Rabbi Jason Bonder reflects on what he learned in the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising course and how he was invited to see his work in a new light.
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
Amir Pasic, Eugene R. Tempel Dean of the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, reflects on the theme of our upcoming Thomas H. Lake Lecture.
The study is based on extensive interviews with leaders of 87 rural United Methodist Churches (UMC) across North Carolina. Information from these interviews was categorized and assigned a numerical value in six areas -- direct spending, education & childcare, magnet effect, individual impact, community serving programs, and outdoor recreation space.
Elizabeth Lynn names the economic challenges and possibilities in the work of religious leaders.
Lake Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship recipient, Esra Tunc, contemplates an “otherwise” philanthropy, which centers the communities in which they seek to serve.
Melissa Spas writes about Lake Institute’s commitment to develop new partnerships and resources with BIPOC leaders and organizations
Meredith McNabb shares four strategic steps that can help set up your congregation or religious nonprofit for the year ahead.
A guide from Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Foundation to help churches strengthen endowment funds and planned/legacy giving.
Melissa Spas reflects on what a seemingly dormant season can provide.
Jacqueline Ackerman of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute uses data on women’s giving to inform organizational considerations ahead of GivingTuesday.
Subscribe
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
