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Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty
Also known as Acton Institute
Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty reported $8.9 million in revenue and $12.0 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.81 went to program services, $5.86 to management and general costs and $13.33 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 88.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $417,542 (PRESIDENT). 11 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 15% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $12MFor context, the median across 132 covered civil rights, social action & advocacy charities: $84.11 programs, $11.40 management, $4.49 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $8.9M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$87.61 $7.9M
- Program service revenue$6.20 $561K
- Investment income$6.19 $560K
Other revenue was negative: −$130K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.8% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 5.9% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 13.3% | 4.4% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.20 | $0.05 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 88.9% | 94.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 6.3% | 0.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $417,542 | $321,771 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.47% | 1.81% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 11 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 22.9 | 10.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 13 of 15 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseEducation:the programs and education department of the Acton Institute equips current and emerging leaders in economics, religion, and business through high-quality educational initiatives. These programs emphasize the moral foundations of a free economy and aim to foster an environment where all individuals have the opportunity to thrive. While open to all, priority is given to applicants with a demonstrated ability to effect change and influence within their institutions, communities, and denominations both nationally and internationally.the institute offers a range of educational programs…
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…
The center for social flourishing focuses the Acton Institute's work promoting the ideas necessary for a free and virtuous society on the alleviation of poverty and related social problems in the united states. The center does this through conferences, research, a partnership network, and film and media, including a new feature-length documentary movie about attempts to address poverty in the united states. The center's team also operates a related initiative of the Acton Institute: the povertycure project, which is an expression of acton's work on global poverty and development.the largest…
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $374,341 | $0 | $43,201 | $417,542 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $188,302 | $0 | $63,991 | $252,293 |
| VP OF DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $204,058 | $0 | $33,379 | $237,437 |
| CHIEF OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $176,167 | $0 | $44,143 | $220,310 |
| PRESIDENT EMERITUS Director/trustee, officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $171,425 | $0 | $5,382 | $176,807 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $136,339 | $0 | $38,801 | $175,140 |
| DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $134,290 | $0 | $37,978 | $172,268 |
| DISTINGUISHED RESEARCH FELLOW Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $151,620 | $0 | $18,285 | $169,905 |
11 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.0M (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b15 · 13 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 544
- Volunteers Part I, line 631
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| LIVESPACE LLC Live audio visual | $176,522 |
| SCIONKA INC Media production | $155,000 |
| IRON LIGHT INC Marketing & promotion | $122,000 |
| SALESFORCECOM INC Software | $119,081 |
| MOVIEGOER Media production & promotion | $103,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
16 private foundations reported grants to Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty totaling $2.8M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty spent in 2025, $80.81 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All civil rights, social action & advocacy charities · Largest charities in Michigan
Questions people ask
How much of Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty reported that 80.8% of its $12.0 million in expenses went to program services, 5.9% to management and general and 13.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $417,542, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty get its money?
Of $8.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 88.9% came from contributions and grants and 6.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 38-2926822 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202602619349300210 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202542419349301209 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202412489349301771 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202312199349301311 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202202139349300695 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202112649349301316 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202002739349300610 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 38-2926822: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.