
The Acton Institute is a think tank whose mission is to promote a free and virtuous society characterized by individual liberty and sustained by religious principles.
Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty’s recent grantmaking is marked by large organization-support grants alongside smaller awards tied to scholarship, teaching, and leadership development. In 2023, the institute gave $154,960 to Sacred Heart Academy Education Foundation in Grand Rapids and $150,000 to Donor's Trust Inc in Alexandria, showing that it moves significant resources through operating support. Other grants connect more closely to its mission of religion and liberty: the institute funds academic work, publishes journals, and supports programs that cultivate students and early-career scholars. Its own grant programs include mini-grants for free-market economics teaching and research, a leadership internship, and awards for new scholarship on religion and economic freedom. That mix suggests a funder that supports both institutional stability and intellectual formation. The recipient list also shows national reach, with grants to organizations in Michigan, Virginia, New York, Ohio, and Alabama. Across these awards, the institute appears to back civil society organizations that work in education, research, and public life.
The institute’s cause areas connect economics, religion, and education. In free-market economics, it offers Mini-Grants on Free-Market Economics: Research & Teaching for faculty at colleges, universities, and seminaries across the United States and Canada, with support for course development and faculty research. In scholarly research, the Novak Award provides $20,000 for new work on the relationship between religion, economic freedom, theology, human dignity, rule of law, limited government, and religious liberty. Leadership development is another clear thread: the Emerging Leaders Program is an 8-week internship in Grand Rapids for undergraduate and graduate students and includes a stipend and housing for domestic participants. The institute also supports scholarship programs and research fellow support across theology, philosophy, history, economics, and law.
Typical grant size is $9,750 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $103,388 at the 75th percentile, which shows a spread from smaller programmatic awards to large operating grants. The recent grants list is from 2023, and the available data shows organization support as the stated purpose for each listed award. The foundation is a public charity, funds organizations rather than individuals, and does not make program-related investments. Its grant programs include both unsolicited and non-unsolicited tracks: Mini-Grants on Free-Market Economics, the Novak Award, Emerging Leaders Program, and Semester Internship accept unsolicited applications, while Acton Grants & Awards and Acton Research do not.
$413K
$29.5M
$13.2M
$11.8M
Most grants fall between $10K and $103K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$103K
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Grantmaking is national, with all seven recent grants going to U.S. recipients. Michigan appears prominently in the recent list, including Grand Rapids, Grosse Pointe Woods, and Troy, and 43% of grants go to recipients in Michigan. Alabama is the top state by grant count, reflecting where the institute gives most often rather than its headquarters. Other recent recipient locations include Alexandria, Virginia; New Rochelle, New York; Steubenville, Ohio; and Florence, Alabama.
It funds nonprofit and civil society organizations, with recent grants labeled as organization support. The grant programs also point to academic institutions, seminaries, and scholarship-related organizations, especially in areas linking religion, free enterprise, economics, and public life.
The grant-size distribution is $9,750 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $103,388 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards range from $7,000 to $154,960.
Some programs do. Mini-Grants on Free-Market Economics, the Emerging Leaders Program, the Novak Award, and the Semester Internship accept unsolicited applications, while Acton Grants & Awards and Acton Research do not.
Its grantmaking is national, and the recent grants listed are all in the United States. Michigan accounts for 43% of grants, and Alabama is the top state by grant count.
The stated focus areas include free enterprise and economic liberty, religion and public life, education and leadership development, scholarly research in theology, philosophy, economics, and history, and publishing through Religion & Liberty, the Journal of Markets & Morality, and Spire.
2023
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2023.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Better Way Detroit | Detroit, MI | $80,235 | 2024 | Organization support |
| Center for Civil Society | Troy, MI | $12,500 | 2024 | Organization support |
| Faulkner University | Montgomery, AL | $7,000 | 2024 | Organizational Support |
| Sacred Heart Academy Education Foundation | Grand Rapids, MI | $154,960 | 2023 | Organization support |
| Donor's Trust Inc | Alexandria, VA | $150,000 | 2023 | Organization support |
| Woodlawn Foundation | New Rochelle, NY | $56,776 | 2023 | Organization support |
| Better Way Detroit | Grosse Pointe Woods, MI | $25,000 | 2023 | Organization support |
| Center for Civil Society | Troy, MI | $12,500 | 2023 | Organization support |
| University of North Alabama | Florence, AL | $7,000 | 2023 | Organization support |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville | Steubenville, OH | $7,000 | 2023 | Organization support |
Better Way Detroit
$80,235Organization support
Center for Civil Society
$12,500Organization support
Faulkner University
$7,000Organizational Support
Sacred Heart Academy Education Foundation
$154,960Organization support
Donor's Trust Inc
$150,000Organization support
Woodlawn Foundation
$56,776Organization support
Better Way Detroit
$25,000Organization support
Center for Civil Society
$12,500Organization support
University of North Alabama
$7,000Organization support
Franciscan University of Steubenville
$7,000Organization support