Religion & the Shifting Demand for Philanthropy

In the U.S., religion remains by far the largest recipient of individuals' charitable giving, though that proportion has been declining for years—reflecting major shifts in American religiosity and religious practice. In light of the shift of lessened giving coupled with a growing need for philanthropic efforts, we will explore the emerging patterns of everyday giving and volunteering as well as major trends in big philanthropy, asking how they impact and reflect shifts in religious life, civil society, and public discourse. Finally, we will address the overlapping themes of religion and philanthropy in a time of political uncertainty when it comes to funding sources, the nature and role of community, individual obligation, and the changing shape of moral imagination.

Host: David King

David P. King is the Karen Lake Buttrey Director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies within the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Having served congregations and national faith-based organizations, he is fueled by facilitating conversations with faith leaders, donors, and fundraisers (of all generations) around the intersections of faith, giving, and the public good. In 2022, he served as the Fulbright Scotland Distinguished Scholar at the University of Edinburgh. His first book, God's Internationalists: World Vision and the Age of Evangelical Humanitarianism (UPenn Press, 2019) won the Peter Dobkin Hall Prize for the best book in the history of philanthropy.

Panelist: Jason Garrett

Jason Garrett has been working for over 20 years to bridge, organize, and fund member-based communities, faith groups, and more to bring about justice. As the Senior Vice President of Faith, Bridging and Belonging, Jason supports Freedom Together Foundation's mission to build the power of people who have been denied it by expanding the number and diversity of people who are rooted in a shared vision and community, and who activate their collective power to challenge oppressive systems and build a more democratic society.

Panelist: Catherine Orsborn

Catherine Orsborn, Ph.D., is Senior Director of Programs and Public Policy at the El-Hibri Foundation, leading initiatives that strengthen leadership, resilience, and cross-sector collaboration to advance a just and pluralistic society. Formerly Executive Director of Shoulder to Shoulder, she trained faith leaders and led advocacy addressing anti-Muslim bias. An academic and teacher, Catherine has taught at multiple universities and holds a Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. She lives in Nashville with her husband and three children.

Panelist: Benjamin Soskis

Benjamin Soskis, a historian of philanthropy and civil society, is a senior research associate at the Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, the co-editor of the web publication HistPhil, and in 2025, a Visiting Scholar at Independent Sector. A frequent contributor to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, his writing on philanthropy and civil society has also appeared in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and the Guardian. Soskis is coauthor of The Battle Hymn of the Republic: A Biography of the Song that Marches On (Oxford, 2013) and co-editor of Giving in Time: Temporal Considerations in Philanthropy (Rowman & Littlefield/Urban Institute, 2023). He received his PhD in American History from Columbia University.

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