Giving Compass
  • Sign In
  • About Us
    About Giving Compass How We Choose Content and Organizations Annual Reflections Our Newsletter
  • Getting Started
  • Learn About Issues
    Topic Guides
    Animal Welfare COVID-19 Criminal Justice Democracy Disaster Relief Education Environment Health Homelessness Immigrants and Refugees Racial Equity Women and Girls
    Curated Articles
    Partner Collections Giving Compass Selections See All Articles
  • Give to Causes
    Issue Funds & Intermediaries Projects Nonprofits
  • Get Involved
    Philanthropy Resource Directory Events Volunteer Opportunities
  • Partner With Us
    Nonprofits Authors Use Our Content Services Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
Sign Up
  • Get the Newsletter
  • Sign In

As Religiosity Changes, Donor Engagement Needs to Adapt

Johnson Center Mar 4, 2019
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
Click here for more.
As Religiosity Changes, Donor Engagement Needs to Adapt Giving Compass
  •  Share
  •  Save
Share

Since the late 1950s, when Giving USA first began tracking charitable giving in the United States, gifts to religious organizations have garnered a larger share of philanthropic dollars than any other sub-sector. Measuring only gifts to “congregations, missions, religious media, and other related organizations,” giving to religion-related causes accounts for less than one-third (31 percent) of all charitable gifts in the country, according to Giving USA 2018 data. That does not account for gifts to organizations like The Salvation Army, Islamic Relief USA, or thousands of other organizations that identify as faith-based and also work within other subsectors.

Research tells us that individuals with a religious affiliation are more inclined to give and often at higher levels (Giving USA, 2018 & Li, 2016). Religious people’s giving is not limited to religious organizations as defined by Giving USA; religious people are 3 percent more likely to support secular causes than those who do not identify as religious (Li, 2016). The amount that religious households give annually is more than double that of households with no religious connection (Austin, 2017).

We can’t ignore that giving to faith-based organizations is also being done differently as we see continued growth in donor advised funds, both through community foundations and religious-based foundations. The National Christian Foundation, which manages donor advised funds, reported grants in excess of $1.3 million in 2017, and the American Muslim Fund, formed as a non-place-based community fund in 2016, dispersed over $123,000 in 2017 from donor advised funds.

 

Clustering spiritual beliefs and practices rather than identifying individuals based on religious denomination, Pew Research Center focuses on key indicators that either unite or divide people.

Although religious giving continues to hold strong, growth has slowed to less than one percent annually in the past few years (Giving USA, 2018). At the same time, we are experiencing a surge in the number of people who do not identify with any particular religious tradition, including those that self-identify as atheist or agnostic (Pew, 2012). These “nones” now represent some 23 percent of the population in this country (Lipka, 2015). As one may expect, Millennials represent roughly 35 percent of these religiously unaffiliated individuals, although the group is widely diverse across ethnic, educational, and income demographics (Lipka, 2015).

The connection between religious identity and giving is further complicated by the changing landscape and language of spirituality. The Pew Research Center released a report in August 2018 developing a new typology to describe religious affiliation in this changing environment. Clustering spiritual beliefs and practices rather than identifying individuals based on religious denomination, Pew focuses on key indicators that either unite or divide people. The seven classifications range from “Sunday Stalwarts” – traditionally religious people – to “Solidly Secular” – those who hold no religious belief (Pew, 2018).

While this new typology isn’t meant to replace traditional classifications of religious people (Catholic, Protestants, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, etc.), it does offer a new way of thinking about religious affiliation that could inform and impact philanthropy in the future. As participation in organized religion continues to decline, a deeper understanding of spiritual practices and values could inform philanthropic engagement.

___

By Tamela Spicer, M.A. Program Manager, Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy.

  •  Share
  •  Save
Share

Since you are interested in Philanthropy, have you read these selections from Giving Compass related to impact giving and Philanthropy?

  • This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
    Click here for more.
    How Nonprofits Can Tap Into the Impact Investment Market

    For more than three decades, a small-but-growing sector of mission-driven organizations known as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) have been at the forefront of creating equity and opportunity in underinvested communities.   Limited funding requires that they, and other nonprofit organizations, make tough choices about where to focus their efforts.  The burgeoning world of impact investing, however, offers new hope for nonprofit organizations seeking access to capital. Based on our experience, we have seven recommendations for other mission-driven organizations interested in pursuing their own investment instrument: Achieve a credit rating. Nonprofits should establish the financial soundness of their organization in the same way corporations or government entities do. Work with an investment partner. Successfully navigating the investing world to put a product in front of the right audiences requires expertise that most CDFIs and nonprofits lack. Ensure the product is widely accessible. There are thousands of investment products to choose from, and if an offering is hard to find or difficult to invest in, your organization will have trouble meeting its goals. Comply with state registration requirements. Accessibility includes thinking about where an organization sells the product. Provide a continuous offering. The timing of an investment product’s sale is also important. A “continuous offering” means a product is available to customers over an extended period of time rather than on just a single date. Pursue a trusted settlement process. While getting to market is critical, it is also important to consider what happens once investors purchase your product. Investors want a trusted and efficient means by which money and securities are exchanged with the seller. Bring in legal counsel. Securities are an extremely regulated industry, and it is important to understand the do’s and don’ts to avoid potential legal risk. Read the full article about how CDFIs' impact investing by Natalie Nickens Gun at Stanford Social Innovation Review


Looking for a way to get involved?

Learning with others and benchmarking are key steps towards becoming an impact giver. If you are interested in giving with impact for Advocacy and Policy, take a look at these events, galas, conferences and volunteering opportunities to connect with individuals like you.

Loading...
Learn More

Are you ready to give?

In addition to learning and connecting with others, taking action is a key step towards becoming an impact giver. If you are interested in giving with impact for Advocacy and Policy take a look at these Giving Funds, Charitable Organizations or Projects.

Loading...
Learn More
Connect

Loading...

Loading...

Learn More
Take Action

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Learn More
More from
Giving Compass
  • This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
    Click here for more.
    Perspectives on Giving USA 2018
  • This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
    Click here for more.
    Giving USA 2018: Crossing the $400 Billion Mark for the First Time
  • This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
    Click here for more.
    Where Do Donor-Advised Fund Grants Go?
Follow Us
Newsletter

Become a newsletter subscriber to stay up-to-date on the latest Giving Compass news.

About Us
  • About Giving Compass
  • In The News
  • Contact Us
  • Content at Giving Compass
  • Partner With Us
Trending Issues
  • Environment
  • Homelessness
  • STEM Education
  • Equal Pay Act
  • Gender Equality

Copyright © 2021, Giving Compass, LLC

•
  • Privacy Policy
  • User Agreement

Sign in

Your personal information is confidential at Giving Compass. For more information, please visit our privacy policy. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use.