Congregation of St. Joseph

What Congregation of St. Joseph does

Congregation of St. Joseph (CSJ) is a 501(c)(3) Catholic religious congregation headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, operating as a community of vowed women religious and lay associates. Founded in 1650 in Le Puy, France under Jesuit priest Jean Pierre Medaille, the congregation arrived in the United States in 1836 and consolidated seven U.S. founding communities into its current form in 2007. The congregation operates through two wholly-owned subsidiaries: CSJ Ministries, which oversees a mission network of more than 20 partner ministries spanning education, social services, spirituality centers, and justice advocacy, and CSJ Initiatives, which manages independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing communities for senior religious.

The organization's service portfolio includes three Catholic high schools (Nazareth Academy, Saint Joseph Academy in Cleveland, and St. Joseph's Academy in Baton Rouge), tutoring and literacy programs, spiritual direction, pastoral assistance, and senior care management. The congregation maintains seven U.S. centers across Cleveland, LaGrange Park, Baton Rouge, Kalamazoo, Wheeling, Wichita, and Tipton, plus international ministry presence in Kyoto and Matsusaka, Japan. Social justice programming covers anti-racism, LGBTQ+ support, immigration reform, environmental sustainability through the Vatican-sponsored Laudato Si' Action Platform, abolition of the death penalty, and non-violence advocacy.

As a nonprofit religious congregation, CSJ generates revenue exclusively through donations and grants rather than commercial sales. Revenue sources include individual one-time and recurring gifts, the Circle of Friends monthly giving program, Heritage Society legacy gifts, Charitable Gift Annuities administered through the National Catholic Community Foundation, IRA qualified charitable distributions, stock donations, matching gifts, and grants to partner 501(c)(3) organizations. The congregation employs 51-100 staff and uses a website-based donor management platform with Blackbaud payment processing, e2ma email marketing, and Google Analytics for digital engagement.

Name

Congregation of St. Joseph

Legal name

Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph

Website

https://csjoseph.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Congregation of St. Joseph is a 501(c)(3) Catholic women's religious congregation headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, operating three Catholic high schools, senior living facilities, and 20+ mission network ministries across the U.S. and Japan, funded through donations, planned giving, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051)

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)

Keywords

• Religious congregation
• Catholic education
• Senior care services
• Social justice ministry
• Planned giving programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Congregation of St. Joseph is a Catholic religious congregation of vowed women religious and lay associates that provides spiritual community, Catholic education through three high schools, senior living management for religious communities, social justice advocacy, and various giving programs. The organization operates a Mission Network of 20+ ministries spanning education, social services, spirituality centers, and senior care across the U.S. and Japan, funded primarily through donations, grants, and charitable contributions.

Product overview

The Congregation of St. Joseph is a Catholic religious organization offering a portfolio of spiritual, educational, and social service programs rather than a technology product. Its primary offerings include the imagineONE Magazine (bi-annual publication), CSJ Ministries (mission network and oversight), CSJ Initiatives (senior living management), local regional newsletters, and various giving programs including Circle of Friends monthly giving, Heritage Society legacy giving, and Charitable Gift Annuities. The organization does not offer a software product or technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CSJ Ministries Umbrella organization responsible for the CSJ Mission Network, ministry oversight, and development of new partnerships supporting the congregation's various ministries. Manages a network of 20+ partner organizations.
• CSJ Initiatives (Senior Care) Umbrella organization that manages and develops independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing communities providing spiritually enriched senior living for religious communities.
• imagineONE Magazine Bi-annual publication featuring stories of sisters, ministry updates, social justice initiatives, and congregational news. Available digitally via flip-book format with archived editions.
• Circle of Friends Monthly Giving Program Monthly giving program that allows donors to partner with the congregation's sisters in ministry throughout the year through recurring contributions.
• Heritage Society (Legacy Giving) Legacy giving program for donors who include the Congregation of St. Joseph in their will or estate plans, offering recognition and spiritual benefits.
• Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) Planned giving product providing guaranteed fixed-rate income for life to donors aged 60+ who make gifts of $10,000 or more. Administered through the National Catholic Community Foundation (NCCF), which invests gifts and sends fixed payments; 95% of residual amount passes to the Congregation after donors' lifetimes.
• Catholic High School Education (Nazareth Academy, Saint Joseph Academy, St. Joseph's Academy) Catholic secondary education at three CSJ-supported high schools: Nazareth Academy, Saint Joseph Academy (Cleveland), and St. Joseph's Academy (Baton Rouge), serving students and families seeking faith-based academic and spiritual formation.
• Social Justice and Advocacy Programs Justice initiatives including anti-racism and inclusion efforts, care of creation (Laudato Si'), fair and just immigration policies, abolishment of the death penalty, LGBTQ+ support, and non-violence advocacy. The Congregation pledged to participate in the Vatican-sponsored Laudato Si' Action Platform on November 14, 2021.
• Generous Promise Grant Fund Grant funding directed to 501(c)(3) organizations working on systemic change, environmental projects, anti-racism, LGBTQ+ support, immigration reform. Supports long-range systemic impact initiatives where sisters or associates are involved.
• Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Assistance Spiritual direction, pastoral assistance, prayer requests, and retreat/spirituality center services (including The Well Spirituality Center and St. Joseph Retreat Center) provided to individuals seeking spiritual accompaniment.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and minor.

