Gen Z is reshaping how fundraising works, and what supporters expect from fundraising events.
In today’s digital landscape, successful online fundraising is no longer just about asking people to donate. It’s about creating experiences that encourage participation, interaction, and connection.
Younger generations, especially Gen Z and Millennials, respond differently to traditional charity fundraising strategies. They discover causes through social media, engage with content and communities, and often decide to donate only after they feel involved.
Whether you are organising a livestream fundraising event or a community-driven campaign, engaging younger audiences requires a slightly different approach.
In this article, we share 6 practical tips to engage new generations of supporters and improve your overall event fundraising performance.
1. Start your fundraising events with engagement, not donation
2. Make your fundraising campaigns easy to join
3. Leverage creators and communities
4. Make impact visible in real time
5. Equip your community with the right fundraising tools
6. Think long term and nurture relationships
Key takeaways
FAQ: Fundraising events and engaging younger supporters
These tips apply across streaming, challenge campaigns, and more broadly to any form of community-driven online fundraising initiative.
1. Start your fundraising events with engagement, not donation
Activating younger audiences means shifting how you design engagement, participation, and supporter journeys.
One of the key shifts is to move from “donate” to “join”. Instead of leading with a donation ask, invite young supporters to:
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take part in a challenge
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join a live stream
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support a friend
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interact with your campaign
Tip: In online or streaming fundraising events, the live chat plays a key role. It allows supporters to react, interact, and feel part of a shared moment. This reinforces emotional engagement and can naturally encourage people to donate in real time.
2. Make your fundraising campaigns easy to join
Participation should feel simple and accessible, not like a commitment.
The easier it is to participate, the more people will join your fundraising event or campaign. We recommend you to focus on:
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simple sign-up processes, for example through quick online sign-up or event ticketing tools
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accessible formats, requiring no specific skills
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flexible ways to contribute, including small donate amounts
Challenge campaigns work particularly well because they allow people to participate from anywhere, often from home, with minimal effort.
Reducing friction at every step is one of the most effective ways to increase participation.
3. Leverage creators and communities
Today, people tend to trust other people more than organisations, especially when discovering or supporting a cause.
In this context, creators and communities have become powerful fundraising assets, not just amplification channels. Many of the most successful fundraising events are built around individuals who bring their own audience, credibility, and engagement.
For instance, the Polish TikToker Latwogang recently raised more than €59 million during a nine-day livestream in support of the Cancer Fighters foundation, which fights childhood cancer. The initiative was supported and joined by numerous celebrities.
Tip: Rather than controlling every message, give creators and influencers the freedom to adapt your campaign to their community. The most effective campaigns are often co-created with ambassadors, not just promoted by them.
4. Make impact visible in real time
Visibility plays a key role in building trust and maintaining momentum during fundraising campaigns.
Live donation counters, progress bars, and real-time updates create a strong sense of momentum and reinforce trust. Make sure supporters can clearly see:
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how much has been raised
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how close you are to your fundraising goal
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what their contribution helps achieve
Inspiring example: check out this crowdfunding fundraiser, launched by a Belgian author to support Oxfam’s work in Gaza. The page shows visible progress, top contributors, and a clear fundraising goal, creating social proof and inspiring others to give.
5. Equip your community with the right fundraising tools
Even the most engaged supporters need the right tools to take action easily. Your supporters are more likely to participate and donate if you provide:
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personal peer-to-peer fundraising pages they can customise and share
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a simple, easy-to-use online donation form
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a seamless, mobile-friendly experience
A smooth experience and the right fundraising platforms can make a real difference here, helping you turn engagement into actual contributions.
Mobile is especially critical, as many young donors come from social media or live streams. If your donation form is not fast and easy to use on mobile, you risk losing supporters at the final step. To go further, explore our article: 4 steps to optimise your mobile fundraising strategy.
6. Think long term and nurture relationships
Not every interaction will lead to an immediate donation, and that’s perfectly normal.
A strong charity fundraising strategy focuses on the long-term value of each supporter. By instance, a participant today may become a donor or advocate tomorrow.
What matters is how you build and maintain the relationship over time. We recommend to focus on:
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building trust from the first interaction
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staying in touch after the campaign
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recognising all forms of engagement, not just donations
Key takeaways
Fundraising events for charities are no longer just moments to collect donations. They have become powerful tools to engage supporters, build communities, and create lasting relationships.
To succeed in today’s online fundraising environment, organisations need to move beyond traditional approaches and focus on participation, accessibility, and experience.
Whether through livestreams, charity crowdfunding campaigns, or community-driven initiatives, the goal is the same: make it easy for people to take part, connect, and contribute.
By applying these principles, you can not only increase the impact of your fundraising activity, but also build stronger relationships with your supporters over time.
FAQ: Fundraising events and engaging younger supporters
Why are fundraising events important to engage Gen Z?
Fundraising events are effective because they create opportunities for participation, not just donation. Younger supporters want to engage with causes through experiences, communities, and interactions before deciding to give.
Formats like livestream fundraising, challenge campaigns, and community fundraising events align with how Gen Z engages online, making them powerful tools to attract and involve new supporters.
What makes a digital fundraising campaign successful for younger audiences?
A successful fundraising campaign for Gen Z is interactive, accessible, and community-driven.
It should:
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be easy to join (low barrier to entry)
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include social and interactive elements (live chat, sharing, participation)
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make impact visible (donation counters, goals, progress)
These elements help turn engagement into actual online donations.
How can nonprofits use social media for fundraising events?
Social media plays a central role in modern fundraising events. It helps nonprofit organisations reach new audiences, activate communities, and encourage people to donate.
Platforms like live streaming or social sharing features allow supporters to:
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discover campaigns
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interact in real time
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share with friends and family
This creates a network effect that can significantly increase engagement and money raised.
Why are peer-to-peer fundraising and creators important?
Peer-to-peer fundraising and creators help build trust and reach new audiences. People are more likely to donate when a cause is supported by someone they know or trust.
Creators and ambassadors act as bridges between organisations and their communities. They bring authenticity, visibility, and the ability to engage potential donors in a more personal way.
How do you turn engagement into donations?
Engagement is not only about driving donations. Supporters can also contribute in many ways, from sharing a campaign on social media to volunteering or raising awareness.
That said, when the goal is to encourage donations, making the transition as smooth as possible is key. This includes:
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providing an easy-to-use donation form
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ensuring a seamless mobile experience
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offering clear and visible fundraising goals
When supporters can easily act at the moment they feel engaged, they are more likely to donate.
Why is mobile optimisation important for fundraising events?
Mobile is essential because many supporters will land on your donation form or fundraising website directly from social media or live events.
If your donation form is not fast and easy to use on mobile, you risk losing potential donors at the final step. A smooth mobile experience helps maximise conversion and improve your overall online fundraising performance.