What Ursuline Sisters does

The Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland is a Catholic religious congregation founded in 1850 when four sisters and an English laywoman arrived from France under Mother Mary of the Annunciation Beaumont. Within weeks they opened Ursuline Academy for 300 students, establishing what became the Catholic school system of the Diocese of Cleveland. Today the congregation operates a multi-entity ministry ecosystem spanning sponsored educational institutions (Ursuline College, Beaumont School, Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School, Urban Community School), social-service programs (Ursuline Piazza for HIV/AIDS support, Esperanza Threads for employment training), pastoral and spiritual ministries across Northeast Ohio parishes, and a social-justice portfolio including co-founding the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking. The congregation's headquarters sit in Pepper Pike, Ohio, with congregational offices in Mayfield Heights, and sisters also serve internationally in El Salvador and through a partnership with Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages in Taiwan.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform; operations are delivered through physical ministry, sponsored institutions, and partnerships. Its sole "products" are educational programs, social services, pastoral care, and spiritual content (weekly reflections, prayer requests, spiritual communities such as Companions of Marie and Angela Circles), delivered directly or through sponsored entities. The technology footprint is limited to a website (ursulinesisters.org) functioning as a content, prayer-request, and donation hub, plus basic email newsletter distribution.

The business model is donation-funded rather than commercial. Revenue streams include one-time and recurring charitable contributions (quarterly, monthly, yearly), planned giving and legacy gifts (wills, bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, retirement and life-insurance beneficiary designations, organized under a Merici Society), and tribute gifts (in honor of / in memory of). No fees are charged for spiritual services, prayer requests, or ministerial activities. The legal entity of record is Ursuline Academy of Cleveland (EIN#34-0832279), and the organization is governed internally by an elected congregational leadership team; it has no parent company, private-equity owner, or external investors. Socially responsible investing is managed through Ascension Investment Managers in alignment with Catholic social teaching.

Name

Ursuline Sisters

Legal name

Ursuline Academy of Cleveland

Website

https://ursulinesisters.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1850

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland is a Catholic religious congregation founded in 1850 that operates sponsored schools (Ursuline College, Beaumont, Villa Angela-St. Joseph, Urban Community School), HIV/AIDS and employment social-service programs, pastoral ministries across Northeast Ohio parishes, and social-justice advocacy, funded entirely through donations and planned giving rather than commercial revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-based Education and Social Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents) (BPAGAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH), Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Catholic education services
• Pastoral spiritual ministry
• Social justice advocacy
• Humanitarian social services
• Religious education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland accept monetary donations through their website, mail, and phone. Donors can make one-time gifts or recurring gifts (quarterly, monthly, yearly). They can designate gifts to specific funds including Annual Fund, Century Club, Creative Living, Derby Day Donation, Memorial, and Retirement Rally.
2. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: The organization accepts planned gifts including wills and bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, retirement plan beneficiary designations, and life insurance beneficiary designations. They maintain a Merici Society for legacy gift donors.
3. Tribute Gifts: In Honor of and In Memory of gifts are accepted, with notification sent to designated recipients without disclosing the gift amount.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland is a Catholic religious congregation that delivers faith-based ministries spanning Catholic K-12 and higher education, pastoral and spiritual care, social justice advocacy, and direct social services (including HIV/AIDS support and workforce training). The congregation sponsors multiple schools and colleges, deploys sisters to parishes, hospitals, and hospices, and operates community programs for the elderly, ill, poor, and marginalized, all funded through charitable donations and planned giving.

Product overview

The Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland operate a comprehensive service portfolio centered on their Catholic religious mission. Their offerings include educational institutions (Beaumont School, Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School, and Ursuline College), social services (Ursuline Piazza for HIV/AIDS support and Esperanza Threads for employment training), pastoral and spiritual ministries, and social justice programs. They maintain an online presence with weekly reflections, prayer request services, volunteer coordination, and a donation platform. The organization also fosters spiritual community through Companions of Marie, Angela Circles, and Mission and Heritage groups for lay members and spiritual seekers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Education Services
• Ursuline Piazza
• Esperanza Threads
• Pastoral and Spiritual Ministries
• Social Justice Programs
• Spiritual Communities for Lay Associates
• Prayer Request Service
• Charitable Giving Program

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and secondary.

