Acton Institute

What it reported doing in 2025

Research: the institute's academic investigations are conducted by its research and publications department. The work produced at acton research includes the disciplines of philosophy, economics, theology, and history, among others, and it includes the contributions of both in-house research fellows, affiliates, and of invited scholars. Additionally, the materials and research produced at the acton institute are delivered locally in grand rapids as well as at national and international conferences with the goal of reaching the scholarly community at large.(continued on schedule o)the research and publications department publishes books, an academic journal, the acton institute's religion & liberty magazine, religion and liberty online, monographs, and occasional papers, along with essays at respected and scholarly online outlets. The research and publications department also produces the weekly acton line podcast. The journal of markets & morality is a semi-annual refereed journal that provides a forum for scholars from many disciplines to engage issues concerning the morality of the marketplace. Select primary sources are translated and edited for wider dissemination and use by scholars. Non-christians have also written articles and books addressing relevant themes of interest to the acton institute, such as liberty, religious freedom, and the free economy.the research and publications department also manages acton's academic scholarship programs. Fellowships are awarded to provide financial assistance to promising doctoral candidates, graduate students, seminarians, and scholars who are advancing an understanding of the connection between economic liberty and religious values. Free market mini-grants help fund university course development and faculty research in market economics at colleges, universities, and seminaries in the united states and canada. The freedom and prosperity grant promotes research by scholars internationally into the relationship between freedom and prosperity using the atlantic council freedom and prosperity indexes. The calihan academic grants provide financial assistance to scholars and graduate students whose academic work shows outstanding potential to advance understanding in the relationship between theology and the principles of the free and virtuous society. The annual novak award recipient is presented with a prize to acknowledge and reward new research on the relationship between religion, economic freedom, and the free and virtuous society. The international research grant provides financial assistance to promising international scholars and international institutions such as think tanks working at the intersection of religion and free markets.lastly, the research and publications department manages or helps manage a number of programs, including (1) conferences for scholars, graduate students, public intellectuals and leading religious figures, (2) an academic conference held annually in grand rapids, (3) and the scholarly and programmatic outreach of acton's rome office.internationally, we have held conferences on various topics such as economic liberty, justice, economic history, poverty and development, catholic social teaching, war and peace, protestant social thought, judaism and the economy, property rights, monetary policy, and limited government. Research and publications works with university administrators and presidents in a consultative capacity, and our scholars also liaise extensively with university professors around the world who share the same intellectual interests.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 80.8%; rating input score 81
• Fundraising efficiency: $4.94 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 95%; rating input score 95; 26th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Limited
  • Conducts field audits: Limited
  • May suspend future funding: Limited
  • Requires financial reports: Limited
  • Conducts site visits: Limited
  • Requires grant agreements: Limited
  • May require repayment: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 97%; rating input score 97; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 86.7%; rating input score 87; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -34.9%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.93; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 16.5%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 1.5% per year; rating input score 100; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.7% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings