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.

In this Insights edition, Meagan Anderson Longley, MSSW, and Elizabeth Le’anani Coffee examine the untapped potential of partnerships between faith communities and philanthropic organizations to drive meaningful, place-based impact in areas like affordable housing and community development.

This Insights explores how your organization’s “digital front door” shapes giving and engagement. Meredith McNabb shares practical guidance on strengthening your website and online presence to support donor trust and accessibility, while Emily Heck expands on this perspective with strategies for improving search engine optimization (SEO) and AI-readiness. Together, they offer actionable ways to ensure your digital presence both reflects your mission and helps people find—and support—your work.

In these two reflections from the El Semillero Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising, Jorge Juan Rodríguez V, PhD, and Alma Lizzette Cárdenas-Rodríguez explore the deeper moral and cultural dimensions of faith-based fundraising.