With renewed emphasis and strategic commitment, the Acton Institute is establishing a new PovertyCure Center (or similarly named center) to make fighting poverty a central part of our work. In a time of global distress, economic disruption, and growing inequality, it is more important than ever to help those in need in both theoretical and practical ways. Proceeding from our desire to see everyone flourish, our vision is to dramatically reduce future poverty through disruptive new ideas and practices, reframing poverty debates, away from mere amelioration, toward social flourishing rooted in a vision of self-government, institutional fair play, and the entrepreneurial spirit. The Center’s research team will proceed from a deep analysis of what is and engage the experience and knowledge of poverty-fighting leaders nationwide.
Developing a series of self-analysis tools, we will help leaders reassess their own organization's approaches. Scaling these tools will transform poverty fighting community by community. We will also work nationally and internationally, both through leadership formation and broad-based educational opportunities. Finally, a cultural shift in the way America and other countries fight poverty is needed.
Professionally produced media products will engage people at both an intellectual and emotional level and provoke new and contrarian thinking, challenging old paradigms. This start-up grant will gather our existing assets, build new ones, grow our team with new leaders, and position Acton as a leading voice in the long term. The Center will produce a new documentary on domestic poverty, host our third PovertyCure Summit and educational retreats for nonprofit leaders, build a new website for the poverty center, engage with poverty-fighting leaders, and produce popular publications on topics related to poverty. Through this work, we will build up a network of 500+ poverty- fighting organizations and offer concrete support to expand their capacity.
