Who will replace nonprofits’ aging contributors?
May 29, 2012 6:00 AMby Robert Powell
Will the next generation of Virginians be as generous as their elders?
That’s a question the leaders of many nonprofit organizations must ponder as they scan their lists of reliable but aging contributors.
Virginians in their 20s and 30s are part of a generation often called the Millennials. They are tech-savvy, self-assured and, despite the challenges of a bad job market, quite generous.
This year the Generous Virginians Project examines efforts to focus and cultivate that generosity as the Millennials come of age in the workplace and community affairs.
The project, now in its third year, looks at trends in philanthropy and tracks major donations made by individuals, corporations and foundations.
In the following pages, the magazine looks at attempts to educate a new generation in the responsibilities of giving, including a philanthropy class at the University of Mary Washington and the Future Fund, a fundraising group of young professionals created by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia.
In addition, the magazine checks out PlanG, a new website expected to appeal to technocentric Millennials by offering one-stop shopping for philanthropy.
Also in this section are stories on:
- Trusts left by a couple who died in the 1950s, which have resulted in a $125 million windfall for 15 nonprofits, including the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and Virginia Commonwealth University.
- The efforts of a Farmville museum to become a national educational resource on civil rights.
- A drive launched by Gov. Bob McDonnell challenging business organizations to collect money and food for state food banks.
- Innovative Virginia nonprofits that are finding ways to help stutterers, fund overlooked community projects and retrain the unemployed.
- An interview with Ray Smoot, who is retiring after 35 years as head of the Virginia Tech Foundation.
- Charts of major gifts
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