Members of Gen Z are participating in philanthropy at higher rates than other adults and might be the next in multiple generations of young people for whom charities have been waiting to age into what they saw their parents do.
New research from GoFundMe and the GivingTuesday Data Commons shows that Gen Z has its giving rooted in personal relationships and social connections. The cause generally is secondary to the relationships. They support causes through sharing, donating, advocating, and community fundraising, often in visible, digital formats that inspire their peers to give as well.
Basically, it’s entry level generosity for Gen Z adults (aged 18–29). There was a difference in the sample size of Gen Z adults and adults 30-85 years old. There were 1,990 members of Gen Z sampled versus 8,421 older adults.
The data shows that organizations need to create experiences that capture and build on Gen Z’s existing participation while establishing clear pathways to future financial giving. When done well, these experiences convert intent in the moment and build the foundation for deeper, sustained support over time.
This requires rethinking the role of digital environments that connect nonprofits to Gen Z. These platforms must do more than process donations. They must function as dynamic spaces for participation, supporting how Gen Z engages across channels, formats, and behaviors, and evolving alongside them, according to authors of the accompanying report.
“Gen Z is showing us that generosity does not begin with financial capacity alone,” Tim Cadogan, CEO of GoFundMe, said via a statement. “It begins with participation, trust, relationships, and a willingness to make support visible. These findings reinforce that Gen Z is not a future donor segment. They are already reshaping giving today: socially, publicly, and online. That creates a clear call to action for nonprofits: build for the ways Gen Z already engages by making it easier to share causes, rally communities, fundraise, and give in digital spaces. The nonprofits that embrace these behaviors now will be the ones that turn Gen Z participation into long-term support and growth.”
The report’s key findings include:
- Gen Z gives in more ways, and more often, than other adults. Upwards of 70% of Gen Z reported some form of giving during the previous week that they were polled, compared with 65% of other adults. They were also more likely to give money despite being more likely to have lower incomes, be students, or be unemployed, given their life stage.
- This generation’s giving is distinctly personal and relational. Gen Z stands furthest ahead of other adults in advocacy, giving directly to individuals, informal giving, and volunteering. They give where the need feels personal, immediate, and human.
- Their trust is increasingly built through immediate networks. Nearly 60% of Gen Z supporters say family or others shape their giving decisions, compared with nearly 45% of other adults. Community fundraising is uniquely positioned to meet this moment, serving as a natural entry point into giving and a key pathway to nonprofit support.
- Sharing is a force multiplier for generosity. Gen Z is more likely than other adults to publicly support and advocate for community groups, nonprofits, and independent efforts. By making their support visible, they not only inspire others to see, join, and amplify that giving, but also help increase funds raised.
- Community-powered fundraising platforms are on-ramps to nonprofit giving. Gen Z users of online fundraising platforms like are more likely to give to registered nonprofits than their peers who don’t use those platforms. For this generation, community fundraising and peer-driven giving are often the first step into broader philanthropic participation. Rather than diverting support away from nonprofits, fundraising platforms appear to expand participation in charitable giving overall.
Several data points conflicted with what industry people have believed. “For a long time, there’s been an assumption that Gen Z is highly vocal about the causes they care about, but that this advocacy doesn’t always translate into actual giving. What stood out in the data is that this simply isn’t true,” said Steve Froehlich, chief customer growth officer, at GoFundMe told The NonProfit Times. “Gen Z is giving, and they’re doing so in ways that reflect how they engage with the world: digitally, socially, and often in response to moments that feel personal, urgent, or connected to their communities.”
Together, the findings paint a picture of a generation that already has outsized influence on how giving spreads, scales, and compounds over time, according to authors of the study.
“What this research reveals is giving is increasingly community based, and Gen Z understands that instinctively. They give in ways that are visible, relational, and multidimensional,” said Asha Curran, CEO of GivingTuesday. “They’re not ‘future’ donors or leaders – they’re contributing and shaping the culture of generosity right now. Our job is to meet them where they are and build the structures and support that honor what they’re already doing, because that is how a generosity movement grows.”
The analysis is based on GivingTuesday’s GivingPulse surveys, a weekly tracking study conducted by the GivingTuesday Data Commons, with insights and implications developed in collaboration with GoFundMe. The report examines giving behaviors among adults ages 18 to 29 compared with adults ages 30 to 85, based on data collected between January 1, 2025 and January 11, 2026 from a total sample of 10,411 U.S. respondents.
You can read the full report here.
