United Religions Initiative
United Religions Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the world's largest grassroots interfaith peacebuilding network, with 1,293 Cooperation Circles across 113 countries. It serves faith communities, donors, and UN partners through membership programs, mobile and web platforms, and global peacebuilding campaigns.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What United Religions Initiative does
United Religions Initiative (URI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1993 by Bishop William E. Swing of the Episcopal Diocese of California and headquartered in the Presidio of San Francisco. It operates the world's largest grassroots interfaith peacebuilding network, comprising 1,293 self-organizing 'Cooperation Circles' across 113 countries, each consisting of at least seven members from at least three religions, spiritual expressions, or indigenous traditions. URI's core products include the Cooperation Circles program structure, the URI Connect mobile application (available on iOS and Android), a Training and Resource Center, a World Religions Curriculum for children (URI Kids), and recurring global campaigns such as the International Day of Peace, World Interfaith Harmony Week, Golden Rule Day, the Earth Restoration Initiative, and Youth Engagement programs.
URI generates revenue entirely through philanthropic streams: individual donations (monthly, multi-year pledges, stock/wire transfers, tributes, legacy gifts, endowments, and donor-advised funds), corporate partnerships, foundation connections, and proceeds from the annual Circles of Light Gala. No fees are charged for membership or participation in Cooperation Circles. The go-to-market motion is community-led: growth occurs through member referrals, regional assemblies, UN partnerships, and word-of-mouth within faith communities, supported by multiple Regional Support Offices and Regional Coordinators globally. The organization consults with the UN Economic and Social Council and is an associate of the UN Department of Global Communications, with signed cooperation agreements with UNEP and UNAOC providing institutional reach.
United Religions Initiative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- United Religions Initiative
- Legal name
- United Religions Initiative
- Website
- https://uri.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- United Religions Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the world's largest grassroots interfaith peacebuilding network, with 1,293 Cooperation Circles across 113 countries. It serves faith communities, donors, and UN partners through membership programs, mobile and web platforms, and global peacebuilding campaigns.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
United Religions Initiative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Interfaith Peacebuilding Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interfaith & Ecumenical Councils and Dialogue Organizations (BPAGAJAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)
Keywords
Where United Religions Initiative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
United Religions Initiative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: URI accepts donations from individuals through its website, with various giving options including monthly giving, multi-year pledges, stock/wire transfers, tributes, legacy gifts, endowments, and donor-advised fund contributions.
- Corporate Partnerships: URI seeks corporate partnerships and foundation connections as part of its development strategy to expand its donor base beyond the primarily West Coast U.S. membership.
- Events and Galas: URI holds the annual Circles of Light Gala to raise awareness and funds for the organization.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
United Religions Initiative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
United Religions Initiative operates a global grassroots interfaith peacebuilding network of 1,293 self-organizing Cooperation Circles across 113 countries, each comprising at least seven members from at least three different religious, spiritual, or indigenous traditions. It delivers a mobile application (URI Connect), training and educational resources (including the URI Kids World Religions Curriculum and Training and Resource Center), and global programs such as International Day of Peace, World Interfaith Harmony Week, Golden Rule Day, Earth Restoration Initiative, and Youth Engagement to support interfaith cooperation and end religiously motivated violence.
Product overview
United Religions Initiative (URI) operates as a global interfaith peacebuilding network rather than a traditional SaaS product company. The organization's core offerings center on its network infrastructure and programs: URI Connect App serves as the primary mobile platform for network member connectivity; Cooperation Circles form the foundational grassroots membership units; Training and Resource Center provides educational materials and toolkits; and World Religions Curriculum (URI Kids) offers children's education. The global programs—including International Day of Peace, World Interfaith Harmony Week, Golden Rule Day, Earth Restoration Initiative, and Youth Engagement Program—drive the network's peacebuilding activities. Supporting services include publications (newsletters, brochures, impact reports) and the annual Circles of Light Gala.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cooperation Circles
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,293 Cooperation Circles operating in 113 countries
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use United Religions Initiative
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
United Religions Initiative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
United Religions Initiative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Elite ResearchcoreURI partnered with Elite Research to assess the network's peacebuilding impact worldwide over a three-year period. The evaluation explores the effectiveness, relevance, impact, and sustainability of URI's regional and global networks, helping URI understand if it is achieving its goals and enabling interfaith leaders worldwide to understand their work's impact.
- United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)coreURI and UNAOC signed a Memorandum of Understanding reaffirming their commitment to promoting dialogue among people of different cultures and religions worldwide.
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)coreURI and UNEP signed a cooperation agreement for environmental preservation at global level. Areas of cooperation include: collaborating on faith and environmental sustainability; facilitating interfaith cooperation with religious leaders; promoting religious leaders' stewardship of Mother Earth; mobilizing faith-based organizations for UNEP's Faith for Earth & Interfaith Rainforest Initiative; implementing the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals; promoting the Green Rule Initiative; and observing World Environment Day on June 5th annually.
