Cultivating philanthropists

How can a continuity of Jewish charitable giving be established?

BARRY COHEN
Editor

Not only are young adults least likely to make charitable contributions, but those who do are least likely to contribute to Jewish causes.

According to the 2002 Greater Phoenix Jewish Community Study, more than 40 percent of respondents 18-34 years old made no charitable gifts, and only 25 percent gave a gift to a Jewish cause. For those 35-49 years old, 11 percent made no charitable gift, and 45 percent gave to a Jewish cause.

Local efforts are ongoing to increase the number of younger contributors to Jewish causes and to cultivate relationships with donors for a lifetime of giving.

"The Young Leadership (Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix) is attracting and cultivating younger federation donors through leadership development, education and outreach," said John Magoulas, federation senior campaign associate.

These outreach efforts are geared for everyone - singles, married couples, and those with children. In addition, every YLD program has an educational element in order to communicate the message of how federation gifts benefit the community, he noted.

The local chapter of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science (ACWIS) is also using education to attract younger donors.

"We need to educate people about our mission and how science affects them," said Carrol Gottfried, ACWIS Arizona Region Director. Subjects include multiple sclerosis, cancer, Alzheimer's Disease, diabetes and solar energy, she noted.

Like YLD, ACWIS stresses social events with an educational element. Examples include "Science, Sushi and Sake," and "Science Under the Stars."

For "Science Under the Stars," a woman who studied at Weizmann Institute met with younger parents and their children at a private home, said Gottfried. "The younger parents can relate to her because their children... have an interest in science and research careers," she added.

In addition, the local ACWIS chapter has implemented the Ambassador's Program to appeal to those in their 30s and early 40s, said Gottfried. Participants of the program network with their friends to teach them the Weizmann Institute's mission, she said. A few years ago, there was only one person in the Ambassador's Program. Today there are eight.

Local leaders are using education about their organizations' mission and how they utilize charitable gifts as a means to attract a younger, more financially sophisticated generation.

"Nonprofit organizations are finding that donors have become much more sophisticated in their giving and desire to know exactly how dollars raised are being allocated," said Shirley Norris, federation marketing director. "This probably speaks more to the fact that we live in a very information-rich society and have come to expect that we can get information 24 (hours a day), seven (days a week) at our fingertips, via the Internet, e-mail and cable news, not to mention the more traditional venues."

Terri Swirnoff, federation assistant executive director, agrees.

"We have some pretty sophisticated givers here," she said, referring to those under 40 years old. They want to know where their money is going, she said.

"Any nonprofit needs to provide this information to its donors," said Swirnoff. "We want to be accountable."

Federation hopes to educate potential younger donors through approxi-mately 25 different outreach events at locales including the North-west Valley, Scottsdale and the Northeast Valley, said Swirnoff.

In particular, both Swirnoff and Marcia Weisberg, executive director of the Jewish Community Foun-dation of Greater Phoenix, see the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus as attracting the younger generation.

"The campus is playing a vital role of connecting the community. We are seeing more young couples, young families connected to Jewish life," said Weisberg.

People who find co-nnections with Jewish communal organizations tend to become donors, she added.

Swirnoff said special attention has also been devoted to attracting "high powered professional women." There is programming for them at the Community Campus, but also through the federation's Women's Division, YLD, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Israel Center.

"There are many points of entry for women, wherever their interests lie," she said.

When these women connect with the Jewish community, they then educate their spouses and children about what federation is all about, she added.

Leaders said that they hope these efforts to educate the younger generation and connect them with the community will cultivate a long-term relationship of financial giving.

"Through (establishing) relationships with lay leadership and the younger donors, we are able to engage these individuals in making a gift," said Magoulas. "It is the hope that the younger donor who makes a smaller gift will not only continue to give to the annual campaign but with cultivation and continued education will see increased giving."

Weisberg agrees with the need to facilitate a relationship with potential younger givers.

If someone comes to the foundation and is not sure how to give, "I start up a con-versation," said Weisberg. Questions include what causes interest the donor and if the donor is passionate about a particular agency, she ex-plained.

The goal is to establish a relationship "to facilitate the philanthropy," because from year to year, the donor's wishes of how his contributions are used can change, she added.

Swirnoff said she is encouraged by a trend she has noticed that the generation that grew up in the Valley and went away for college is now beginning to return, set up businesses and start families.

The challenge now is to convince this generation to give, just as their parents give, she said.

"Replacing older large givers with younger donors is a huge concern," she said. "We now have to establish a continuity of giving."

Contact the writer at barry_cohen@jewishaz.com.

Home