Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Religious Denomination Administrative Servicespcsda.org

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is a regional non-profit church administrative body serving 41,500+ members across 145 churches and 16 K-12 schools in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, operating Camp Blue Ridge, LivingWell ABC, and multiple faith-based ministries since 1924.

Company typePrivate
Founded1924
HeadquartersStaunton, United States
Headcount101–250
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists does

Potomac Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists is a regional religious non-profit organization and administrative unit of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, serving congregations, schools, and members across portions of Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. Founded in 1924 from the merger of two predecessor conferences and headquartered at 2301 Broadbirch Drive in Silver Spring, Maryland (with a secondary administrative office in Verona, Virginia), the conference coordinates ministry, governance, and administrative support for approximately 41,500 members across 145 churches, 24 companies, and 21 groups, and operates 16 Pre-K through 12th grade Adventist schools enrolling more than 1,600 students.

The conference's product surface spans faith-based education, youth and family programming, camp and retreat hospitality, social services, and faith-aligned retail. Core offerings include Camp Blue Ridge (a Blue Ridge Mountains camp and retreat facility with cabins, lake, recreation, and a new go-kart track), LivingWell ABC & Health Food Store (a Silver Spring retail operation serving the D.C. metro since 1904), Pathfinders/Adventurers youth clubs, the annual Campmeeting in the Valley event at Shenandoah Valley Academy, Hispanic Ministries, Special Needs Ministry, Prison Ministries, the Anonymous Counseling Program for employees, and Stewardship and Planned Giving services. The underlying technology stack is composed entirely of standard denominational and SaaS administrative tools — eAdventist (membership database), APS.NET (payroll/HR), Jewel Software (church accounting), BambooHR, Laserfiche, AdventistGiving (online donations), and the NAD-hosted Adventist Connect Frame Website Platform — with no proprietary technology development.

The business model is non-profit and donation-funded: members tithe 10% of household income and contribute additional offerings to their local church, with funds flowing upward from the local congregation to the conference, then to the Columbia Union Conference, the North American Division, and the General Conference to support global gospel operations. Pricing is largely inapplicable to core services (worship, education, pastoral care), with only ancillary unit pricing at Campmeeting (~$125 per room/RV site, $12 per meal) and a $15 co-pay for the employee counseling program. The customer base comprises church members, K-12 students and families, pastors, and Hispanic community members across the conference territory, with go-to-market executed through local congregations, schools, flagship events, and a multi-channel communications operation (Visitor magazine, Potomac People newsletter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram).

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Legal name: Potomac Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists
Website: https://pcsda.org
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1924
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 101–250 employees
Short description: Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is a regional non-profit church administrative body serving 41,500+ members across 145 churches and 16 K-12 schools in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, operating Camp Blue Ridge, LivingWell ABC, and multiple faith-based ministries since 1924.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists industry classification

Industry

Product category: Religious Denomination Administrative Services
NAICS: Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110), Religious Organizations (81311)
SIC: Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
akta.pro industry: PRIMARYBPAGAJAB
Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences)
Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations
SECONDARYBPAGAJAD
Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis)
Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations
SECONDARYBPAGAJAA
Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues)
Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

Religious denomination administration
Christian education services
Pastoral ministry support
Youth ministry programs
Camp and retreat facilities

Where Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Staunton
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

Tithes and Offerings: Members return a tithe (a tenth of income) and offerings to their local church. The tithe dollar flows from the local church to the conference, then a portion goes to the local union, North American Division, and General Conference to support gospel workers worldwide. Offerings support local, regional, and global gospel work.
Online Giving: Members can give tithe and offerings online through the Adventist Giving platform, which processes donations for the conference and its constituent churches and schools.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Unit Pricing	Multi-year contract	Campmeeting lodging - dorm rooms and RV sites
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Campmeeting meals
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Anonymous Counseling Program employee co-payment

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is a regional religious administrative body that supports 145 churches, 16 K-12 schools, and various ministry programs (including Camp Blue Ridge, Hispanic Ministries, and Youth Department) across Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. It provides pastoral leadership, financial and HR administration for 700+ employees, stewardship and planned giving services, and operates the LivingWell ABC health food store. The conference serves over 41,500 members and nearly 200 congregations through worship, education, youth programs, camp retreats, and community outreach.

Product overview

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists operates a multi-faceted ministry platform consisting of 16 Adventist schools (Adventist Education), Camp Blue Ridge retreat facility, LivingWell ABC health food store, and various community-focused ministries including Hispanic Ministries, Youth Department (Pathfinders, Adventurers, Master Guides), Special Needs Ministry, and Prison Ministries. The organization conducts the annual Campmeeting in the Valley event and provides online giving capabilities through AdventistGiving. Supporting services include Stewardship and Planned Giving, Communications (Visitor Magazine and Potomac People newsletter), an Anonymous Counseling Program, and Church/School Treasury financial services with Jewel Software. The conference serves portions of Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia with approximately 41,500 members across nearly 200 congregations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Adventist Education (Potomac Conference Schools)
Camp Blue Ridge
LivingWell ABC & Health Food Store
Campmeeting in the Valley
Online Giving (AdventistGiving)
Pathfinders Youth Organization
Hispanic Ministries
Youth Department Programs
Special Needs Ministry
Stewardship and Planned Giving
Anonymous Counseling Program
Prison Ministries
Church/School Treasury Services
Communications (Visitor Magazine & Potomac People)

Quantifiable outcome

More than 1,600 students educated across 16 schools from Pre-K through 12th grade
+3 more outcomes

Companies that use Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Customer profile

