Various Locations | Research Study
Consultant Team:
Partners for Sacred Spaces | Study Host
A study conducted by Partners for Sacred Places calculates the "economic halo effect" of 90 randomly-selected congregations with older and historic buildings in Chicago, Fort Worth, and Philadelphia. Findings of the study report an average historic sacred place in an urban environment generates over $1.7 million annually in economic impact. Affirming previous research showing that congregations with older buildings provide a range of subsidies to support community-serving programs and activities. In fact, 87% of the beneficiaries of the community programs and events housed in sacred places are not members of the religious congregation contributing to the larger community. The size and complexity of the sacred places halo effect provides powerful new evidence that America’s sacred places have enormous community value. Congregations employ, on average, 5 full-time and 6 part-time staff, and purchase goods and services from a network of local small businesses and individual vendors, sustaining an important community economic ecosystem. Partners for Sacred Places has extensive knowledge and staff to train communities on how to best take advantage of their sacred place’s halo effect offering Halo assessments, consulting services centered around fundraising, space sharing, building maintenance, and community outreach.
Photo credit: Partners for Sacred Spaces