Diverse Voices, Shared Visions: Engaging Millennial & Gen Z Donors

Diverse Voices, Shared Visions: Engaging Millennial & Gen Z Donors in Philanthropy

In this session, we will explore the unique philanthropic mindsets and motivations of Millennial and Gen Z donors. These dynamic generations are reshaping the charitable landscape, emphasizing transparency, social justice, and community impact. These donors prioritize ethical leadership, environmental sustainability, and authentic storytelling, all of which influence their giving patterns and decision-making processes. Organizations can better connect with these donors personally by understanding the core values that drive their engagement. Participants will gain actionable insights on crafting tailored strategies that resonate with the priorities of Millennial and Gen Z donors. The discussion will highlight innovative engagement tactics that build trust and foster long-term donor loyalty. By aligning organizational missions with the values of these donors, organizations can harness their collective energy to drive meaningful change and ensure sustained philanthropic impact.

Facilitated by:

Mikaela Levons, Chief Of Development, Equal Justice USA

Mikaela is a native of Kingston, Jamaica with a passion for resourcing organizations that create social change. She is Chief of Development at Equal Justice USA, an organization that reimagines justice and builds community safety across the country.

Previously, Mikaela was the Director of Advancement at Princeton AlumniCorps, an independent nonprofit that mobilizes people, organizations, and networks for public good. Prior to that, she worked at the Center for Non-Profits in New Jersey; the Martin House Foundation in Trenton’s East Ward; and New Jersey After 3, a statewide afterschool network. 

She received her Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University’s School of Public & International Affairs and her Master’s in Non-Profit and NGO Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice. She’s Vice-Chair of the board of Young Audiences of NJ and Eastern PA, which inspires young people and expands their learning through the arts. She also serves on the board of the Fergus Simpson Foundation, a non-profit operating in rural Jamaica that aims to treasure the past, train the future, and transform the small community of Chapelton, Clarendon. She lives in central New Jersey with her husband and three daughters. 

Leslie Jefferson, Strategy, Evaluation and Growth Advisor, The Black Mill

Leslie Jefferson is a seasoned nonprofit development leader with a proven track record of managing over $80 million in funds for various nonprofits and organizations. Leslie is an Adjunct Professor in the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy where she teaches Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation in Action and Nonprofit Fundraising. As the Strategy, Evaluation, and Growth Advisor for The Black Mill, Leslie excels in aiding grassroots and Black-led organizations in overcoming historical barriers to fundraising. 

Leslie previously served as the Development Officer for Brookings Metro at The Brookings Institution, where she played a pivotal role in achieving the organization’s annual fundraising goals to support research focused on creating prosperous, just, and resilient communities. She is the former post-award Grants Manager for the Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Environmental Justice departments at Georgetown University, where she efficiently managed multi-million dollar sponsored research grants, facilitating programs aimed at societal betterment. Leslie's extensive experience includes over 12 years with The SEED School of Maryland, a nonprofit educational, college preparatory boarding program. Her roles ranged from Family and Community Engagement Coordinator to Senior Federal Grants and Community Engagement Manager. During her tenure, Leslie contributed significantly to institutional advancement and the expansion of the educational model through S.E.E.D. Leads. In her volunteer efforts, she serves as the Co-Chair of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of DC and was the organization’s former Director of Fundraising. 

Leslie holds a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where she was recognized with the Most Outstanding Anthropology Major award. She also graduated Magna Cum Laude from Kaplan University with a Master’s Degree in Teacher Education. Furthermore, Leslie earned a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership as a Nonprofit TIAA Fellow and Do Good Medallion Graduate recipient from the University of Maryland College Park. Leslie is currently a doctoral student studying philanthropic leadership at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Her applied research is focused on strategies to improve representation in U.S. philanthropy by developing high-level strategies to recruit, develop, and retain Black American fundraisers.

Chelsea Brown, Founder and Principal Strategist, The Black Mill

Chelsea Brown is an award-winning philanthropist, social impact advocate, and entrepreneur. Trained as a nonprofit management professional, Chelsea has more than eight years of experience in philanthropy, communications, fundraising, sponsorships, and grantmaking. Chelsea is the founder of The Black Mill, a consulting firm focused on coordinating cross-functional efforts to drive mission-based engagement, programs, and partnerships with international nonprofit and for-profit partners. Through her passion for bringing diversity and inclusion to philanthropy, she received the Diverse Communities Scholarship through the Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference and the Charles R. Stephens Scholarship for the AADO/CASE Conference on Diverse Philanthropy and Leadership. In 2019, she was selected as a Forbes Under 30 Scholar, University of Maryland's Do Good Institute Philanthropy Fellow, and a William Randolph Hearst Fellow with the Aspen Institute's Philanthropy and Social Innovation Program. In 2020, she was highlighted as a "Black Woman to Watch in Philanthropy" in BlackHer's study on Black philanthropy titled "The Black Woman's Guide to Philanthropy." As an advocate for community engagement, she has served on over five boards, including the Winthrop University Foundation Board of Directors. She has managed corporate social responsibility efforts for Nasdaq and Exelon and previously served as the Executive Director of the Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce. As a graduate student at the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy, Chelsea was a Millard E. Tydings Regents Fellowship Fund recipient and was selected as a Philanthropy Fellow underneath the University of Maryland's Do Good Institute. Through her work with The Black Mill, Chelsea has supported grantmaking and grant writing support for the Black and Missing Foundation, The Upwork Foundation, Baltimore Legacy Builders Collective, and more. Chelsea received the 2022 BGE Energizing Small Business Grant and the BeyGOOD Foundation Small Business Grant, earning grant funding support to expand the Black Mill to offer sponsorship and partnership strategies for large-scale cultural events and organizations. Chelsea completed the Executive Program in Social Impact Strategy at the University of Pennsylvania. Chelsea received her Master of Public Management from the University of Maryland in 2021 and her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Winthrop University in 2014.

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