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration23 records

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

Sterling Volunteers (formerly Verified Volunteers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSterling Volunteers is the conference's designated platform for background screening and child protection training for all volunteers and employees working with children and youth. The program was transitioned to Sterling Volunteers from Verified Volunteers in 2019, with Adventist Screening Verification as the permanent brand name for the background screening and training needs of the conference.
North American Division Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists (NAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe conference's website is hosted through the Adventist Connect Frame Website Platform provided by NAD. NAD also provides organizational oversight, policies (Church Manual), stewardship resources, and risk management frameworks. The conference's tithe and offerings flow through the NAD system to support global gospel workers.
AdventistGivingcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline giving platform used by the conference and its constituent churches for processing member tithes and offerings digitally. The platform handles secure donation processing for the conference.
Adventist Risk ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides insurance coverage for the conference's churches and schools, including automobile, equipment breakdown, general liability, and property insurance. The conference submits all claims through Adventist Risk Management.
Adventist ConnectcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the Frame Website Platform used to host the conference's website (pcsda.org), including templates, tools, and features for church and school websites.
eAdventist (eAdventist.net)coreTechnology or IntegrationOnline church membership and management database used by all churches within the North American Division. Also serves as the source of the Organization directory for conference membership and statistical records.
BambooHRsupportingTechnology or IntegrationHR software used by the conference for employee onboarding, time-off requests, and completion of hire documents and tax forms.
bSwiftsupportingTechnology or IntegrationBenefits enrollment and management platform used by the conference for Adventist benefits administration through the Ascend To Wholeness program.
Empower RetirementsupportingTechnology or IntegrationRetirement account information portal provided to conference employees for accessing their retirement savings and account details.
UAttendsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTimekeeping system for hourly employees and supervisors, enabling attendance tracking across the conference.
Personify HealthsupportingTechnology or IntegrationHealthcare points portal used by conference employees for health and wellness program tracking and engagement.
LaserfichesupportingTechnology or IntegrationDocument management and forms platform used by the conference for various forms including tithe envelope orders, Pathfinder reports, and wellness activity logs.
Adventist Screening Verification (ASV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBackground screening and child protection training program mandated for all church and school volunteers and employees working with minors. Operated in partnership with Sterling Volunteers and approved by the conference's HR and Administration office.
Columbia Union Conference of Seventh-day AdventistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent union conference overseeing Potomac and seven other conferences. The Visitor magazine is a union-wide periodical circulated to 55,000 households. The conference participates in the union's Executive Committee.
Washington Adventist UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in Takoma Park, MD within the conference territory. The conference president serves as a representative on the Washington Adventist University board. Faculty from WAU may serve as seminar speakers at conference events.
New Market Seventh-day Adventist ChurchsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the annual Campmeeting in the Valley event, with the church's gymnasium and campus serving as the primary gathering location for worship services, seminars, and evening programs.
Shenandoah Valley AcademysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate boarding academy in New Market, VA serving as the host campus for Campmeeting in the Valley. The conference president chairs the SVA Board of Trustees. Offers dorm lodging, cafeteria meals, seminar rooms, and event facilities for the annual camp meeting.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Washington Adventist University: SDA-affiliated higher education institution in Potomac's territory. Comparable faith-based education footprint, shares faculty and board representation with Potomac, and is part of the broader Adventist educational ecosystem.
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Global governing body of the SDA Church that sets worldwide policy, doctrine, and tithe allocation flows for Potomac. Provides Religious Liberty and other ministry resources used by Potomac.

Direct peers

Allegheny East Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Another SDA regional conference in the Mid-Atlantic region operating churches, schools, and youth programs under the Columbia Union. Direct peer in scale, structure, and ministry portfolio (Hispanic ministries, education, camp operations).
Chesapeake Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Adjacent SDA conference serving parts of Maryland and the surrounding region under Columbia Union. Comparable regional structure with churches, schools, and camp ministry under shared denominational governance.
New Jersey Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Another Columbia Union regional conference operating K-12 schools, camp/retreat facilities, and a network of churches. Closely comparable scale, programming mix, and member base dynamics in the Northeast U.S.
Columbia Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Potomac's parent union conference overseeing eight regional conferences including Potomac. Most direct organizational peer, sharing the same tithe flow, governance structure, technology platforms, and Visitor magazine publication.
Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Columbia Union sister conference operating churches, schools, and a camp (Camp Cedar Crest). Direct peer in administrative structure, ministry portfolio, and member engagement approach.

Others

Adventist Risk Management: Denominational insurance and risk services provider serving all SDA entities in North America, including Potomac. Operates in the same governance umbrella and handles Potomac's property, liability, and auto claims.

Emerging players

Shenandoah Valley Academy: SDA boarding academy in New Market, VA hosted within Potomac's territory and chaired by Potomac's President. Direct peer in K-12 faith-based education delivery and Campmeeting venue partner.

Regional players

Andrews University: Flagship SDA university providing theological and pastoral training for many Potomac pastors. Functions as a feeder institution for Potomac's ministerial and education leadership pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries5 records

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

What does Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists do?

Is Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists a public or private company?

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists founded?

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was founded in 1924. It employs 101 to 250 people.

Where is Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists based?

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is headquartered in Staunton, United States, in the North America region.

How does Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists make money?

Two revenue lines are on record. Tithes and Offerings are the primary driver. The others are online Giving.

Who are Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Washington Adventist University and General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Direct peers are Allegheny East Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Chesapeake Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, New Jersey Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Columbia Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Adventist Risk Management is listed as an others. Shenandoah Valley Academy is listed as an emerging player. Andrews University is listed as a regional player.

Does Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists have an API?

No public API is recorded for Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

What industry is Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in?

Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists's product category is Religious Denomination Administrative Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAB, Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAD, Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8600.