Generational Differences in Philanthropy and Giving Behaviors

Some research on motivation-to-give focuses on agerelated differences, seemingly characterizing it as a dichotomy of old versus young. A pilot project conducted in Massachusetts examined the relationship between generational “givers” in the field of philanthropy, asking, essentially, what motivates them to give. The target population was selected based on recent research that shows a positive retention effect to employers’ use of “purposeful giving” by employees (Perna, 2022). This present project further addresses the change in motivation over time. Findings from this exploratory research indicate that the motivation to give is more complicated than age-related differences alone. This article presents findings from the pilot project conducted in 2024 involving five case studies of philanthropic professionals working in Western Massachusetts. It also offers recommendations for additional research on this topic. Data for these findings, however, are based on limited data and are therefore not generalizable.