Leaders of a church in Pennsylvania launched a Year of Contagious Generosity, and what happened next surprised a lot of people. Money raised benefited the local fire department, school district, and helped rebuild a community playground.
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.
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.
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.
Resources
Marc Kirchoff shares how giving digitally became a part of worship.
Meredith McNabb writes that congregations’ own economic practices are a potent model of what faithful generosity and stewardship look like.
Does it matter if clergy know about individual financial giving? Yes, it does and Meredith McNabb shares why.
Church's money management lessons lead to transformation in an impoverished neighborhood.
David Heilbron shares his thoughts on how we can develop and inspire the next generation of philanthropists.
Almost all U.S. congregations ceased in-person religious services in mid-March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet for the vast majority of these faith communities, their work and religious services continued online in the midst of significant uncertainty. How have congregations responded in these unprecedented times?
Rev. Bruce Barkhauer offers a "recipe" for creating the best possible conditions for a flourishing culture of generosity.
Paul Marsh outlines what it can look like to use the servant leadership model on a stewardship team.
Steve Oelschlager gives best practices for congregational stewardship ministry.
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

