New Argentina subsidiary joins Acton Institute in Global Think Tank Rankings

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Jan. 28, 2016)—The Acton Institute made another strong showing in a leading ranking of global think tanks which showed the Grand Rapids-based research and educational institution among the best organizations of its kind in the United States and abroad. Acton’s new Argentina subsidiary in Buenos Aires, Instituto Acton, made its first appearance among the “best independent think tanks” category. The University of Pennsylvania’s Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) released its 2015 Global Go-To Think Tanks Report today.

Highlights from the 2015 University of Pennsylvania report:

• Acton Institute is 9^th (out of 90) in the Top Social Policy Think Tanks ranking (9^th in 2014).
• Acton Institute is 29^th (out of 75) in the Top Think Tanks in the United States (29^th in 2014).
• In Top Think Tanks Worldwide, Acton ranks 155^th (out of 175) (previously unranked).
• 10^th in Best Advocacy Campaign (11^th in 2014) for PovertyCure.
• 17^th (out of 61) in Best Think Tank Conference (17^th in 2014) for Acton University.
• Instituto Acton was ranked 100^th (out of 144) Best Independent Think Tanks.

The Think Tank & Civil Societies Program maintains comprehensive data on more than 6,500 think tanks worldwide, of those more than half are considered in the ranking, but fewer than 300 organizations make it into the final report. Free market think tanks had a strong presence on the report this year, taking top spots in several categories in the U.S. and internationally.

While the TTCSP has been in existence for more than 25 years, this is the program’s 9^th ranking report. James G. McGann, director of the program said that the goal of this research and report is “to increase the profile and performance of think tanks and raise the public awareness of the important role think tanks play in governments and civil societies around the globe.”

The program has a rigorous ranking criteria which includes: the “quality and commitment of the think tank’s leadership;” the “quality, number, and reach of its publications;” the think tank’s “reputation with policymakers;” its “media reputation;” its “ability to produce new knowledge;” “financial stewardship;” and the organization’s “impact on society.”

The Go-To Think Tank Report also included some interesting facts about think tanks: 30 percent of all think tanks are located in North America and 27 percent are in Europe. The United States has the most think tanks with 1,830, followed by China with 429. In the United States, Washington, D.C., has the most of any state or district with 396 and Michigan is home to 30 other think tanks besides Acton.

Read the full report here.