Givelify Receives Prestigious Stevie® Award for Church Giving Research

Givelify, the most loved and trusted online and mobile giving app, has been honored with a Silver Stevie® Award in the Best White Paper or Research Report category for the 2024 Giving in Faith: Exploring Key Trends in Religious Giving report. This groundbreaking report sheds light on emerging trends in church giving and religious philanthropy.

“As part of Givelify’s commitment to use data to advance the psychology of giving, we are honored that our research contribution has been recognized,” said Wale Mafolasire, founder and CEO of Givelify. “This honor is possible thanks to our talented team and esteemed partner, the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving.”   

With a legacy of honoring outstanding achievements across various industries, the Stevie® Awards serve as a testament to innovation, leadership, and business excellence. Wale added, “As we strive to bring a greater understanding of the far-reaching impact that religious communities have, we hope to inspire even more generosity across the world.” 

The Stevie® Awards: celebrating excellence in business 

The coveted Stevie® Awards stand as a beacon of excellence in the global business community. They are the organizers of eight of the world’s most prestigious business award programs, including the acclaimed American Business Awards® and the International Business Awards®. 

The 2024 competition garnered an impressive 3,700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and across sectors, showcasing the diverse range of talent and accomplishments within the business world. 

“We are delighted to acknowledge the wide range of American organizations in the 2024 American Business Awards,” stated Michael Gallagher, founder and Executive Chairman of the Stevie® Awards. 

“This year, we witnessed a surge in nominations in categories like Product Innovation, Innovation of the Year across diverse industries, and Technology Categories, mirroring the influence of new and emerging technologies shaping our nation.” 

As winners of the 22nd Annual American Business Awards®, Givelify received high average scores from the esteemed panel of judges for the Giving in Faith report, affirming our dedication to excellence and innovation in our field.  

“‘This report provides a rare look into religious giving, providing a more holistic understanding of generosity overall,’ as well as the full white paper with detailed analysis. Overall, it is a well-written white paper with clear objectives and articulation.”

– Stevie® Awards judge

Uncovering church giving trends 

Today, little research illuminates how people are generous in less formal ways, from donating to a crowdfunding campaign to volunteering their time and talents for causes they support. Even less research focuses on how the generosity of people of faith and their places of worship responds to the unmet needs of the communities where they are anchored.   

A collaborative effort between Givelify’s Philanthropic Research & Insights team and Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, part of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the 2024 Giving in Faith report sheds light on emerging trends in religious philanthropy at the intersection of faith and giving. 

Responses from nearly 1,000 faith leaders and more than 2,000 people of faith were gathered through a comprehensive survey. By analyzing the perspectives of givers, faith leaders, and congregations, the report provides a holistic understanding of the state of faith-based church giving in the U.S. 

“There are numerous studies that examine overall charitable giving, but very few that look more specifically at religious giving. At Givelify, our faith-based givers tend to be more generous, and we sought to validate this. Our latest research confirms the abundant generosity of people of faith and provides additional insights into their giving behaviors, as well as other current giving trends,” said AJ Mafolasire, Head of Givelify’s Philanthropic Research & Insights team. 

“Even with concerns about a decline in U.S. giving, we found a notable increase in charitable contributions from people of faith, and a continued commitment to give even more in the year ahead.” 

The report’s findings, also drawn from over 30 million Givelify donations, encompass a range of topics including religious giving behaviors, technological trends, and the impact these charitable contributions have on their communities. 

Empowering faith leaders, enriching communities 

Our aim with this report is twofold: to bring light to the often-overlooked philanthropy of faith communities and to provide practical value to faith leaders who are on the frontlines of serving their congregations and communities each day. 

This report is a valuable resource for faith leaders, offering insights that can help drive positive change within their communities. Armed with these insightful findings, faith leaders can make informed decisions to foster generosity within their congregations and extend their philanthropic reach beyond the walls of their places of worship. 

Explore the award-winning Giving in Faith report 

This is Givelify’s third Stevie® Award win. Last year, the team received a Silver Stevie Award® for Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year. And, in 2022, Givelify was recognized for its outstanding mobile giving app experience with the Bronze Stevie Award for Best User Experience. 

As we celebrate this achievement, we invite you to explore the latest findings in faith-based charitable giving. Download your free copy of the 2024 Giving in Faith report. You can also dive deeper into additional insights from our 2022 and 2020 Giving in Faith reports.