This week’s Barna Minute reveals how different generations prefer to donate money to churches and other organizations.
In Barna’s report, A New Era of Giving—which explores how younger generations approach generosity— Gen Z and Millennials are aligned in a slight preference for digital giving options (both at 53%) over “in-person by cash or check” (both at 47%). Gen X is divided in half over their giving methods with 49 percent preferring to give digitally and 51 percent favoring in person. The older generations much more prefer the in-person option (62% Boomers, 55% Elders) instead of through a screen (38% and 45%, respectively).
Encouraging digital generosity among digitally adept generations seems like a no-brainer. Yet, as volunteering is also favored by young people, and Gen Z are reckoning with their screen time, a blend of online and hands-on expressions could be helpful in harnessing their generous potential.