The primary research project of the Cooperative Congregational Studies Partnership (CCSP) is Faith Communities Today (FACT), a series of national surveys of U.S. congregations. This research is unique in many ways. Not only do the reports show the similarities and differences of congregational life among the faith traditions, but they also provide insightful trend line data reflecting the changing landscape of congregational life in the United States.
In addition, our periodic topical publications investigate certain congregational practices and address major challenges facing congregations today with practical resources.
The FACT series was launched in 2000 with the largest national survey of congregations ever conducted in the United States. The study of 14,301 local churches, synagogues, parishes, temples and mosques provided a public profile of the organizational backbone of religion in America – congregations – at the beginning of a new millennium. Two smaller studies followed this in 2005 and 2008. A full replication of the 2000 study, FACT 2010, was released in 2011. It was a survey of over 11,000 congregations.
In 2015, a smaller survey of 4,436 congregations was done and the findings were released in late 2015, with focused reports following in 2016-2018.
Our FACT 2020 survey is currently being planned. For the latest FACT news and reports, sign up for our newsletter.
Faith Communities Today 2015
FACT 2015 used key informants in each surveyed congregation, typically the senior or sole clergy leader, to complete the survey. This sample was a composite of a random national sample designed to represent the universe of American congregations and random oversample surveys from 11 faith groups. The final dataset contains responses from 4,436 congregations. The sampling error for such types of samples is difficult to calculate with precision. We estimate it to be +/- 4 percent. Explore the questionnaire used to collect the information for FACT 2015 (including the general frequency findings).
Faith Communities Today 2010
FACT 2010 used key informants in each surveyed congregation, typically the senior or sole clergy leader, to complete the survey. This sample was a composite of a random national sample designed to represent the universe of American congregations and random oversample surveys from 20 faith groups. The final dataset contains responses from 11,077 congregations. The sampling error for such types of samples is difficult to calculate with precision. We estimate it to be +/- 4 percent. Explore the questionnaire used to collect the information for FACT 2010 (including the general frequency findings).
Faith Communities Today 2008
FACT 2008 used key informants in each surveyed congregation, typically the senior or sole clergy leader, to complete the survey. This sample was a composite of three layers of random national samples designed to represent the universe of American congregations. The final dataset contains questionnaires from 2,527 congregations. The sampling error for such types of samples is difficult to calculate with precision. We estimate it to be +/- 4 percent. Explore the questionnaire used to collect the information for FACT 2008 (including the general frequency findings). FACT2008 had responses from 2,527 congregations.
Faith Communities Today 2005
The FACT 2005 key informant questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 3,000 congregations. 884 responses were received. Responses were weighted to known population parameters for region and faith family, and for size of congregation and rural/city/ suburban location. Sampling error for such a survey can only be estimated. We estimate it to be +/- 4% at the 95% confidence level. Explore the questionnaire used to collect the information for FACT 2005 (including the general frequency findings).
Faith Communities Today 2000
The FACT 2000 data included 26 individual surveys of congregations representing 41 denominations and faith groups, representing about 90 percent of worshippers in the US. More than 14,000 congregations participated in the survey. These denominations and faith groups worked together, in multi-faith cooperation, to undertake this survey. Their collaboration for this purpose was unprecedented, as was the data that was produced. Explore the questionnaire used to collect the information for FACT 2000 (including the general frequency findings).
