The Christian charity Stewardship has surpassed the £100 million milestone in charitable giving for 2023, as revealed in it's annual report, published on Tuesday 6th August 2024.
Last year, Stewardship facilitated £109.6 million in grants, marking a 12 per cent increase from the previous year, and observed a 2 per cent rise in donations.
Founded in 1906 by members of the Open Brethren as the East of England Evangelisation Trust, Stewardship has evolved through mergers with entities like Sovereign Giving and Credit Action to support the advancement of "the evangelical Christian faith" according to their website.
Today, the charity serves around 4,000 churches, 6,000 charities, and numerous individuals, contributing to projects like the Sanctuary Foundation for refugees and a gospel music festival in Liverpool.
In addition to grants, the organisation also provided 19 loans totaling £9.6 million to churches and charities in 2023. The distribution of grants saw charities receiving 60 per cent, churches 26 per cent, and individual partners 14 per cent.
Chief executive Janie Oliver told Church Times: “In the context of a difficult year for many, we were once again humbled by the generosity of those we serve.”
Oliver attributed part of this success to the expansion of Stewardship’s Donor Advisory Board service, which facilitates inclusive grant-making decisions among philanthropists and their circles.
Stewardship aims to bridge the gap between the current £2 billion given by UK Christians and the potential £7 billion. The organisation also advocates for discipleship programmess that merge faith with finance to enrich the giving experience and foster a "thriving Kingdom economy."