The Johnson Center for Philanthropy recently conducted a study that will help nonprofit organizations and other groups that rely on charitable giving to secure sustainable funding in the future. As the Millennial generation matures, they will become the primary philanthropic contributors and organizations must understand what drives them to give.

To learn about emerging trends and values, The Johnson Center asked individuals who were born between 1981 and 2000 from high-capacity donor families about their backgrounds in philanthropy and goals for the future. Among those surveyed, 53 percent came from families that give more than $250,000 every year, 30 percent represent lineages that contribute more than $1 million every year, 52 percent from backgrounds that have more than $5 million and 10 percent that have more than $100 million in charitable assets. 

Contrary to what people may think, Generation Y is not primarily wrapped up in materialism, but rather places great value of furthering family legacies, the survey found. Approximately 90 percent said their parents strongly influenced their philanthropic ideologies, while 62 percent attributed this to their grandparents and 55.5 percent said they looked to peers for guidance.

"Philanthropy matters. It is a part of how you engage with the world. It is a part of being a responsible member of a community. It is part of being an adult, doing it. Just doing it matters, doing it both with the funds you have and with the time you have given away," one survey respondent said during the interview.

Individuals, programs and organizations that rely on fundraising to fuel sustainable operations might find nonprofit fundraising software advantageous. The solutions can facilitate the process of identifying grant opportunities, generate reports that demonstrate current financial need and showcase previous achievements.