Faith and Philanthropy
The Connection Between Charitable Behavior and Giving to Religion

in partnership with Faith and Philanthropy Press Kit Press Release Excerpts from the report (PDF) Foreword (PDF) by Robert W. Edgar, general secretary, National Council of Churches For IS Members Only: Faith and Philanthropy (PDF) PowerPoint presentation from the New York City release of the report (PDF)...6/27/02 Order Giving and Volunteering reports or subscribe to the Signature Series Faith and Philanthropy is made possible by generous support from The research for Giving and Volunteering in the United States is sponsored by The Atlantic Philanthropies, The Ford Foundation, Lilly Endowment, and the members of Independent Sector. A new report from Independent Sector and the National Council of Churches details the extraordinary philanthropy of America's givers to religion. Faith and Philanthropy: The Connection Between Charitable Behavior and Giving to Religion reveals that households that give to religion are the bedrock of giving to the nation's nonprofit organizations. Households that give to both religious and secular causes give more money and volunteer more than households that give to only one type of organization.  Faith and Philanthropy explores the links between faith and charitable giving and illustrates how the values and beliefs of religious-giving households influence their decisions to make donations and volunteer to all types of nonprofit organizations. Faith and Philanthropy reveals: Over 85 percent of religious-giving households support secular organizations; Fifty-two percent (52%) of all households give to both religious congregations and secular organizations, but those households account for 81 percent of all donations; Households that give to both types of institutions give more to religion ($1,391) compared to households that only give to religion ($1,154); and Fifty-five percent (55%) of dual-giving households give to at least two other kinds of organizations.