Global Community Communications Alliance

What Global Community Communications Alliance does

Global Community Communications Alliance (GCCA) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt religious community founded in 1989 in Sedona, Arizona by Van of Urantia and Niánn Emerson Chase, now headquartered at the Global Temple on Pendleton Drive in Rio Rico, Arizona. The organization operates as a residential, spiritually-based community structured around the teachings of The URANTIA Book, The Cosmic Family volumes, and the broader Ascension Science framework. Its primary product is a living, intentional faith community in which members share daily spiritual practice, conscious learning, organic agriculture, and community governance on shared land at the Rio Rico campus, with extended member presence in Tucson and Sedona. GCCA also services a broader audience of non-resident spiritual seekers through open EcoVillage tours, study groups, retreats, volunteer opportunities, and the Vanetics Podcast, which combines contemporary video teachings with a 20+ year archive of spiritual lectures.

The organization monetizes through three primary streams: voluntary financial contributions from members (who enter after a period of mutual discernment via a voluntary lifetime vow), tax-deductible donations from external supporters, and proceeds from publications and media content associated with the founders. GCCA maintains an integrated ecosystem of independently governed affiliated organizations that extend its mission, including Soulistic Hospice (licensed hospice care), Avalon Gardens (working farm and learning facility), KVAN 91.7 FM Tucson (community radio), Camp Avalon (spiritual retreat in Sedona), and the University of Ascension Science and the Physics of Rebellion (educational institution). Distribution of content and outreach is achieved through a content website, the Vanetics Podcast, organic social media on Instagram and Facebook, the affiliated radio station, and on-site EcoVillage tours open to the public without commitment.

GCCA is governed by a council of elders. Following the death of co-founder Van of Urantia in August 2025, Niánn Emerson Chase continues as Spiritual Director, with the Eldership Council sharing governance responsibilities. The community has 100+ members and ministers, an 11-50 employee scale, and no commercial pricing, app, API, or funded investors. The organization has been the subject of critical media coverage and legal proceedings, which it addresses through legal and institutional channels. There is no indication of equity fundraising, M&A activity, or near-term commercial expansion outside the existing Arizona footprint.

Name

Global Community Communications Alliance

Legal name

Global Community Communications Alliance

Website

https://gccalliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GCCA is a 501(c)(3) residential faith community in southern Arizona founded in 1989, offering spiritual education, EcoVillage tours, retreats, and media content based on The URANTIA Book to members, extended participants, and global podcast and radio audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious community services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL), Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Religious/Faith-Based Radio Networks (MPABABAC), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Faith-based community
• Spiritual community
• Religious organization
• Spiritual retreats
• Eco-village tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Barra Do Rio Azul

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Contributions: Voluntary financial contributions from members living in the community. Full membership follows a period of mutual discernment with a voluntary lifetime vow of spiritual commitment.
2. Donations from Supporters: Tax-deductible donations from external supporters who align with the community's mission. GCCA is an IRC § 501(c)(3) tax-exempt church, making donations tax-deductible as permitted by law.
3. Publications and Media: Proceeds from publications, media content, and audio teachings including the Vanetics Podcast series and writings by founders Niánn Emerson Chase and Van of Urantia.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Global Community Communications Alliance operates a residential Jesusonian faith community in southern Arizona where members share daily spiritual practice, study of The URANTIA Book and Ascension Science, organic sustainable living, and conscious community governance. The organization delivers this through guided EcoVillage tours, spiritual classes, retreats, and an affiliated media ecosystem including the Vanetics Podcast and KVAN 91.7 FM radio.

Product overview

Global Community Communications Alliance is a Jesusonian new-thought faith community offering spiritual education and community living experiences. The organization provides a portfolio of interconnected services including EcoVillage Tours for visitors to experience their sustainable living campus, the Vanetics Podcast for audio/video spiritual teachings, KVAN Radio broadcasting, Camp Avalon spiritual retreats, Soulistic Hospice care services, and Avalon Gardens agricultural education. The community also offers study groups, spiritual classes, and retreats based on The URANTIA Book and The Cosmic Family volumes. While not a technology product company, GCCA operates affiliated organizations including Soulistic Hospice and Avalon Gardens that carry forward its values of service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KVAN 91.7 FM Tucson: Radio station affiliated with GCCA offering live broadcasts and archives.
• Van of Urantia
• Soulistic Hospice
• Avalon Gardens
• Camp Avalon

