The Chalmers Center
The Chalmers Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1999, that trains churches and ministries in biblically-grounded poverty alleviation through cohort-based programs (Faith & Finances, Work Life, Innovate, Benevolence, RESTORE) delivered via Pathwright LMS and Zoom coaching, serving thousands of church and NGO sites across North America, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersLookout Mountain, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Chalmers Center does
The Chalmers Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia (now headquartered at 1500 Chestnut St, Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN), that trains churches and ministries to design and run poverty alleviation programs grounded in a biblical framework. Its core products are cohort-based training curricula — Faith & Finances (financial education, $330/person), Work Life (jobs readiness, $1,900–$2,375/site), Innovate (ministry design, $995–$1,195), Helping Without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry, Ambassador Certification, RESTORE savings groups, and Business & Home — plus the Helping Without Hurting Online Library subscription and a catalog of books led by 'When Helping Hurts.' Delivery runs on Pathwright (LMS) for self-paced content and Zoom for live cohort coaching, with a 50+ Ambassador and Lead Trainer network extending reach across the U.S., Canada, West Africa (Ghana, Togo), East Africa (Uganda, Kenya), Southern Africa (Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa), and additional partners in Asia and Latin America.
The organization earns revenue through a hybrid model: paid training and certification fees, recurring annual subscriptions for ongoing community access, and donations from ministry partners as the primary 501(c)(3) funding pillar. Books are distributed indirectly via third-party publishers (Moody, Zondervan, Baker). Customers span 700+ Faith & Finances sites, 300+ Work Life sites, 200+ Innovate adopters, 50,000+ people trained, and ministry partner logos including Life.Church, Compassion International, HOPE International, FiveTalents, Tearfund, Prison Fellowship, and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The business is led by President/CEO Coy Buckley with founder Dr. Brian Fikkert active as a board/founder affiliate; operations are governed by a Board of Directors and accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and GuideStar Platinum.
The Chalmers Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Chalmers Center
- Legal name
- Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College, Inc.
- Website
- https://chalmers.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Chalmers Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1999, that trains churches and ministries in biblically-grounded poverty alleviation through cohort-based programs (Faith & Finances, Work Life, Innovate, Benevolence, RESTORE) delivered via Pathwright LMS and Zoom coaching, serving thousands of church and NGO sites across North America, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Chalmers Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Poverty Alleviation Training & Ministry Development
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)
Keywords
Where The Chalmers Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lookout Mountain
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Chalmers Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Training and Certification Fees: Revenue from paid training programs including Faith & Finances ($330/person), Work Life Site Certification ($1,900-$2,375), Benevolence Ministry training ($169-$199/person), Ambassador Training ($800-$950), Innovate ($995-$1,195), and Innovate: Express ($99). Annual subscription fees for ongoing community access ($360-$450).
- Online Library Subscription: Annual subscription to the Helping Without Hurting Online Library providing access to all online courses for one low annual fee.
- Donations and Charitable Giving: The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on generous ministry partners for funding. They accept online donations, checks, and stock donations.
- Book Sales (Third-Party): Books are sold through publishers (Moody, Zondervan, Baker) and booksellers, not directly by Chalmers. Chalmers receives no direct revenue but the books spread their influence.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | One time | Faith & Finances Facilitator Training |
| Subscription | One time | Work Life Site Certification - Standard Team |
| Subscription | One time | Work Life Site Certification - Large Team |
| Subscription | Annual | Work Life Annual Subscription |
| Subscription | One time | Helping Without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry |
| Subscription | One time | Ambassador Certification Training |
| Subscription | One time | Innovate Online |
| Subscription | One time | Innovate: Express |
| Subscription | Annual | Helping Without Hurting Online Library |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Chalmers Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Chalmers Center delivers biblical poverty alleviation training programs, curricula, and coaching to churches and ministries in North America and the Majority World. Its primary offerings include Faith & Finances (financial education), Work Life (jobs readiness), Innovate (ministry design), RESTORE (savings groups), Benevolence Ministry training, and Ambassador Certification, delivered through online cohorts with live Zoom coaching and supported by a subscription online course library and a network of certified trainers.
