Who Will You Make Your Next Donation To And Why?

What is the average giving per person in church? Studies show that churches of different sizes experience varying rates of per-person giving. Generally, the larger the church, the lower the per-person giving rates for both weekly and annual donations.

For example, ChurchSalary found that churches with 50 attendees had an average annual per-person giving of $2,589, while churches with 5,000 attendees reported an average annual per-person giving of $2,340. For a more detailed breakdown of their findings, see the image below.

The lower rates of giving in larger churches are understandable, considering that 37% of churchgoers do not contribute financially to their church. As attendance increases, the number of individuals who do not give also rises.

  • Giving USA™Key findings from Giving USA 2024: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2023, reports that individuals, bequests, foundations and corporations gave an estimated $557.16 billion to U.S. charities in 2023.
  • Average charitable donations by income: The average charitable donation is $2,588 for those making less than $50,000 per year, $3,305 for those making $100,000 to $500,000 annually. (The Giving USA 2024 Report)

People give to their churches and charities based on what they have available. Americans do not give more than they can afford; they give from their resources. Churches and nonprofits are expected to operate within the confines of the donations they receive or the services they provide. Once their funds are exhausted, they must wait until more donations come in.

Many Americans donate according to their perceived needs and emotional connections to a church or charity. If there is no emotional investment in the cause, financial support is likely to be minimal.

For example, Vice President Kamala Harris has raised over $1 billion since entering the presidential race—the fastest an amount that large has 

ever raised by a presidential candidate, according to The New York Times. Former President Donald Trump has raised about $350 million, and President Joe Biden raised over $600 million before dropping out of the race, according to Forbes.

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Dr. Glenn Mollette

Dr. Glenn Mollette is a graduate of numerous schools including Georgetown College, Southern and Lexington Seminaries in Kentucky. He is the author of 13 books including Uncommon Sense, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states. Hear Dr. Glenn Mollette every weekday morning at 8:56 EST on XM 131 radio.