Products and services

• EcoVillage Tours Guided tours of the Rio Rico EcoVillage campus by appointment, offering visitors an unhurried walk through the gardens and grounds, exposure to sustainable earth-honoring living practices, and the opportunity to meet community members and ask questions. Open to everyone regardless of background or prior knowledge with no commitment required.
• Vanetics Podcast A podcast series of lectures and teachings on spiritual leadership, personal evolution, and Divine Administration principles. Features video teachings from the University of Ascension Science and a legacy archive of audio teachings spanning over two decades.
• KVAN 91.7 FM Radio A radio station operating at 91.7 FM in Tucson, Arizona, offering live broadcasts and archived content related to the community's spiritual teachings.
• Camp Avalon Retreat A spiritual nature retreat located on Oak Creek in Sedona, Arizona, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the community's teachings in a natural setting. Operated as an independently operated affiliated organization.
• Soulistic Hospice Licensed hospice care organization serving individuals and families in their final chapter of life with compassion and dignity. Operates with its own governance and leadership as an independently operated affiliated organization.
• Avalon Gardens A working farm and sustainable learning facility in southern Arizona providing food production and environmental education. Operates with its own governance and leadership as an independently operated affiliated organization.
• Library & Reading List Books and study materials recommended by the community as part of its spiritual education curriculum, available through globalchangetools.org.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Soulistic HospiceminorOthersLicensed hospice care organization serving individuals and families in their final chapter of life with compassion and dignity. An independently operated affiliated organization sharing GCCA's values of service and spiritual care. Operates with its own governance and leadership.
• Avalon GardensminorOthersA working farm and sustainable learning facility in southern Arizona providing food and environmental education. An independently operated affiliated organization. Operates with its own governance and leadership separate from GCCA.
• KVAN 91.7 FM TucsonminorOthersAffiliated community radio station. Listeners can listen live or browse archives of spiritual content. An independently operated affiliated organization sharing the community's values and carrying forward a commitment to serving others through media.
• Camp AvalonminorOthersSpiritual nature retreat located on Oak Creek in Sedona, Arizona. An independently operated affiliated organization offering retreat experiences aligned with GCCA's spiritual mission and earth-honoring values.
• University of Ascension Science and the Physics of RebellionminorOthersEducational institution co-founded by Van of Urantia and Niánn Emerson Chase. Presents contemporary video teachings as part of the Vanetics podcast series. Associated with the community's spiritual education mission and Ascension Science framework.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Findhorn Foundation: Long-established ecovillage and spiritual community in Scotland with a comparable residential intentional-living model, sustainable agriculture, and a teaching/retreat-based mission. Closest international analog to GCCA's EcoVillage community.
• Auroville: International intentional spiritual community in Tamil Nadu, India, founded on a unifying spiritual vision and integrating sustainable living, education, and cultural exchange. Comparable to GCCA in combining residential spiritual practice with a broader educational/eco mission.
• The Farm (Tennessee): An intentional spiritual community founded in 1971 in Summertown, Tennessee, combining sustainable land stewardship, shared spiritual practice, and affiliated economic enterprises — structurally similar to GCCA's integrated residential + farm model.
• Koinonia Farm: Christian intentional community in Americus, Georgia, founded in 1942, blending faith, agriculture, and racial/social justice work. Comparable to GCCA in combining Christian-rooted community living with sustainable farming.
• Camphill Communities: Anthroposophical intentional community network combining curative education, sustainable living, and spiritual practice. Comparable to GCCA in its residential community-based model with a distinctive spiritual/philosophical framework.
• Taizé Community: Ecumenical Christian monastic community in Taizé, France, known for attracting young seekers through short stays and progressive theology. Comparable to GCCA in its open-door welcome to seekers and structured spiritual practice.
• Sunrise Ranch: Spiritual community in Loveland, Colorado, operating as a residential center rooted in spiritual practice and sustainable living. Comparable to GCCA in its intentional residential community model with a teaching/retreat component.
• Maharishi Foundation: Organization supporting Transcendental Meditation communities and teaching centers worldwide. Comparable to GCCA in combining a founder-led spiritual teaching lineage with residential community living and retreat programming.

Broad incumbents

• Esalen Institute: Established spiritual retreat and personal-growth center in Big Sur, California. Comparable to GCCA's Camp Avalon retreat function but broader, secular, and more commercially scaled — a recognized incumbent in the spiritual retreat space.
• Brahma Kumaris: Global spiritual organization operating meditation centers, retreats, and educational programs rooted in a distinctive spiritual framework. Comparable to GCCA in its teaching-based, residential-meets-global-distribution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GCCAlliance
• Instagraminstagram.com/avalon_ecovillage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/global-community-communications-alliance

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Global Community Communications Alliance