Product overview
The Chalmers Center is a ministry organization offering a portfolio of training programs, books, and resources for churches and organizations focused on poverty alleviation through biblical principles. The core offerings include: Faith & Finances (financial education), Work Life (jobs readiness), Innovate (ministry design), Helping Without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry, Ambassador Training, RESTORE (savings groups), Business & Home, and Helping Without Hurting in Africa. These are complemented by online courses through the Helping Without Hurting Online Library subscription, a video library, and published books including the foundational When Helping Hurts and Becoming Whole. The organization provides coaching and consulting services, with training delivered through online platforms including Zoom and Pathwright-based courses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Faith & Finances Financial education training program designed for adults with low income, helping churches and nonprofits launch financial education classes that address poverty in a biblical, effective way. Includes a 7-week online course with weekly Zoom coaching and Lead Trainer support. Priced at $330 per person.
- Work Life Jobs readiness program that equips churches and nonprofits in the U.S. and Canada to start a jobs ministry helping people facing barriers find and keep meaningful work. Includes Work Life Site Certification at $1,900-$2,375 for 4-8 person teams, plus a $360-$450 annual subscription for ongoing community access.
- Innovate Ministry design training that combines community development best practices with innovation tools and a biblical framework to help teams develop poverty alleviation ministries. 4-week cohort with 8 live coaching sessions priced at $995-$1,195 per team (3-7 people).
- Helping Without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry 6-week training with 6 live online sessions that equips churches and ministries to develop holistic, relationship-focused benevolence ministries that help people experience lasting change. Priced at $169-$199 per person (group rate $139 for 3+).
- Ambassador Training 10-week certification program (September 1 - October 27, 2026) that trains individuals to represent Chalmers' foundational principles, practices, and tools for poverty alleviation within their ministry networks. Includes 11 online lessons and 8 live 2-hour coaching sessions. Priced at $800-$950.
- RESTORE Savings groups curriculum that equips churches and ministries with tools to start savings group ministries for people in extreme poverty.
- Business & Home Curriculum addressing economic and worldview issues for people living in poverty throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- Helping Without Hurting in Africa Training manual for ministry leaders walking alongside those in material poverty in Africa, based on principles from the book When Helping Hurts. Available in multiple languages.
- Innovate: Express Three-day condensed version of the Innovate process designed for individuals to discover, design, and do ministry that helps without hurting. Three 90-minute Zoom sessions over three days. Priced at $99 per person.
- Helping Without Hurting Online Library Subscription-based access to all of Chalmers' online courses including Helping Without Hurting: The Basics, Benevolence Ministry, Are You a Good Neighbor, Practicing the King's Economy, and Mobilize My Church. One annual subscription provides unlimited access to the course library.
- When Helping Hurts Foundational book on poverty alleviation helping readers discover how to effectively help low-income people beyond good intentions to lasting change. Sold through Moody, Zondervan, and Baker publishers.
- Becoming Whole Book exploring why the opposite of poverty isn't the American Dream, helping readers break free from false narratives about success. Published through third-party Christian publishers.
- A Field Guide to Becoming Whole Practical field guide providing a framework for lasting change for individuals and poverty alleviation ministries.
- Helping Without Hurting in Short-Term Missions Guide for designing and leading short-term mission trips that avoid harming the materially poor and lead to lasting change.
Quantifiable outcome
- 700+ churches and nonprofits implementing Faith & Finances programs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Chalmers Center
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Chalmers Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Chalmers Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Compassion International UgandacoreWorking with Compassion International Uganda, Chalmers trained and certified 35 men and women as Innovate: Local facilitators in Adjumani, Uganda.
- Resonate Global MissioncorePartnership with Resonate Global Mission and Oasis International to release 'Helping Without Hurting in Africa' in 2021.
- Oasis InternationalcoreCo-authors Anthony Sytsma and Jonny Kabiswa Kyazze crafted 'Helping Without Hurting in Africa' training manual through this partnership.
- Love INCcoreChurch ministry network helping churches help people in poverty. Chalmers has worked with Love INC as a ministry partner.
- Citygate NetworkcoreChurch network focused on reaching unchurched people and starting new churches. Partner organization.
- HOPE InternationalcoreChristian microfinance organization providing savings, loans, and training. Long-standing ministry partner.
- FiveTalentscoreChurch-centered microfinance organization helping churches alleviate poverty through savings and loan programs.
- Compassion InternationalcoreChild sponsorship organization working with churches globally. Ministry partner.
- STCH MinistriescoreJimmy Rodriguez: 'Our partnership with The Chalmers Center is a match made in heaven.' Organization committed to expanding God's Kingdom through church partnerships.
- TearfundcoreInternational development organization focused on ending extreme poverty. Jane Pleace serves as Global Fundraising Director.
