Halo Effect

Sacred places function as de facto community centers, yet often struggle to communicate their economic and social value to civic leaders.  That is why Partners developed the Economic Halo Effect of Sacred Places, a tool used to calculate the localized economic impact of a single congregation or a group of churches or synagogues.

Assess Your Congregation’s Social and Economic Impact

A Halo Study of a church, synagogue, or other house of worship can lay the groundwork for advocacy and community-wide fundraising efforts, as well as recognize the extent of a sacred place’s impact on its community. The Halo Study convinces new community stakeholders of the value – social, economic, and civic – represented by a congregation’s ministries. Click here to learn more about the development of the Economic Halo Effect, and current research.

A Halo Assessment strengthens a congregation’s case statement for funding and raises enthusiasm among leaders. By effectively communicating a congregation’s value to the wider community, the Halo Assessment makes a compelling case for philanthropic and individuals donor support of sacred places as engines of neighborhood health and vitality.

Partners provides and individualized Halo Assessment to congregations who are looking to:

• Tell the story of their congregation’s ministry and space in a way that appeals to civic leaders and community stakeholders who may not speak the language of faith
• Communicate the value of a given program (e.g. a food pantry) or a program emphasis (e.g., arts programming, a concert series, etc.)
• Bolster annual stewardship appeals and larger capital fundraising efforts
• Provide data that strengthens grant applications
• Advocate for sacred place of threats, such as tax assessments