Ministry Brands 2026 Reports Highlight Shifting Church Giving Trends

Ministry Brands, a provider of church software and online giving solutions, has released the 2026 Annual Church Giving Report and the Annual Parish Giving Report, marking the first year the organization has published separate analyses of giving trends across Protestant churches and Catholic parishes.

Released ahead of Easter, the reports provide a comprehensive view of generosity across faith-based communities, highlighting shared trends and key differences ahead of one of the most significant periods of attendance and generosity.

Developed in partnership with Parable Group, the 2026 Annual Church Giving Reports analyze billions in digital donations across tens of thousands of churches and parishes, alongside survey responses from more than 1,000 church and parish leaders. The reports provide a benchmark for how generosity is evolving and equip ministry leaders with actionable data to better understand engagement, technology and participation trends.

“Church giving continues to reflect both consistency and change,” said Anna Caragio, technical digital analyst at Parable Group. “While generosity remains a core part of church life, the way people prefer to give is evolving. Digital access, generational preferences and community engagement all play a role, and this year’s data highlights meaningful distinctions between Catholic and Protestant communities, while reinforcing shared opportunities for ministry leaders across denominations.”

Key Trends Shaping Church Giving Today

• Digital giving continues to drive overall growth: Giving remained stable overall in 2025, with many churches and parishes reporting increases fueled by digital methods. Among Protestant churches, 57% reported an increase in digital giving, with digital accounting for 41% of total donations among churches offering it. Among parishes that reported increased giving, nearly half (49%) also reported growth in digital giving, the highest share among reported drivers. 67% of parishes now offer recurring options, with continued year-over-year growth.
• Younger donors respond to modern payment methods: Younger generations are accustomed to digital and mobile payment experiences in their daily lives, and familiar, flexible payment options are key to engaging this next generation of givers. Protestant churches were nearly twice as likely to report increased generosity among donors ages 18 to 29 when offering digital wallet giving options while Catholic parishes offering digital wallets were 2.6 times more likely to see increased generosity from this same group.
• Ease of giving and clear communication drive generosity: Simplicity and accessibility play a critical role in strengthening generosity. Protestant churches offering digital wallets, recurring giving and livestream giving were nearly twice as likely to report increased giving, and Catholic parishes similarly saw more consistent generosity when recurring giving and simple digital access were in place.

“Churches and parishes are seeing that when giving is accessible and clearly connected to mission, participation follows,” said Chris Bacon, CEO of Ministry Brands. “This year’s reports give leaders practical insight into how people are engaging with generosity today and where there is opportunity to strengthen that engagement moving forward.”

Key Differences Between Catholic and Protestant Giving Patterns

Growth patterns differ between churches and parishes. Protestant churches were more likely to report year-over-year increases in giving, with 55% indicating growth in 2025. Catholic parishes showed greater overall stability, with 55% reporting that giving either increased or remained the same, reflecting a more consistent pattern rather than growth alone.

Drivers of generosity also differ significantly across communities. Parish giving is strongly tied to attendance and participation, as parishes with increased weekly attendance were 7.8x more likely to report increased giving and 8.4x more likely to report an increase in donors compared to those with stable or declining attendance. Churches are significantly more likely to report increased giving when using multi-channel digital strategies, including recurring giving, digital wallets, and livestream giving.

Protestant churches also demonstrate greater digital maturity. Digital giving represents a significant share of total contributions, and churches offering multiple ways to give are significantly more likely to see increases in both giving and donor participation.

The New Reality of Church Giving

The findings point in a clear direction for faith-based ministry leaders of all denominations and communities. Digital giving continues to expand, younger generations are shaping expectations, and simple, clear giving experiences support stronger participation.

Download the 2026 Annual Church Giving Report here.

Download the Annual Parish Giving Report here.

Source: Ministry Brands

The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of NonProfit PRO.