Cáritas Brasileira
Cáritas Brasileira, founded in 1956 as an organism of Brazil's Catholic Bishops' Conference (CNBB), is a nationwide humanitarian network of 198 member entities serving vulnerable populations—including migrants, traditional communities, disaster-affected families, women, youth, and family farmers—through emergency response, social programs, and advocacy across Brazil.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersBrasilândia, Brazil
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cáritas Brasileira does
Cáritas Brasileira, founded on November 12, 1956, by Dom Helder Camara as an organism of the Conferência Nacional dos Bispos do Brasil (CNBB), is a Brazilian non-profit civil society organization dedicated to humanitarian action, social protection, and advocacy on behalf of populations in vulnerable situations. It operates as one of 170+ member organizations of the global Cáritas Internationalis confederation, providing a coordinated platform across 198 member entities organized into 13 regional divisions (Norte 2, Norte 3, Nordeste 2, Nordeste 3, Ceará, Maranhão, Piauí, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul) and 3 articulations (Norte 1, Noroeste, Rio de Janeiro). The organization's beneficiary population spans migrants and refugees (notably Venezuelans), traditional peoples and communities, children, adolescents and youth (PIAJ program), women facing gender-based violence, family farmers, waste pickers (catadores), and communities affected by socio-environmental disasters.
The organization's core operating model is a decentralized humanitarian service network rather than a technology platform. Its portfolio includes the Rede Cáritas (national member-entity network), Resposta Emergencial (emergency response and multipurpose cash transfers), the Nhandereko-há Amazon cooperation program with Cáritas França, Projeto Comunidade Ativa in partnership with Itaipu Binacional, and program areas covering Economia Popular Solidária, Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional, Migração/Refúgio, Meio Ambiente/Gestão de Riscos e Emergências (MAGRE), and the Infância/Adolescência/Juventude (PIAJ). The reported headcount is 501–1,000 paid staff complemented by 15,000+ volunteer agents mobilized through dioceses, parishes, and community organizations. No proprietary technology platform is described; underlying infrastructure is human-network based, with digital channels (website, social media, podcast, transparency portal) supporting communications and donations rather than service delivery.
Cáritas's revenue model rests on two streams: donations and financial contributions from individuals, organizations, and parishes via PIX, bank deposit, and credit card; and project-based partnerships with international funders (CRS, BMZ/Misereor, EU, USAID, Cáritas France/Germany/Switzerland/Spain, OIM) and Brazilian partners (Itaipu Binacional, Banco do Brasil, Ministério da Cidadania, CIMI, CPT, CNBB's Campanha da Fraternidade). Emergency campaigns such as SOS Venezuela, É Tempo de Cuidar (COVID-19, 2020), and #SOS Bahia/Minas Gerais function as episodic fundraising events. The organization is governed by a board elected every four years (current mandate 2024–2027), led by President Dom Mário Antônio (Archbishop of Aparecida), and certified by Cáritas Internationalis under the Estândares de Gestão framework as of June 2024.
Cáritas Brasileira firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cáritas Brasileira
- Legal name
- Cáritas Brasileira
- Website
- https://caritas.org.br
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1956
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Cáritas Brasileira, founded in 1956 as an organism of Brazil's Catholic Bishops' Conference (CNBB), is a nationwide humanitarian network of 198 member entities serving vulnerable populations—including migrants, traditional communities, disaster-affected families, women, youth, and family farmers—through emergency response, social programs, and advocacy across Brazil.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cáritas Brasileira industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Services
- NAICS
- Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Community Food Services (624210)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Rights Organizations (HLAJAKAO)
Keywords
Where Cáritas Brasileira is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brasilândia
- HQ country
- Brazil
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Cáritas Brasileira business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Financial Contributions: Cáritas raises funds throughPIX transfers, bank deposits, and credit card donations from individuals, organizations, and churches. The organization also receives institutional funding from partners for specific projects.
- Project-Based Partnerships: Implementation of development and humanitarian projects funded by international organizations, governments, and Catholic institutions, with funds directed to specific programmatic activities.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Cáritas Brasileira product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cáritas Brasileira is a Catholic non-profit organization that operates a nationwide network of 198 member entities across 13 regional divisions and 3 articulations in Brazil. It delivers humanitarian emergency response to communities affected by socio-environmental disasters, reception and integration support for migrants and refugees, food security and nutrition programs, social protection for children, adolescents and youth, solidarity economy initiatives, and advocacy for traditional peoples and vulnerable communities. The organization mobilizes more than 15,000 volunteer agents and coordinates with international Cáritas networks, government agencies, and faith-based partners to implement its programs.