• Laudato Si' MovementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2021The Congregation pledged to participate in the Vatican-sponsored Laudato Si' Action Platform on November 14, 2021. In 2024, they made their largest gift to date supporting the global Laudato Si' Movement's work to equip lay leaders to engage communities in care of Earth and people through resources, guidance, and advocacy for moral climate policies.
• Laudato Si' Action PlatformcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVatican-sponsored global initiative invited by Pope Francis to achieve environmental sustainability. The Congregation developed a seven-year plan addressing cry of Earth, cry of poor, ecological economics, sustainable lifestyles, ecological education, spirituality, and community resilience.
• National Catholic Community Foundation (NCCF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSJ partners with NCCF to administer Charitable Gift Annuities. NCCF invests gifts and sends fixed payments for life to donors; after donors' lifetimes, 95% of residual amount passes to the Congregation.
• BlackbaudsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing vendor handling donation transactions. Privacy policy states all payment data is handled and stored by Blackbaud.
• CSJ Mission Network PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 20+ ministries under CSJ Ministries umbrella including: ABLE Families (Kermit WV), Catholic Mobilizing Network (Washington D.C.), Dear Neighbor Ministries (Wichita KS), Ministry of the Arts (LaGrange Park IL), Nazareth Academy, Saint Joseph Academy (Cleveland), St. Joseph's Academy (Baton Rouge), St. Joseph Retreat Center (Wheeling WV), Taller de José (Chicago IL), The Well Spirituality Center, and others.
• Healing Action NetworkminorOthersSt. Louis, Missouri-based organization; listed as past partnership on CSJ Ministries page.
• TraffickCam App (Exchange Initiative / Washington University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerApplication developed to help fight human trafficking; CSJ supports through partnership and promotion.
• Various 501(c)(3) OrganizationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSignificant portion of gifting directed toward nonprofits where sisters or associates are involved, working to meet needs of vulnerable populations, heal Earth, and change systems of injustice. Current priorities include anti-racism efforts, environmental concerns, LGBTQ+ needs, and fair immigration policies.
• Google AnalyticssupportingTechnology or IntegrationUsed for website traffic analytics including Demographics and Interests Reporting. Privacy policy indicates data sharing with Google Analytics.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• National Catholic Community Foundation (NCCF): Infrastructure partner administering CSJ's Charitable Gift Annuity program. Not a competitor but the closest industry analog for planned-giving administration in the Catholic nonprofit ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Trinity Health Senior Communities: Catholic health-system senior care subsidiary with substantially larger scale than CSJ Initiatives; useful benchmark for the senior-living management services market CSJ Initiatives operates in.

Direct peers

• Sisters of Mercy of the Americas: A Catholic women's religious congregation of similar heritage, also operating across multiple U.S. regions with consolidated governance, schools, healthcare ministries, and social justice programs. Highly comparable in structure, funding model, and ministry mix.
• Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph: Women's religious congregation with parallel emphasis on education (operating schools), social justice, and senior care; shares multi-state U.S. presence and donor-development model.
• Adrian Dominican Sisters: A women's religious congregation with consolidated leadership, education and social justice ministries, and an aging membership profile parallel to CSJ. Operates in overlapping Midwestern geographies.
• Sisters of the Holy Cross: Catholic women's religious congregation with multi-site U.S. presence, education ministries, and social justice programs; comparable scale and consolidated governance structure.
• Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods: Midwestern women's religious congregation with parallel ministry portfolio (education, social services, spirituality centers) and similar donor-funded operating model.
• Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ): International women's religious congregation running Catholic schools, social justice ministries, and senior care; comparable in consolidated structure and heritage-driven fundraising.
• Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM): U.S. women's religious congregation headquartered in the Midwest with similar mix of education, social service, and spirituality ministries; comparable organizational scale and donor-funded model.

Emerging players

• Catholic Mobilizing Network: CSJ Mission Network partner organization; while a peer in advocacy focus (death penalty abolition, restorative justice), it is operationally adjacent rather than directly competitive, illustrating the type of grant-funded social-justice partner CSJ supports.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/congofstjoseph
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC82z1LOpNmEHHp9cn0TO0SA
• Facebookfacebook.com/congregationofstjoseph
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1333649
• Instagraminstagram.com/congregationofstjoseph

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Congregation of St. Joseph