Determinants of Contributions to Religious Organizations

Abstract . A model of contributions to one's religious congregation suggests that since the operations of the congregation rely upon voluntary contributions from members, congregation members will contribute less as congregation size increases. This type of behavior, known as free riding is supported by the empirical results. Furthermore, income, race, congregation expenses and denomination are key determinants of contributions.     

Determinants of the Allocation of Volunteer Time: Church-Related versus Other Non-market Activities

This paper analyzes the relative time allocation decisions of individuals who volunteer time to a religious institution. The most important factor influencing the amount of time spent in church ministry relative to other non-market activities is educational attainment. In general, religious volunteers who are college-educated are significantly more likely to spend relatively more time working in church ministry than devoting time to family responsibilities, engaging in spiritual practices, or volunteering time to civic/community organizations. The presence of school-aged children tends to diminish the relative amount of time spent volunteering in church ministry. The findings of this study suggest church ministry perceived as being child-friendly or strengthening one’s spirituality is more likely to attract relatively greater time commitments from its volunteers.