stories and in brand “personalities” that permeate everything they do, from communications to operations. To tap into this value, charities need to not only show transparency and impact but also help donors understand the real people, stories, and values that make their organizations tick. Sharing these fundamentals effectively will build trust, connection, and loyalty.

3

Goal: Micro-Opportunities for Connection

Value Activated: Community Involvement
Volunteering may be harder for time-strapped donors, but the desire for connection remains. This is where the Social Value of Community Involvement comes in: people want to feel part of what’s happening in their neighborhood, city, or region. They want to see and feel the impact of their generosity. Charities can tap into this by offering more micro-volunteering opportunities that offer connection with less commitment. Community-based events and peer-to-peer campaigns can also fulfill the need for engagement. By aligning with this value, charities can help donors feel that their generosity isn’t just a transaction, it’s a way to participate in and shape the place they live.

Overall, the decision to give money or time is shaped by many factors. As life changes, so can our priorities, but the heart of giving remains the same: feeling connected and making a meaningful impact. How has your approach to charitable involvement evolved as your professional life and other circumstances have changed over time?

Annika Jagmohan
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Annika Jagmohan

Senior Research Associate – Public Affairs

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