Hundreds of Evangelical organizations saw a rise in donations from 2020 to 2021, according to a new report from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
ECFA found that its average member organization saw a 3% increase in cash donations from 2020, the year the pandemic began, to 2021, with this increase being “inflation-adjusted.”
The 3% increase from 2020 to 2021 was higher than the 2.5% increase in cash giving seen in 2019-2020, and well above the 1.3% increase in giving seen in 2018-2019.
ECFA broke down its ministries into several categories, with “foundations” having the largest increase in cash giving during this time, seeing a 65.8% increase in donations.
Anti-human trafficking groups saw a 28.9% increase in giving, while pregnancy resource centers saw a 14.5% increase, children’s ministries had a 12.6% increase, and church planting had a 12.2% increase.
Three types of ministries saw drops in cash giving from 2020-2021: “Alcohol and drug rehabilitation” saw a 2.7% decrease, student and youth ministry had a 2.9 decrease, and individual churches had a 6.6% decrease.