Center for Courage & Renewal

What Center for Courage & Renewal does

Center for Courage & Renewal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 by Parker J. Palmer and headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, that delivers contemplative retreats, leadership training, and facilitator certification rooted in the Courage & Renewal approach. Its flagship methodology, the Circle of Trust retreat model, is supported by a structured learning pathway that begins with the five-session "Foundations of the Courage & Renewal Approach" program, advances through the Practicum, and culminates in the Facilitator Preparation Program that produces a distributed network of credentialed facilitators. The organization operates in a hybrid delivery model that combines direct online registration through couragerenewal.org (Zoom-based and self-serve), in-person retreats hosted at partner venues such as Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center in Iowa and the Peredur Centre in the UK, and facilitator-led independent programs running across multiple US states and abroad.

The organization serves six horizontal segments — educators (its primary audience), healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, faith communities, civic/democracy leaders, and individuals seeking personal renewal — through more than 15 active programs spanning multi-day immersive retreats (Becoming the Elder Tree, Celebrating Not Knowing), online multi-session series (Practicing Courage in a Time of Polarization, Healing Relationships), and topical retreats such as Resilience in Academia. Pricing is intentionally accessible and ranges from $20-$50 pay-what-you-can contributions on grant-subsidized programs to $980 tuition at premium UK retreats, with sliding-scale fees and scholarships across the portfolio. The business model rests on three revenue streams: program and retreat fees, individual and foundation donations, and foundation grants — most notably a sustained relationship with the Lilly Endowment and the Lilly Foundation that subsidizes access to flagship programs.

Operations are deliberately lean (1-10 headquarters employees) and amplified by the trained-facilitator network, which converts the small core staff into a wide geographic footprint. The technology stack is conventional off-the-shelf SaaS — Constant Contact for email, Cvent and MinistryLINQ for payments, Survey Monkey and Jotform for surveys, Google Analytics for web telemetry — and there is no proprietary app, API, or AI capability. Academic validation of the methodology is supported by a research collaboration with the University of Virginia's Social Development Laboratory on the Leading Together school-trust study.

Name

Center for Courage & Renewal

Legal name

Center for Courage & Renewal

Website

https://couragerenewal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Center for Courage & Renewal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 by Parker J. Palmer that delivers contemplative Circle of Trust retreats, leadership training, and facilitator certification programs. It serves educators, healthcare providers, nonprofit leaders, faith communities, civic audiences, and individuals seeking personal and professional renewal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Development and Leadership Training

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Wellness Retreat Centers (Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness) (THAGAMAB)

Keywords

• Professional development programs
• Leadership training retreats
• Contemplative education services
• Facilitator certification programs
• Nonprofit personal development

Headquarters

HQ city

Greenville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program and Retreat Fees: Revenue generated from registration fees for various programs including retreats, training courses, and educational series. Fees vary by program duration and format, ranging from $25 minimum contributions to $250+ for multi-session programs.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Center accepts donations from individuals and foundations to support programs and scholarships.
3. Foundation Grants: Grant funding from foundations such as the Lilly Endowment and Lilly Foundation to support specific programs and reduce barriers to participation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Center for Courage & Renewal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers Circle of Trust retreats, multi-session online training programs, and facilitator certification rooted in the Courage & Renewal approach developed by founder Parker J. Palmer. Core offerings include the Foundations of the Courage & Renewal Approach, the Practicum, the Facilitator Preparation Program, and specialized retreat series spanning education, healthcare, faith communities, civic life, and personal development.

Product overview

Center for Courage & Renewal is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of retreat programs, training certifications, and digital resources centered on the Courage & Renewal approach developed by Parker J. Palmer. The core offering is the Circle of Trust retreat model, supported by structured training programs including Foundations of the Courage & Renewal Approach, the Courage & Renewal Practicum, and the Facilitator Preparation Program. The organization delivers programs across multiple formats: multi-day immersive retreats (Circle of Trust, Celebrating Not Knowing, Becoming the Elder Tree), online series (Practicing Courage in a Time of Polarization, Healing Relationships, Foundations), monthly community gatherings, and facilitated programs for specific sectors (education, healthcare, higher education, aging). Additional offerings include a digital Library containing books, documents, insights, research, and videos by Parker J. Palmer and affiliated authors. The organization also maintains a membership-based Community Platform for ongoing engagement and practice deepening.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Courage & Renewal: The core approach and methodology developed by Parker J. Palmer for creating trustworthy spaces and personal growth
• Circle of Trust

