People love to criticize millennials and stereotype them as self-centered and narcissistic, but that’s far from the truth. Millennials are just as likely to give to your nonprofit organization as other age groups. If you’re not seeing a lot of younger donors give to your organization, it’s likely that you are not adequately reaching them.

How can you better engage with the younger demographic? Here are some tips.

  1. Cultivate an online presence

To attract millennial donors, they need to be able to easily find you online. Obviously, this means having a website, but it also means developing new content for Facebook and Twitter, and maybe even Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat. Additionally, make sure that your site is mobile-friendly, because millennials will most likely access it from their phone, not a desktop computer.

  1. Make it easy to give online

The average millennial is not going to mail you a check. You need to make sure that it is easy to give to your organization online. Consider giving donors the option to contribute via text message. And make sure your website is mobile friendly. Not being mobile friendly is a complete turnoff to everyone, millennials in particular.

  1. Establish trust

Millennials do their research and give to organizations they have an affinity to and they can trust.  And that trust is often generated by their peers, influencers, and the organizations online persona on the website and social media.   This also means making a straightforward website that shares exactly what their donated money will be used for. Be clear and concise. Millennials will sense true authenticity.

  1. Tell a story

Lastly, millennials, like most generations, resonate with stories. Don’t just state what your organization has done to help people; tell their stories. Help millennials connect with the real people that your organization serves.

If you cultivate good relationships with your millennial donors, they are more likely to become recurring donors. And because they are still so young, that’s a lifetime of support that you can earn.