Wall Watchers is a evangelical-oriented ministry that encourages financial accountability and increased stewardship among Christian churches and organizations. Founded in the 1990s, Wall Watchers expanded with an adjunct group: MinistryWatch, which aims to provide “the donating public with access to organizational and financial profiles on 400 of the largest Christian ministries in the United States.”

The Lake Institute on Faith and Giving is a public forum for exploring connections between faith and philanthropy. It is part of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. David H. Smith is the chair of the Board of Advisors to the Lake Institute.

The Material History of American Religion Project was a Lilly-funded program, based at Vanderbilt University, that ran from 1995-2001. The program produced a series of papers and books on the topic of believers and money, and it still maintains a useful website with links to programs and participants. James Hudnut-Beumler was director.

The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management is a Catholic organization founded in 2005 out of concerns over financial mismanagement uncovered during the sexual abuse crisis. The NLRCM says its mission “is to promote excellence and best practices in the management, finances and human resources development of the Catholic Church in the U.S. by greater incorporation of […]

FADICA (Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities Inc.) is a Washington, D.C.-based consortium of private charitable foundations and individual donors who try to foster stewardship and religious philanthropy. The organization has become increasingly interested in stewardship issues in recent years. Loretta Dees is the communications director.

The International Catholic Stewardship Council is a leading organization promoting increased stewardship in the Catholic Church. Research has shown that on average, Catholics tend to put less than Protestants — perhaps half as much — in the weekly collection plate. The ICSC, based in Dearborn Heights, Mich., is stepping up efforts to encourage giving. The group has […]

Giving USA of Chicago, Ill., is the leading foundation dedicated to promoting overall philanthropy and ethical standards for charitable organizations. In its most recent annual survey, using data from 2006, Giving USA reported that Americans gave more than $295 billion to the nation’s 1.4 million charitable and religious organizations, with the largest single share—almost one-third—going to the religious […]

Generous Giving Inc. is an evangelical ministry and foundation based in Chattanooga, Tenn., that seeks to encourage stewardship and financially sound practices among Christians. The group’s Web site includes a page of “Statistics & Trends” that provides data and context for this issue. Contact through the website.

The Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches is published by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB)and contains detailed financial data from most denominations. The data is self-reported.