A new survey of 1,008 Protestant evangelicals representing 23% of the total United States population finds the decline in church and charitable giving by such Americans first seen in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic leveled off in 2025, thus giving hope that when 2026 results are in, the trendline will have been reversed.

“The proportion of evangelicals who give to church declined 18% from 2020 to 2024. The proportion giving to charity dropped 16%. The proportion giving to both fell 22%. But the numbers have stabilized, with all these figures in 2025 looking very similar to what they were in 2024,” according to “The Generosity Landscape: How Evangelicals Give,” which was conducted by Grey Matter Strategic Consulting and Infinity Concepts.

The responses to the survey provided additional support for the idea that “the more evangelicals pray, attend worship and small groups, and read and study the Bible, the more likely they are to give, and the more generously they contribute.”

“Someone at the highest level of spiritual engagement is 284% more likely to give money to church, and 73% more likely to give to charity outside of church, than is someone at a very low level. Among those who give, generosity (the proportion of their household income they give) to church is 195% higher for the most spiritually engaged compared to the least. For charity, it is a whopping 400% higher,” the survey said.

In addition to active engagement in prayer, Bible study, and small group fellowship, the survey results confirmed that evangelicals who attend church services more often are the most generous.

“Among evangelicals who typically attend church in person at least once a week, 84% financially support their church at some level. This drops to 69% when they attend one to three times a month, and just 39% when they attend sporadically. Among the 17% of evangelicals who primarily ‘attend’ church virtually, just 37% financially support a church. People attending in person one to three times a month are less than half as generous to church as are those who show up weekly, and virtual churchgoers are only about one third as generous.”

Other findings of the survey included these:

• 62% of evangelical Protestants financially supported a church they were attending (in person or virtually).
• 51% financially supported at least one ministry or charity outside of church. Only 40% gave to both church and charity.
• 27% did not give a penny to either a church, a charity, or a ministry outside of church.
• 52% of evangelicals volunteered with at least one organization in the past 12 months. This includes 69% of church donors and 68% of charitable donors.

The survey authors cautioned that while the results appear to indicate a bottoming out or cessation of the decline in evangelical giving, there is no assurance that future results won’t either show renewed decline or a new pattern of increasing giving. Even so, the authors expressed optimism based on growing clarity about the sources of all the trends seen in the survey data.

“While some findings may feel sobering, they are not discouraging — they are clarifying. Though some trends appear concerning, the overall picture offers reasons for optimism. The consistent relationship between spiritual engagement and generosity remains one of the most significant findings. This correlation suggests that efforts aimed at strengthening spiritual engagement — through teaching, involvement in a community, and active participation — may yield better outcomes than focusing on fundraising alone,” the survey authors observed.

“What we can clearly see is a process of transition. The patterns of giving among evangelicals are evolving, reflecting shifts in culture, technology, and engagement. Those who recognize and respond thoughtfully to these dynamics can help shape a more vibrant and resilient culture of generosity in the years ahead,” they concluded.