Charity

Finances

It is estimated the LDS church pulls in between 5 billion dollars annually in tithing revenue alone, sans additional for-profit enterprises. [footnote]Mormons Inc. – Time Magazine [/footnote]

From a Dallin Oak (LDS Apostle) 2016 address on religious freedom at the University of Oxford:[footnote]Transcript: Elder Dallin H. Oaks at University of Oxford [/footnote]

“Care for the poor and needy is not optional or incidental in our Church. We do this worldwide. For example, in the year 2015 we had 177 emergency response projects in 56 countries. In addition, we had hundreds of projects that impacted more than a million people in seven other categories of assistance, such as clean water, immunization, and vision care. For more than 30 years the magnitude of these efforts has averaged about 40 million dollars a year.”

The Deseret Morning News LDS Church Almanac gives information on historical membership records of the LDS church. The church’s reported membership as of December 31, 2015 was 15,634,199.[footnote]2015 Statistical Report for April 2016 General Conference [/footnote] The growth of 1.7% in 2015 is the lowest percentage growth since 1937.[footnote]LDS Church Growth Slows to Its Lowest Level Since 1937, But Here’s the Good News in That [/footnote]

Though the LDS church has a robust welfare program, funded through fast offerings, the percentage of tithing funds that go towards external humanitarian causes is fairly low considerings it substantial resources. Even adjusting the estimated numbers to lean more conservative, the per-member donation would still fall under $10 annually.

Contrast this with the recent estimated $2 billion cost of the City Creek mega-mall in downtown Salt Lake City. [footnote]The money behind the mormon message – Salt Lake Tribune [/footnote]

Since 1959 the LDS church has not publicly disclosed its financial statements… even to its tithe payers.

 


Crash Course:

How the Mormons Make Money – Bloomberg

LDS Church Finances – Wikipedia

Mormon Leaks