Acton Institute: mission, leadership and finances
Grand Rapids institute founded in 1990 that studies the relationship between religious faith, economic liberty and a free society.
Organization
| Founded | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Grand Rapids, MI |
| EIN | 38-2926822 |
| Tax status | 501(c)(3) |
| Website | acton.org |
Finances (IRS Form 990)
| Total revenue | $12.0 million |
|---|---|
| Total expenses | $12.7 million |
| Total assets | $28.1 million |
| Tax year | 2023 |
What it does
The Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty is a think tank in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its stated mission is to promote a free and virtuous society characterized by individual liberty and sustained by religious principles. It runs seminars and publishes books and commentary.
Acton Institute is listed here in the category "Think tanks". A listing on 4conservative.com describes an organization; it is not an endorsement of it or of its positions.
History
The institute was founded in 1990 by Father Robert Sirico and Kris Mauren and takes its name from Lord Acton, the nineteenth-century historian who wrote that power tends to corrupt. It has run programs for clergy and seminarians on economics.
Acton Institute is a think tank. It is headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI. Its IRS tax status is 501(c)(3). Like other organizations in this collection, it is described here from its own published material and from public records, and the facts on this page are limited to what those sources state.
Leadership and funding
Acton is supported by gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations and files a Form 990. Its website lists its board, president and scholars.
The IRS figures on this page come from the latest Form 990 filing that ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer lists for the organization, for tax year 2023: total revenue of $12.0 million, total expenses of $12.7 million and total assets of $28.1 million at year end. ProPublica lists the filer as Acton Institute For The Study Of Religion And Liberty. The figures describe a single tax year and can differ sharply from year to year; check the filing itself and the organization's own site for the current picture.
Where it stands
Acton argues that economic freedom and moral order depend on one another, drawing on Catholic social thought and Protestant traditions.
These summaries reflect the organization's own stated mission and publicly known activities as of the date below; they are neutral descriptions, not evaluations. Related organizations on this site include Ethics and Public Policy Center, The Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute.
Sources
Profile last reviewed November 8, 2026