Calculate The Impact Of Your Programming
Demonstrate the role your congregation plays in your neighborhood’s economic strength.
Show Your Impact
Get Support
Grow Your Community
What is it?
Research demonstrates that sacred places have a positive economic impact on their communities.
The Public Value Tool (PVT) will help calculate the impact⸺in dollars⸺of your congregation’s community programming on your neighborhood, and then communicate that value to key stakeholders outside the realm of your congregants, such as donors and public officials. Demonstrating the role your congregation plays in your neighborhood’s economic stability is crucial to inspiring funding from nontraditional resources, and to keeping your historic religious property stable and thriving.
Why use it?
Garner Support & Collaboration
The PVT is about communicating impact to those who may not be from your faith community or even those who are not interested in older, historic buildings, but who may have a vested interest in the community’s economic strength and health. Leaders in government and philanthropy, for example, might be persuaded to support or collaborate with your congregation when you can show your direct impact on community vitality.
Uses for the Public Value Tool
The data the tool provides can help you think of your faith community in new ways, elevate the way that civic leaders perceive you, and aid in both internal and external fundraising efforts.
Incorporate the results into grant applications
If your faith community is applying for a grant, use PVT data to show you're well positioned to maximize the impact. It can help persuade a wide range of donors—even those who don’t typically fund faith-based groups.
Share the results with local civic leaders.
If the results surprised you, share them with local civic leaders—they’ll likely be surprised too. It’s a great chance to show that your sacred space deserves a seat at the table in community conversations and could serve as a valuable resource for the neighborhood or city.
Advocate for your tax-exempt status, funding eligibility, or zoning changes.
As local governments seek new revenue and cost-saving measures, your sacred place may need to defend its tax-exempt status, seek funding, or update zoning for new uses. PVT data can help strengthen your case.
Share the results with local media.
Raise your community profile by sharing your message through local media. Use your connections to reach reporters—PVT data can spark interest and support for a capital campaign.
A tool designed to calculate the public value of a congregation’s community programs.
For congregations looking to understand their community impact and raise their public profile
To produce a report on your congregation’s annual economic impact, which can be used to leverage a capital campaign, build partnerships, and advocate for your house of worship in the community.
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Calculate the impact⸺in dollars⸺of your congregation’s community programming.