Beyond the Plate - Khachkar Studios Tests Data Backed Giving Model in Historically Unprecedented $10+ Million Church Pilot

ArmInfo. Faith-based giving has traditionally relied on trust and tradition — not spreadsheets and KPIs. But Khachkar Studios is shaking up that model. On April 11, 2025, the studio announced a $10+ million pilot program supporting U.S. Armenian churches based not on need, but on measurable performance.

The goal is clear: grow the number of Non-Holiday Badarak Faithful (“The Faithful”), a group that currently accounts for just 13,000 attendees nationally. That’s under 3% of the U.S. Armenian population — a figure that has remained stagnant for over a decade.

In response, Khachkar Studios developed a metrics-focused framework. Each church is evaluated on KPI #1 (“The Faithful” growth) and SROI (Social Return on Investment), which ranks performance across benchmarked communities. Funding is only one part of the equation — the goal is transformation.

Thirty-seven churches have been shortlisted. Each will receive between $40,000 and $80,000 annually to implement a strategy tailored around eight core activities, such as producing Good News media, training role models, conducting Bible studies, and visiting parish families.

The April 2025 Pilot Briefing Packet outlines all program elements, including anonymized church rankings and a consolidated financial statement for all 164 Armenian churches in the U.S.

The logic is clear: if philanthropy is to scale, it must become accountable. Khachkar Studios’ second focus is visibility. Their media investment — via seven content streams including podcasts, short clips, and music — will outpace all other Armenian religious groups by more than 25 times. The studio believes effective philanthropy must amplify its message as much as its mission.

The initiative is backed by the Charles & Agnes Kazarian Foundation, JI-Analytics, and Japonica Partners. Together, they’re testing a bold hypothesis: faith can grow with the same precision and professionalism seen in modern philanthropy.