Products and services

• Circle of Trust Retreats Multi-day immersive retreats based on the Courage & Renewal approach that create trustworthy spaces for self-reflection, shared exploration, and personal transformation through principles and practices that honor the inner teacher.
• Foundations of the Courage & Renewal Approach Five-session online training program teaching the values, principles, and practices of the Courage & Renewal approach, serving as a prerequisite for the Practicum and Facilitator Preparation Program. Priced at $250 with scholarship covering up to $200.
• Courage & Renewal Practicum Advanced training program for individuals seeking to facilitate Courage & Renewal programs, building on the Foundations program.
• Facilitator Preparation Program Comprehensive certification program preparing individuals to become trained Courage & Renewal facilitators who deliver programs independently.
• In This Together: A Courage & Renewal Approach to Mentoring Program focused on mentoring relationships using the Courage & Renewal approach to support professional and personal development.
• Freedom in Restraint: Writing into Less as More One-and-a-half-day contemplative poetry writing retreat exploring the potential for freedom in restraint through writing poetry. Priced at $185 (early bird $160 before June 21, 2026).
• Resilience in Academia Three-day online retreat for academics and scientists to explore internal landscapes, restore passion, and develop humane leadership practices. Priced at $80.
• Healing Relationships Series Six-session series engaging in conversations about joys and challenges of parenting adult children, using Courage & Renewal Touchstones for inner work. Sliding scale $100 to $200, suggested $160.
• Our Complex Lives as Sacred Ground Three-part online retreat series for Courage & Renewal facilitators exploring lives as sacred ground through themes of deep listening, restraint, wonder, and regenerative possibilities. Sliding scale $40 to $100, suggested $75.
• Active Hope in Unordinary Times: The Great Turning Multi-part series exploring sacred soul work and the inner teacher through contemplative practices, reflection, and community inquiry. Participants contribute $20 to $50, subsidized by Lilly Foundation support (full cost $175).
• Celebrating Not Knowing Retreat Five-day immersive retreat combining Social Presencing Theater, Clowning, and Courage & Renewal Practices for personal, social, and systemic transformation. Tuition £980 plus £400 for accommodations and meals.
• Becoming the Elder Tree: Purpose in the Second Half of Life Weekend Circle of Trust retreat exploring elderhood, purpose, and intergenerational wisdom through connection with the more-than-human world. $255 includes lodging and meals; $195 commuter rate.
• Finding Your Way in Troubled Times Morning gathering in Shoreham-by-Sea, UK, exploring labyrinth walking, shared breakfast, poetry, meditation, singing, and reflection for navigating troubled times with courage and clarity. Offered by donation.
• Spirituality Community Gathering Monthly community gathering for Courage & Renewal members centered around learning, connection, and reflection on integrating principles and practices into daily life.
• Choosing Courage to Be Six-month online Circle of Trust community meeting monthly to explore how to be courageous through themes including courage to allow, take heat, do hard things, fail, begin again, and wait. Priced at $150.
• Practicing Courage in a Time of Polarization Five-session experience exploring the Habits of the Heart framework and Circle of Trust practices for addressing polarization and strengthening democratic society. $250 for first-time participants; returning participants pay what they choose.
• Courage & Renewal Community Platform Membership platform providing access to the Courage & Renewal community, resources, and ongoing support for deepening practice and belonging.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research conducted by University of Virginia's Social Development Laboratory demonstrates effectiveness of the Leading Together program in building relational trust in schools

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• University of Virginia - Social Development LaboratoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partnership with Dr. Sara Rimm-Kaufman and colleagues at the Curry School of Education conducting pilot studies on the Leading Together program measuring relational trust development in schools.
• Presencing InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for the Celebrating Not Knowing retreat, bringing together Social Presencing Theatre methodology with Courage & Renewal practices. Arawana Hayashi heads SPT development for the Presencing Institute.
• Nose to Nose (Clowning)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational clowning organization co-facilitating the Celebrating Not Knowing retreat. Vivian Gladwell, Founder and Director of Nose to Nose, brings Social Presencing Theatre and clowning practices into integration with Courage & Renewal approach.
• Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue for the Becoming the Elder Tree retreat in Hiawatha, Iowa. Provides retreat facilities, accommodation, and meals. 67-acre woods and prairie setting supporting contemplative programming.
• Nonviolent Communication (Center for Nonviolent Communication)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSusan Kaplan is a Certified NVC Trainer integrating Nonviolent Communication principles into Healing the Heart of Democracy programs and other CCR offerings, creating hybrid programming for conflict transformation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Presencing Institute: Otto Scharmer's organization advancing Theory U and Social Presencing Theatre for personal, social, and systemic transformation. CCR explicitly partners with the Presencing Institute on joint retreats (Celebrating Not Knowing), indicating overlapping methodology and audience.
• Garrison Institute: Nonprofit that applies contemplative practices to social change, offering retreats and programs at the intersection of inner work and societal issues — overlapping CCR's mission around contemplative practice, civic engagement, and Healing the Heart of Democracy themes.
• Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute: Born at Google and now an independent nonprofit, SIYLI offers mindfulness-based leadership and emotional intelligence training programs for professionals and organizations — directly comparable to CCR's reflective leadership development approach.
• Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Buddhist-inspired meditation and retreat center offering teacher trainings, daylong retreats, and longer immersive programs — comparable in the contemplative retreat and teacher preparation space, though with a more explicitly Buddhist framing than CCR.

Emerging players

• Mindful Schools: Nonprofit providing mindfulness training and curricula for K-12 educators and students — directly comparable to CCR's educator-focused segments (Leading Together, Resilience in Academia, Healing the Heart of Democracy applied to schools).
• HeartMath Institute: Nonprofit offering resilience training, emotional regulation programs, and retreats for personal/professional development — overlapping CCR's value proposition of building inner capacity for leadership and well-being.

Broad incumbents

• Esalen Institute: Iconic retreat center in Big Sur, California offering personal growth, contemplative, and transformative workshops. Comparable to CCR in the retreat/wellness space but at much larger scale and with broader programming.
• Omega Institute for Holistic Studies: Large retreat and learning center in Rhinebeck, NY offering workshops on personal growth, leadership, and contemplative practice. Operates at significantly greater scale than CCR and overlaps substantially on contemplative retreat programming.
• Center for Creative Leadership: Large, established leadership development institution offering programs, coaching, and research. Operates at much greater scale than CCR but addresses overlapping leadership development needs of the same mid-to-senior professional audience.

Others

• Wisdom 2.0: Conference and community at the intersection of contemplative practice, technology, and modern life. Addresses overlapping themes with CCR's practitioner audience around bringing wisdom and reflection into contemporary professional contexts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/couragerenewal
• YouTubevimeo.com/couragerenewal
• Facebookfacebook.com/couragerenewal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-courage-&-renewal

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 Center for Courage & Renewal