- Life.ChurchcoreJeff Galley (Life.Church Chairman): 'We valued our partnership with Chalmers for many years because they're a hidden hand behind a lot of our relationships.' Jeff Galley serves on Chalmers Board of Directors.
- Prison FellowshipcorePrison ministry organization. Tammy Franklin: 'We have people coming together to teach biblical values and finances to a group of people who are incarcerated—this wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for the work that Chalmers has done.'
- Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)coreMajor Christian denomination. Ministry partner organization.
- Food for the Hungry CanadacoreInternational humanitarian organization focused on child sponsorship and development. Ministry partner.
- Restore OKCcoreSara Hawk: 'We use Chalmers tools because they do such a beautiful job of explaining why God's kingdom and vision operates the way it does—meeting everyone right where they're at.'
- Peoria Rescue MissioncoreJon Rocke: 'We were so excited to connect and even support the work of Chalmers because their approach and materials are so deeply gospel-centered and practically helpful.'
- Water MissioncoreLara Lambert: 'We adopted Chalmers principles in how we approach our community development activities, training and tools—over 10 years later, everything we do speaks back to these principles.'
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Chalmers Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tearfund: International Christian relief and development organization that trains local churches in holistic poverty alleviation. Comparable in faith-based training model, emphasis on local church as change agent, and global footprint across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- World Relief: Evangelical humanitarian organization providing community development, refugee services, and economic empowerment through church networks. Comparable in faith-based framing, church-centered community development methodology, and biblical poverty alleviation philosophy.
- Compassion International: Major faith-based child sponsorship and community development organization working through local churches. Comparable in church-partnership model, training programs for partner churches, and the 2024 Adjumani, Uganda Innovate: Local facilitator rollout with Chalmers demonstrates direct operational overlap.
- Prison Fellowship: Faith-based prison ministry organization that uses Chalmers' curriculum to teach biblical financial values to incarcerated individuals. Comparable in the model of training churches/ministries to deliver Chalmers-developed curriculum at the grassroots.
- FiveTalents: Church-centered microfinance organization helping churches launch savings and loan programs in low-income communities. Directly comparable in mission, faith-based framing, and majority-world focus to Chalmers' RESTORE savings groups program.
- Food for the Hungry: Christian humanitarian organization focused on community development, child sponsorship, and church-based poverty alleviation. Comparable in faith-based framing, community development training approach, and global partnership network.
- HOPE International: Christian microfinance organization providing savings, loans, and business training through church-based networks. Closely comparable to Chalmers' church-centered microfinance philosophy and shared emphasis on dignity over dependency in poverty alleviation.
Broad incumbents
- RightNow Media: Largest faith-based video streaming and training library serving US churches and ministries with thousands of discipleship, leadership, and ministry training resources. Comparable in subscription-based content delivery model to churches and ministry professionals.
- Habitat for Humanity: Large faith-rooted nonprofit addressing poverty through housing and community development. Comparable in faith-based mission and global scale, though focused on housing rather than training/curriculum delivery.
- Langham Partnership: International ministry providing theological education, leadership formation, and preacher training through global church networks. Comparable as a faith-based formation and training organization serving churches worldwide, with similar theological training products.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Chalmers Center social profiles
Digital presenceThe Chalmers Center compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The Chalmers Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Chalmers Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles23 records
The Chalmers Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Chalmers Center 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 The Chalmers Center
What does The Chalmers Center do?
The Chalmers Center delivers biblical poverty alleviation training programs, curricula, and coaching to churches and ministries in North America and the Majority World. Its primary offerings include Faith & Finances (financial education), Work Life (jobs readiness), Innovate (ministry design), RESTORE (savings groups), Benevolence Ministry training, and Ambassador Certification, delivered through online cohorts with live Zoom coaching and supported by a subscription online course library and a network of certified trainers.
Is The Chalmers Center a public or private company?
The Chalmers Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Chalmers Center founded?
The Chalmers Center was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Chalmers Center based?
The Chalmers Center is headquartered in Lookout Mountain, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Chalmers Center make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Training and Certification Fees are the primary driver. The others are online Library Subscription, donations and Charitable Giving and book Sales (Third-Party).
Who are The Chalmers Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tearfund, World Relief, Compassion International, Prison Fellowship, FiveTalents, Food for the Hungry and HOPE International. Broad incumbents are RightNow Media, Habitat for Humanity and Langham Partnership.
Does The Chalmers Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Chalmers Center.
What industry is The Chalmers Center in?
The Chalmers Center's product category is Poverty Alleviation Training & Ministry Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAD, Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis). Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8200.