Contrasts with Decrease in Donations to Religious Charities Overall
WINCHESTER, Va. — Cash charitable giving to ECFA members with fiscal years ending in 2011 reflected a modest increase from 2010, the organization announced today. This contrasts with a decrease in giving to religious charities overall, as noted in a recent national report.
Giving to ECFA-accredited organizations increased 3.4 percent from 2010, totaling $4.81 billion last year, as compared with $4.65 billion in 2010. The increase is comparable to the 1.7 percent decrease in charitable giving to religious organizations from 2010 to 2011, as reported by Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy (www.givingusareports.org).
“This is a very encouraging development,” said Dan Busby, ECFA president. “It shows that even as difficult economic conditions persist, donors to ECFA-accredited ministries continue to live out their faith by practicing generosity in spite of adverse economic times. It also shows ECFA is well positioned to help Christian organizations accomplish their missions through adherence to biblical standards, guidelines and practices.”
ECFA released its latest giving figures in part one of its third annual State of Giving Report (www.ecfa.org). The initial phase of the 2012 report identified five areas in which ECFA member organizations reported double-digit percentage increases in giving: adoption (23.9 percent), pregnancy resource centers (22.2 percent), alcohol/drug rehabilitation (20.5 percent), youth ministries (13.2 percent) and rescue missions (10.9 percent).
Part one of the State of Giving Report covers giving activity toward one portion of ECFA membership. The full report on the giving activity toward all ECFA members is scheduled for release in October 2012.
A podcast on “Charitable Giving Higher for ECFA Members <http://members>” is available at www.ecfa.podbean.com/feed.
ECFA, founded in 1979, provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with the ECFA standards pertaining to financial accountability, fund-raising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, including information about accreditation and a listing of ECFA-accredited members, visit www.ecfa.org or call 1-800-323-9473.
