Opportunity for scholars and nonprofit leaders
đź“… Dates: April 30-May 2, 2026
đź“Ť Location: Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Grand Rapids
đź“‹ Application Deadline: March 20, 2026
Charity in truth “is the principal driving force behind the authentic development of every person and of all humanity.” So what principles ensure our institutions and programs express charity grounded in truth? How do we take the next step so that our help, motivated by good intentions, leads to good outcomes?
This conference, organized by the Acton Institute’s Center for Social Flourishing, aims to assist religious and nonprofit leaders in aligning practice with principle.
The sessions will cover themes in economics, philosophy, theology, and development, with resources and models for bridging the gap between aspiration and implementation. You’ll leave with a framework for addressing social challenges in your communities grounded in local agency, principles of economics, and the dignity of the human person.
Meet the Speakers
Michael Matheson Miller
Chief of Strategic Initiatives, Senior Research Fellow, and Director of the Center for Social Flourishing
Acton Institute
Michael Matheson Miller is Chief of Strategic Initiatives and Senior Research Fellow at the Acton Institute. He is the Director and Producer of the award-winning documentary, Poverty, Inc. the PovertyCure DVD Series, and The Good Society Series, and was the founding director of PovertyCure, which promotes entrepreneurial solutions to poverty in the developing world. He writes and speaks extensively on the intersection between moral philosophy and theology and economics, poverty, entrepreneurship, and culture.
He is the host of the Moral Imagination Podcast and a Distinguished Fellow at the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America, and the author of Digital Contagion and the forthcoming Excluded: How Global Humanitarianism Excludes the Poor from Justice and Prosperity from Crossroad.
Read his full bio here –>
Anne Rathbone Bradley, Ph.D.
George and Sally Mayer Fellow for Economic Education
The Fund for American Studies
Dr. Anne Rathbone Bradley is the George and Sally Mayer Fellow for Economic Education and vice president of academic affairs at The Fund for American Studies. In addition to her role as a fellow and vice president of academic affairs, Dr. Bradley teaches economics courses at George Mason University. She is an economics professor at the Institute for World Politics and an affiliate scholar at the Acton Institute.
Dr. Bradley’s academic work includes anthropological questions about human nature and economics, the relationship between human flourishing, economic freedom, and women’s rights, and the political economy of terrorism.
Read her full bio here –>
Ismael Hernandez
Founder and President
The Freedom & Virtue Institute
Ismael Hernandez is the founder and president of The Freedom & Virtue Institute, which seeks to challenge the paternalistic, condescending, and statist way of attending to the problems of poverty in America. Its training on effective compassion and student programs extends throughout the United States and the Caribbean. His writings have appeared in various newspapers, including the Washington Times, as well as such magazines as Crisis and World. He is the author of the book Not Tragically Colored: Freedom, Personhood, and the Renewal of Black America. Ismael holds a master’s degree in political science and lives in Benson, NC, with his wife and three children.
Read his full bio here –>
Stephen Barrows
Chief Operating Officer
Acton Institute
Stephen Barrows, Ph.D. is the chief operating officer at the Acton Institute. Prior to his role at the Acton Institute, Dr. Barrows served as the Executive Vice President, Provost and Dean of Faculty of Aquinas College (Grand Rapids, MI) where he was also a tenured associate professor of economics.
Dr. Barrows also served 21 years in the Air Force as an acquisition officer, an economics professor at the United States Air Force Academy and a faculty mentor at the National Military Academy of Afghanistan. He retired from the Air Force in 2013, holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
A graduate with distinction of the Air Force Academy, Barrows has a bachelor of science degree in economics (1992), a master of arts degree in economics from Pennsylvania State University (1993), and a doctorate in economics from Auburn University (2002).
Read his full bio here –>
Program Details
What You’ll Experience:
âś“ Engaging presentations on economics, philosophy, theology, and development
âś“ Leadership capacity growth through practical tools and resources
âś“ Networking with accomplished thinkers and practitioners
Who Should Apply:
This conference is ideal for nonprofit and ministry leaders. However, all applications will be considered.
Costs Covered:
✨ Accepted applicants receive full coverage for conference fees, meals, lodging, and travel.
⏳ Space is intentionally limited for meaningful interaction. Apply now!
About the Center for Social Flourishing
The Center for Social Flourishing is a new initiative of the Acton Institute that promotes approaches to social and material poverty animated by local agency and led by families, associations, and businesses. Through film, research, conferences, and a partner network, we convene leaders from across the United States to encourage new thinking and collaboration in building up civil society, tackling social challenges, and promoting human flourishing.