Lisa Ranghelli

Publication Information:

ACORN, November 2006
http://www.acorn.org/fileadmin/ACORN_Reports/2007/ACORN_Wins_Report.pdf

pp. 1-24

This resource documents the impact of ACORN's work over 10 years by measuring the monetary benefits that resulted from its organizing campaigns.

This evaluation of ACORN from 1995-2004 looks strictly at the monetary impact of its organizing campaigns. Over this course of time, the author estimates that ACORN's organizing activities resulted in over $15 billion worth of economic benefits to low- and moderate-income families and communities.

Using a variety of methodologies (described in the appendix) the author measures the dollar value of ACORN's successful organizing campaigns in areas such as living wage/minimum wage increases, predatory lending, and local infrastructure investments. In each of these areas, the report shows how ACORN reallocated or generated new sources of monetary benefits for its target constituency.

Though this case study does not look at any process outcomes or impacts beyond monetary impact, it demonstrates one particular way to evaluate the value of community organizing work that may be of interest to some groups who want to show the monetary value of organizing work.

Meaningful Impact of Organizing Work