- United Nations (General)coreURI has NGO consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and is an associate with the UN Department of Global Communications. The organization works with the UN on many initiatives and participates in UN forums and events.
- Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical EducationminorPartnership with Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education for the Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao project, establishing learning facilities in underserved communities.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
United Religions Initiative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Religions for Peace: Religions for Peace is a global multi-religious coalition with affiliated interreligious councils in nearly 90 countries, directly comparable to URI's network of Cooperation Circles in 113 countries. Both organizations convene faith communities for peacebuilding, engage the UN system, and operate as umbrella networks for grassroots interfaith action.
- Parliament of the World's Religions: The Parliament of the World's Religions convenes the largest international interfaith gatherings and produces the global 'On Golden Rule' document. It is directly comparable as a globally recognized interfaith organization that promotes cooperation among religions, though its model is event-centric rather than URI's year-round network model.
- Interfaith America (formerly IFYC): Interfaith America (formerly Interfaith Youth Core) builds interfaith cooperation primarily on US college campuses and now across communities, directly comparable to URI as an interfaith-cooperation network but with a US-centric and youth/campus focus rather than URI's global grassroots peacebuilding focus.
- KAICIID Dialogue Centre: KAICIID is an intergovernmental organization promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue globally, comparable to URI as a UN-adjacent interfaith body with a global footprint. It differs in being government-sponsored and centered on structured dialogue rather than grassroots organizing.
- Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding: Tanenbaum is a US-based nonprofit that combats religious prejudice and promotes interfaith understanding, directly comparable to URI as an interfaith nonprofit focused on peacebuilding, education, and prejudice reduction. It operates at smaller scale and primarily within the US.
Emerging players
- Search for Common Ground: Search for Common Ground is one of the largest dedicated peacebuilding NGOs, operating in dozens of conflict-affected countries. It overlaps with URI on conflict transformation but specializes in mediation and media-driven peacebuilding rather than faith-based network convening.
- International Council of Christians and Jews: ICCJ promotes cooperation between Christian and Jewish communities worldwide, comparable to URI as an interfaith cooperation organization. It is narrower in scope (two-faith focus) and operates as a smaller scholarly-network body rather than a large-scale grassroots convening platform.
- Peace Direct: Peace Direct supports local peacebuilders in conflict-affected countries and runs the Local Peacebuilding Leadership Network. It is comparable to URI in supporting grassroots peacebuilding worldwide but operates through funding and partnership rather than URI's membership-network model.
Broad incumbents
- World Council of Churches: The World Council of Churches is a broad ecumenical body of 350+ Christian churches with a global interfaith engagement program, comparable to URI in fostering religious cooperation and peace, but rooted specifically in Christian ecumenism rather than URI's explicitly multi-faith (Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, indigenous, etc.) grassroots model.
- United States Institute of Peace: USIP is a US government-funded institution that works to prevent and resolve violent conflicts globally, comparable to URI as a peacebuilding organization with international reach. It differs as a federally funded institution focused on policy and training rather than faith-network convening.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
United Religions Initiative social profiles
Digital presenceUnited Religions Initiative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
United Religions Initiative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
United Religions Initiative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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United Religions Initiative M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about United Religions Initiative
What does United Religions Initiative do?
United Religions Initiative operates a global grassroots interfaith peacebuilding network of 1,293 self-organizing Cooperation Circles across 113 countries, each comprising at least seven members from at least three different religious, spiritual, or indigenous traditions. It delivers a mobile application (URI Connect), training and educational resources (including the URI Kids World Religions Curriculum and Training and Resource Center), and global programs such as International Day of Peace, World Interfaith Harmony Week, Golden Rule Day, Earth Restoration Initiative, and Youth Engagement to support interfaith cooperation and end religiously motivated violence.
Is United Religions Initiative a public or private company?
United Religions Initiative is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was United Religions Initiative founded?
United Religions Initiative was founded in 1993. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is United Religions Initiative based?
United Religions Initiative is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does United Religions Initiative make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and events and Galas.
Who are United Religions Initiative's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Religions for Peace, Parliament of the World's Religions, Interfaith America (formerly IFYC), KAICIID Dialogue Centre and Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding. Emerging players are Search for Common Ground, International Council of Christians and Jews and Peace Direct. Broad incumbents are World Council of Churches and United States Institute of Peace.
Does United Religions Initiative have an API?
No public API is recorded for United Religions Initiative.
What industry is United Religions Initiative in?
United Religions Initiative's product category is Interfaith Peacebuilding Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAJ, Interfaith & Ecumenical Councils and Dialogue Organizations, with a secondary code of BPAGAJAG, Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8600.