• Arrow InternationalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 May 2026Diamond sponsor of the 175th Birthday Extravaganza celebration.
• Ursuline Sisters of CincinnatiminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 May 2026Gold sponsor of the 175th Birthday Extravaganza celebration.
• Regina Health CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Healthcare facility in Richfield, Ohio partnered with the Ursulines in 2012 to provide health care services for sisters. First sisters moved in February 2013.
• Collaborative to End Human TraffickingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Coalition formed in 2007 by the Ursuline Sisters along with 6 local communities of women religious and professional colleagues to address human trafficking in Northeast Ohio. Ursulines have remained active in the organization.
• Ursuline CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrsuline College in Pepper Pike is sponsored by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland. Established 1871, one of Ohio's first colleges for women. The organization maintains close ties through leadership service and ongoing ministry involvement.
• Beaumont SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsored secondary school in Cleveland Heights established 1942 using the original Ursuline Academy charter. Sisters serve in teaching and administrative roles; school underwent STEM building expansion in 2015.
• Villa Angela-St. Joseph High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiocesan high school sponsored by the Ursulines resulting from 1990 merger of Villa Angela Academy and St. Joseph High School. Located in Cleveland.
• Urban Community SchoolsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerWest Side Cleveland school formed from merger of St. Patrick and St. Malachi schools in 1968 under Sister Mary Dolors Healey. Formalized sponsorship in 2006.
• InterReligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia (IRTF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRTF was formed in response to the deaths of the four Churchwomen martyrs in 1980. The organization works on memory and resistance commemorations and Central America advocacy.
• Women Religious Archives CollaborativesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister Susan Durkin serves as Executive Director of the Women Religious Archives Collaborative, an archival preservation initiative.
• Ursuline PiazzasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHIV/AIDS Services organization founded by the Ursulines providing multi-leveled support services. Sister Susan Zion serves as Executive Director.
• Esperanza ThreadssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrsuline-founded organization offering sewing training and job opportunities to individuals experiencing barriers to employment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: National umbrella organization for Catholic social service agencies. While broader and diocese-affiliated rather than order-specific, it operates comparable programs in social services, refugee resettlement, HIV/AIDS support, and community outreach with donation-based funding.
• Sisters of Mercy: One of the largest Catholic women's religious congregations in the U.S., operating extensive healthcare and education systems including multiple universities and health systems. A broader incumbent providing parallel faith-based education and healthcare services.
• Franciscan Ministries: Catholic-sponsored organization operating faith-based senior living and healthcare communities. Comparable in the partnership with Regina Health Center for elderly care and broader faith-based healthcare ministry.

Others

• Interfaith America (formerly Interfaith Youth Core): Interfaith organization that builds religious cooperation and social justice initiatives. Comparable in faith-based coalition work on Central America advocacy and immigration, including InterReligious Task Force connections.

Direct peers

• Sisters of the Holy Cross: Catholic women's religious order with parallel ministries in education, healthcare, and social services, often collaborating on faith-based community initiatives. Operates multiple sponsored institutions with donation-based revenue model.
• Sisters of Notre Dame: Catholic women's religious congregation in Northeast Ohio with shared education ministry, sponsoring schools and providing pastoral/social services. Direct geographic peer for the Ursulines.
• Ursuline Sisters of Cincinnati: Another congregation of Ursuline women religious in Ohio operating under the same order and mission framework. Already a Gold sponsor of Cleveland's 175th Birthday Extravaganza, demonstrating direct organizational ties and shared educational/ministerial mission.
• Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine: Catholic women's religious congregation headquartered in Ohio with parallel ministries in healthcare, education, and social services, including sponsorship of health systems. Operates with similar donation-based funding model and faith-based mission.
• Ursuline Sisters of Louisville: Another Ursuline congregation operating in the U.S. with shared heritage, educational mission, and ministry focus on women, children, and social justice. Sister Diane Stano established partnership between Cleveland Ursulines and Wenzao Ursuline (Taiwan).
• Dominican Sisters: Major Catholic women's religious order active in U.S. education and social services, sponsoring numerous schools and operating health ministries. Highly comparable mission structure and funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ursuline-sisters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ursuline Sisters