Last month the latest report by the Johnson Center on Millennial Giving (http://www.nextgendonors.org/) was released and is both interesting and helpful. However while there are clearly significant differences in the generations ” I think it is a mistake to assume that generational differences are the most important or determinative in describing donors. There are too many other factors.

 In my opinion the best book written on what seems obvious is “The Seven Faces of Philanthropy" by Russ Alan Prince and Karen Maru File. First published in 2004 it remains one of the clearest explanations for the differences in donors and more importantly it shows that the differences are cross generational. In other words ” these differences remain relatively the same because people in every generation tend to fall into these categories.

 While the book was written for development professionals ” the insights are invaluable in helping gain a better understanding of your own giving as a donor and how to be more effective in your own unique style.

 Here is the list of the seven distinct types of donors according to the book. See where you fit and think about whether or not you've been trying to fit into another style that is not yours ” or fit others to your style:

 Communitarians: 26% of givers

 Doing Good Makes Sense. Communitarians give because it makes good sense to do so. They give because they want to give something back to their community for all the advantages they have received. Typically they are sharp and successful business people and are well aware of the business benefits of philanthropic involvement. Communitarians want tokens of appreciation frequent updates on events invitations to be honored ” people to call with questions or suggestions. They value responsiveness and relationships.

 Devout: 21% of givers

 Doing Good is God's Will. Devouts are motivated to give because they believe it is God's will to help others and to channel almost all of their giving to religious institutions and organizations. Because honesty and trust are valued so highly they generally take the claims of the charitable cause on faith and are less likely to conduct an extensive investigation of the organization. They are the least likely to scrutinize a giving decision. For them ” the act of giving itself is a sign of spiritual development and maturity and they are generally indifferent to recognition and honors.

 Investors: 15% of givers

 Doing Good is Good Business. Investors give because they are financially able to do so because they have a personal desire to do good works and because they possess enough business acumen to give in a business-like way. They give with one eye on the cause and one eye on personal tax and estate consequences. Investors are results oriented and define philanthropy in the same way. They are careful rigorous well-informed ” and looking for "returns" on their investments. Investors do not need recognition as much as they value well prepared financial and management information. 

Socialites: 11% of givers

Doing Good is Fun. Socialites desire to help through being active in charity work ” and they find social functions benefiting nonprofits to be especially appealing. Socialites have highly developed networks in their local communities and are extremely careful in choosing which nonprofits to support. They appreciate being recognized and honored for their work and being seen as part of a network of givers. They want to be kept informed as part of a continuing relationship.

 Altruists: 9% of givers

Doing Good Feels Right. Altruists give because it gives their life a greater sense of purpose and they are the most likely to give anonymously. They are highly individualistic and not usually affiliated with other givers. To them the essence of philanthropy is giving in a selfless manner ” and they associate giving with spiritual development and personal growth. They pay more attention to the quality of the people in a nonprofit than to its track record or strategic plan. They believe that the person with wealth has a greater obligation to give but giving should be everyone's responsibility.

Repayers: 10% of givers

Doing Good in Return. Typically a repayer has personally benefited from some institution often a school or hospital and now supports that institution out of a feeling of obligation or gratitude. They give because they have received and they generally focus their giving on just one or a few organizations. They are acutely aware of how others have helped them and feel a specific and particular obligation to repay and help in return. They do not usually seek recognition status connections ” or benefits sought by other givers as they feel they have already benefited.

Dynasts: 8% of givers

Doing Good is a Family Tradition. Unlike other givers dynasts usually inherit their wealth. Giving is something their family has always stood for and they believe it is expected of them as well. While younger dynasts continue the family tradition of philanthropy they often seek to be influential in a new area. They are among the most careful of givers in selecting organizations to support and are frequently inundated with requests to give. They research and evaluate – and are oriented to nonprofits that make a real difference. They want to understand in detail the mission and activities and want to be well informed about the distinctiveness and successes of the organizations they choose. They are the most likely to look to experts for advice and assistance. They want to do creative work and are not specifically interested in being honored for behavior they see as essential. Because their philanthropic behavior was acquired early in life ” it feels natural and is not viewed as something that merits special recognition.

So…which are you and what difference does it make? As with anything you are probably not completely one style but a mix. Still ” it's good to know that from one generation to the next some common patterns and styles remain true.