Lake Institute on Faith & GivingThe Alban Institute2015-04-032015-04-032009https://hdl.handle.net/1805/6112Changes in charitable giving have long been linked to changes in the overall economy.i Research indicates that charitable giving is associated with personal income, gross domestic product, and changes in investment returns. In general, during times of strong economic growth, giving tends to increase, and during times of slower economic growth, philanthropy continues but at a modest rate of growth. Finally, during economic downturns, giving generally declines, even after adjusting for inflation.en-USEconomyCongregationsFundraisingWorking Paper