Adelle Banks recently wrote a piece for Religion News Service about research conducted by Grey Matter Research & Consulting on behalf of the nonprofit fundraising firm the Russ Reid Co. The research suggests:
Houses of worship and other charities often aren’t in competition for dollars but instead tend to reap donations from similar donors . . . the more Americans give to a house of worship, the more they donate to other groups.
So What?
In the article, Banks quoted Ron Sellers, President of Grey Matter, who succinctly summarized the findings:
Americans who give to their church or place of worship are more likely to give, period — including to charitable organizations . . . Rather than be in competition for the donor dollar, it seems that giving fosters giving.
Does your congregation behave in a way that is consistent with this reality? Put differently, does your parish operate from a perspective of scarcity or abundance?
How has giving helped you learn to be more generous?