GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The Acton Institute has won the Templeton Freedom Award for its documentary film "Poverty, Inc." The $100,000 award was presented Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Atlas Network's Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner in New York.
The feature-length documentary challenges the prevailing culture of charity and promotes entrepreneurship as a positive alternative to ending world poverty.
Headquartered at 98 E. Fulton St., the Acton Institute is dedicated to promoting free market principles within the framework of Christian theology.
"This is profoundly important work being advanced by Acton Institute," said Atlas Network's CEO Brad Lips in a news release announcing the award.
"It contains good news: the solution to poverty already exists, in the entrepreneurialism of the poor themselves. It also conveys a challenge: to retire the top-down systems of aid delivery that bring as many problems as benefits," Lips said.
The film has earned official selection honors at nearly 40 domestic and international film festivals, collecting more than 12 awards in the process, according to the Acton Institute, one of six finalists for the award, named for the late investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton.
This film is part of Acton Institute's multi-year educational initiative, PovertyCure, which includes a dedicated website, a group study curriculum, a mentorship program, and a "ReThink Missions" toolkit.
"This film is unlike anything else in Acton's history, and we're gratified by the impact it continues to make," said Kris Mauren, executive director of Acton Institute.
"Poverty, Inc.," which covers topics such as international orphanages, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the 2010 Haiti earthquake, TOMS shoes, Bono, and U.S. agricultural subsidies, has already been screened on more than 150 occasions to more than 10,000 people in 16 countries and 22 U.S. states, according to an Acton news release.
"On issues of international development and foreign aid, our country is at a tipping point," said Mauren. "While entrenched interests remain, mounting evidence is causing people of all political stripes to question whether their actions are really helping the poor.
"This is where "Poverty, Inc." comes in. Operating under the conviction that thoughtful documentaries change culture, we designed "Poverty, Inc." to spearhead a broad reconsideration of poverty that is nonpartisan but pro-market."
A key aspect of Acton's international outreach is Acton University, a four-day event that brings together attendees to Grand Rapids for courses on history, theology, and economics. More than 800 students from 60 countries participated in Acton University.
Jim Harger covers business for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook