In this issue, we continue the conversation sparked by the 21st Thomas H. Lake Lecture, presented by Meghan Sullivan, PhD, exploring what it means to live generously and pursue a good life. David P. King, PhD, reflects on Sullivan’s call to root philanthropy in love, attention, connection, and vulnerability, while a Q&A with Dr. David Craig explores how these ideas are being brought into the classroom through his IU Indianapolis course. Watch Sullivan’s full lecture and discover how the pursuit of human flourishing can shape our generosity, communities, and lives.

Lake Institute on Faith & Giving bridges research and practice to help faith-based organizations and communities better understand generosity through education, research, public conversations, resources, and real-world stories. Together, these efforts aim to make generosity a guiding cultural value that reaches beyond individual organizations and into the wider public.

Elizabeth Lynn and Kelly Dunlap explore seven forms of religious civic engagement, while Brian Fox and Anthony Riley reflect on how faith communities can move beyond service toward deeper, more communal work for the common good. Together, the three articles invite faith communities to examine their own civic presence and consider how they can build stronger connections and work more collectively toward the common good.

Dr. Carlos W. Perkins and McKenzie Scott Lewis explore how congregations serve as trusted community anchors and why investing in their long-term health is essential for neighborhood transformation. Perkins emphasizes the need to strengthen leadership, infrastructure, and organizational capacity, while Lewis builds on those ideas by highlighting Congregations With Community's grant plus model, which combines funding with coaching and capacity-building support.

This issue of Lake Insights explores new research on Christian women, wealth, and generosity through the Women, Wealth & Faith study. Featuring perspectives from Terra Seidel and Elizabeth Le'anani Coffee, the articles examine how confidence, trust, collaboration, and spiritual practice shape generous living and what these findings mean for faith communities seeking to cultivate lasting generosity.

Explore the latest insights from Giving USA 2026, including an analysis from Lake Institute's Erica Dollhopf, PhD, and additional webinar and podcast resources to help faith-based leaders understand today's charitable giving trends.

In this edition of Insights, we reflect on the enduring connections between faith, philanthropy, and civic life through the lens of the American Revolution. Philip Goff examines how religious communities and voluntary organizations helped inspire and sustain the movement for independence, while Tasha Gibson considers how these same traditions of generosity and collective action continue to influence our communities today.

Drawing on recent research from Givelify and philanthropic scholars, David P. King, PhD, examines the gap between religious donors’ desire to give consistently and their actual giving patterns. He explores how congregations and faith leaders can foster generosity by framing giving not simply as a financial transaction, but as a spiritual practice rooted in habit, reflection, and community.

In this issue of Insights, we’re highlighting an interview with Vivian Long and Elizabeth Le’anani Coffee, facilitated by Tasha Gibson. Together, they explore the intersection of philanthropy, lived religion, and cultural identity, with a specific focus on centering the experiences of Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community members.

In this edition of Lake Insights, students from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy reflect on how their experiences with Lake have expanded their understanding of giving beyond traditional frameworks. In response, Anthony L. Heaven, PhD, explores how diverse belief systems shape philanthropic study and practice, emphasizing the importance of moral imagination, equity, and inclusive approaches to giving.