The Wealth Transfer Is Here: Why Gen X Is the Decision-Maker You’re Missing

The Great Wealth Transfer is already in motion, and Gen X is standing in the receiving line! Wendy F. Adams, CFRE, CEO of Cultivate for Good and longtime friend of the show, brings a leader’s lens and a fundraiser’s candor to a question many nonprofits still avoid: Who inherits donor loyalty, and what are we doing to earn it? She shares a personal story that makes the business case impossible to ignore—after her mother passed, Wendy discovered a long list of recurring gifts to multiple organizations. The dollars were real, consistent, and meaningful. The relationship? Nearly invisible.

Wendy introduces a practical concept that flips stewardship into a forward-looking strategy: the “beneficiary checkup.” Instead of waiting until a donor is gone and the organization is forced into an awkward conversation, Wendy challenges nonprofits to invite beneficiaries into the relationship now—while the donor can celebrate impact, and while the next decision-maker can form a real connection.

The episode presses on a tough truth: recurring donors are often treated as “set it and forget it,” and that quiet neglect can become a revenue cliff when a family member inherits the decision. Wendy also speaks directly to Gen X expectations: they want clarity, outcomes, and honesty, not glossy language. As she puts it, “Proof beats poetry.” And when it comes to legacy decisions, she’s blunt: “Give it to us straight and keep us a part of the dialogue.”

For leaders and boards, the call is simple: build confidence around assets, legacy tools, and storytelling that shows what happens because someone invested. The wealth is moving. The question is whether your nonprofit will be part of the next chapter—or quietly left behind.

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