This resource tells the story of six Cooperative Baptist Fellowship partner churches and the creative ways they are using their facilities and property.
Resources
Resource Library
Lake Institute’s Resource Library collects and curates a wide range of resources that can help deepen understanding and practice at the intersection of faith and giving.
Search by keywords or browse by themes to find current research, leadership insights, inspiring stories, discernment guides, theological reflection, and more.
Featured Resources
The Faithful Generosity Story Shelf highlights congregations and other religious organizations who have sought to use their assets and resources in creative—and sometimes surprising—ways as an expression of faithful giving.
The Center for the Church and the Black Experience and Lake Institute on Faith & Giving were proud to co-host the 2025 Symposium on Philanthropy and the Black Church. Focused on faith communities in the Black Church, the event united leaders across sectors to build trust, foster strategic partnerships, and reimagine philanthropy through the lens of faith, legacy, and mutual respect.
Erica Dollhopf, Ph.D., Meredith McNabb, and Dr. Carlos Perkins explore the newest data on religious giving and share key insights from the Giving USA 2025 report.
Resources
A story about how one Cooperative Baptist Fellowship congregation imagined using their space in a new way.
A story about how one Cooperative Baptist Fellowship congregation sold their land to reduce debt.
A story about two Cooperative Baptist Fellowship congregations who offer examples of rethinking the profit there is in pavement.
Bethel AME is helping to address the affordable housing crisis in San Diego by building affordable units on their property. They raised funds to offset construction costs enough to make the project self-sustaining.
Beyond the first step of acknowledgment, some faith communities are taking up concrete reparations as a way of demonstrating authentic repentance for their role in systemic oppression.
David King highlights the importance of understanding context when discussing philanthropy.
Don’t let confusion about taxes stop you from doing something new, say two experts in faith-based social enterprise.
An in-depth research presentation by Dave Kresta, PhD that examines the many ways religious spaces can be reimagined to serve modern communities.
Where to Start is a tool to help faith leaders consider what to do when they don't know what to do about resources.
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Insights is a bi-weekly e-newsletter for the religious community and fundraisers of faith-based organizations that provides:
- Reflections on important developments in the field of faith and giving
- Recommended books, studies and articles
- Upcoming Lake Institute events