Giving Study of Churches and Nonprofits Calls for Continued Donor Generosity
WINCHESTER, Va. — ECFA (The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) announced today that annual cash charitable giving to ECFA-accredited organizations remained largely unchanged between 2011 and 2010. It reflects the overall economic uncertainty of the nation, with total cash donations of $9.84 billion in 2011, a 1.7% increase/decrease from the previous year’s $9.67 billion. One year ago, ECFA reported a 5.8% increase in giving to its members for 2010 compared to 2009.
“As many American families experience shrinking discretionary funds, church and nonprofit donors are increasingly challenged to maintain previous levels of support,” said Dan Busby, ECFA president. “Nevertheless, Christ-followers continue to demonstrate commitment to wise and generous stewardship of their God-given resources to support His mission.”
Non-cash giving decreased 6.6% in 2011, compared with 2010 according to the ECFA analysis. Busby noted that there is a significant ebb and flow of noncash gifts based on the timing of natural disasters.
ECFA’s 3rd Annual State of Giving Report breaks down nearly $10 billion of giving to members in segments including churches, rescue missions, missionary-sending ministries, colleges and universities, and camps and conferences. The most significant giving increases occurred in the following categories: Short-term missions 21.0%, adoption 12.4%, pregnancy resource centers 12.2% and orphan care 11.8%.
Summary of Change in Cash Contributions
|
Organizational Segment
|
2009 to 2010
|
2010 to 2011
|
|
Adoption
|
14.7%
|
12.4%
|
|
Alcohol/drug rehabilitation
|
-8.5%
|
8.7%
|
|
Associations
|
-1.5%
|
-2.3%
|
|
Bible study
|
-0.9%
|
10.2%
|
|
Camps and conferences
|
7.1%
|
-10.0%
|
|
Child sponsorship
|
24.3%
|
8.0%
|
|
Children’s homes
|
4.1%
|
-0.4%
|
|
Church: denominations
|
4.6%
|
-6.1%
|
|
Church: local
|
4.4%
|
6.0%
|
|
Community development
|
12.0%
|
-6.0%
|
|
Education: higher education
|
2.1%
|
-4.5%
|
|
Education: K-12
|
4.8%
|
-8.0%
|
|
Evangelism
|
3.4%
|
4.2%
|
|
Foundations
|
68.8%
|
-6.0%
|
|
Leadership training
|
2.4%
|
1.4%
|
|
Literature publishing
|
9.2%
|
8.5%
|
|
Media
|
1.4%
|
6.2%
|
|
Medical
|
-15.8%
|
-0.2%
|
|
Missions: international
|
-1.9%
|
5.4%
|
|
Missions: domestic
|
-1.7%
|
3.2%
|
|
Missions: short-term
|
13.4%
|
21.0%
|
|
Orphan care
|
20.5%
|
11.8%
|
|
Pregnancy resource centers
|
1.7%
|
12.2%
|
|
Prison
|
-5.9%
|
-0.4%
|
|
Relief and development
|
8.4%
|
-4.7%
|
|
Rescue missions
|
-1.9%
|
8.4%
|
|
Student/youth
|
-6.6%
|
10.2%
|
|
Average
|
5.8%
|
1.7%
|
The 2010 to 2011 data is based on the data of 1,481 ECFA members (the 2009 to 2010 data is based on 1,360 members). While ECFA currently has nearly 1,900 accredited members, certain members are not included in this study because they were accredited by ECFA in the last two years and the comparable financial data for 2010 and 2011 is not available. The data is not from surveys of the member organizations but comes directly from financial statements prepared by independent Certified Public Accountants—primarily audits.