While the Millennials and Boomers duke it out in public (“OK, Boomer” “Millennials killed department stores!”) Generation X is keeping its head down. According to social scientists, Gen X is more likely to have work-life balance, are active in the community, be more entrepreneurial, and happy. 

That may have to do with the notion that they can relax while the squeaky generational wheels drown everybody else out (although Gen Z, the Greta Thunberg-Emma Gonzalez generation of activists have also gained prominence as they fight for action on climate change and guns).

While Pew Research Center projects that Gen X (born 1965-1980) numbers 65.8 million, the 2010 US Census and researchers from Harvard and the University of Michigan counted approximately 84 million people born ‘between the early 1960’s and the early 1980s’).  That suggests Generation X is roughly equal in number to the cohorts between whom they are sandwiched.

In public media, Boomers comprise the lion’s share of our donor base.  For a while now, Millennials, the generation of ‘digital natives,’ have become the shiny object that we’re attracted to, leap-frogging over the people who created the digital tools those Millennials are using.  In 2015, the Sage Group reported that Gen Xers launched the majority of all new businesses (55% in US & Canada) that year.  It’s not that Gen Xers are wealthy---after all, they were hurt badly by the Great Recession---but they are more likely to take risks and be self-starters, as their trust in institutions is low.

The good news is that public media remains one of the most-trusted institutions in America, and Generation X grew up on Sesame Street, Mister Rogers, and many (even the so-called ‘latchkey kids’) were part of the first NPR “Backseat Generation.” 

Now that Gen X is in their 40s and 50s, my question is: how are you engaging them?

• Gen Xers are worried about having enough money for retirement

• According to AARP, 64% of Gen Xers don’t have a will

• Gen X doesn’t like to be left out, and they like engaging in a digital space

• Gen X donates at a slightly higher rate to street and door-to-door canvassers

• Gen Xers use social media even more than Millennials

How many Gen Xers are in your database?  If you don’t know, CDP offers Member Database Enhancements such as donor demographic appends and wealth screening.  Talk with Gen Xers where they live online with the Sprinklr tool, offered to CDP partner stations at a deep discount. 

For TV & joint licensees, the Passport Analytics Engine can help you better understand a generation uses television fairly heavily.  CDP offers canvassing services that have helped stations acquire 360,000+ donors, 30% of whom are Sustainers (imagine the long-term value of an acquired Gen X donor).  

Consider marketing gift planning (such as charitable gift annuities & gifts of stock), hold webinars or send tips to your Gen X donors to help them better plan as they consider taking action to support the non-profit they love. 

OK, Fundraiser---the next steps are up to you!