Product overview
Cáritas Brasileira operates as a unified charitable and humanitarian service network rather than a technology platform. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of social programs through its national network of 198 member entities, organized across 13 regional divisions and 3 articulations. Core offerings include emergency humanitarian response (Resposta Emergencial), migration support services, community development initiatives (such as Projeto Comunidade Ativa), and thematic program areas covering solidarity economy, food security, environmental management, and youth protection. Special initiatives like the Nhandereko-há Amazon program and SOS Venezuela campaign provide targeted interventions. All programs are delivered through direct social service delivery, volunteer coordination, and partner collaboration—not through a software platform or digital product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 340 families (approximately 1,360 people) assisted with emergency financial transfers of R$ 1,600 each in Porto Velho and Humaitá disaster response
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cáritas Brasileira
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cáritas Brasileira technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cáritas Brasileira partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Conferência Nacional dos Bispos do Brasil (CNBB)flagshipCáritas Brasileira is a formal organism of CNBB, the national conference of Catholic bishops. This structural relationship provides institutional framework, access to dioceses and parishes nationwide, and alignment with the Church's social teaching and pastoral priorities.
- Cáritas InternacionalisflagshipCáritas Brasileira is one of 170 member organizations in the global Cáritas confederation. The relationship includes adherence to international management standards, participation in global humanitarian response coordination, and access to the worldwide network of Cáritas organizations.
- Cáritas FrançacoreDevelopment partnership implementing the Nhandereko-há program for coexistence with the Amazon biome, supporting traditional peoples and communities through international solidarity cooperation.
- Catholic Relief Services (CRS)coreFunding and technical support for emergency response operations, including disaster relief in Porto Velho (RO) and Humaitá (AM), providing multipurpose financial assistance to affected families.
- Itaipu BinacionalcorePartnership for Projeto Comunidade Ativa in Northern Minas Gerais, promoting community organization through formation, network articulation, and local initiative support over an 18-month implementation period.
- Cáritas AlemanhacoreInternational partner providing support for programs including the Global Territories for Life initiative, with funding through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
- Cáritas SuíçacoreSister organization providing international cooperation and solidarity funding for Brazilian programs.
- Cáritas EspanholacoreSpanish Cáritas organization engaged in international cooperation and program support.
- Organização Internacional para Migrações (OIM)coreUN migration agency partnership for migration programs, particularly supporting Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Brazil.
- Ministério da Cidadania - Governo FederalcorePartnership with Brazilian federal government ministry for social programs and citizen support initiatives.
- Conselho Indigenista Missionário (CIMI)corePartnership for indigenous rights advocacy and support for indigenous communities.
- Comissão Pastoral da Terra (CPT)corePartnership with Catholic land rights pastoral organization for agrarian issues and rural community support.
- Conferência Episcopal Latino-Americana (CELAM)corePartnership with Latin American bishops' conference for regional coordination and shared initiatives.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cáritas Brasileira competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Action Against Hunger: International humanitarian organization focused on hunger, food security, nutrition, and emergency response. Directly comparable to Cáritas Brasileira's Food Security / Segurança Alimentar program area and emergency operations.
- Save the Children: International NGO focused on children's rights and wellbeing with emergency and development programming. Overlaps with Cáritas Brasileira's PIAJ program and broader protection mandates.
Broad incumbents
- Oxfam: Global confederation focused on poverty alleviation, humanitarian response, and advocacy on inequality. Comparable to Cáritas Brasileira on development, disaster response, food security, and rights advocacy.
- World Vision International: Large Christian humanitarian organization focused on child welfare, disaster response, and long-term development with active presence in Brazil. Overlaps with Cáritas on emergency response, child protection (PIAJ), and food security programming.
- Cáritas Internacionalis: Global confederation of 170+ Catholic humanitarian organizations that manages the Estândares de Gestão certification Cáritas Brasileira holds. Functions as both parent network and broader incumbent across the same humanitarian category.
Direct peers
- Catholic Relief Services (CRS): US-headquartered Catholic humanitarian agency operating internationally on emergency response, migration, and development. CRS is currently a direct funding/implementing partner of Cáritas Brasileira, making them direct peers in Catholic humanitarian delivery.
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): Major international humanitarian NGO operating in crisis and post-crisis contexts with migration, emergency response, and recovery programs. Highly comparable to Cáritas Brasileira's emergency response and migration/refugee operations.
- Mercy Corps: International humanitarian and development NGO operating in multiple high-vulnerability regions with comparable emergency response, food security, and resilience programming. Comparable in scale and program diversity to Cáritas Brasileira.
Regional players
- Pastoral da Criança: Brazilian Catholic social action organization focused on children, families and community development, affiliated with CNBB. Sister Catholic organization in Brazil operating with a similar faith-rooted, community-mobilized model.
- Brazilian Red Cross (Cruz Vermelha Brasileira): Brazilian branch of the International Red Cross movement providing emergency response, disaster preparedness, and humanitarian aid throughout Brazil. Directly comparable as a national Brazilian humanitarian responder.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cáritas Brasileira social profiles
Digital presenceCáritas Brasileira compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Cáritas Brasileira financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cáritas Brasileira leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Cáritas Brasileira funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cáritas Brasileira 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 Cáritas Brasileira
What does Cáritas Brasileira do?
Cáritas Brasileira is a Catholic non-profit organization that operates a nationwide network of 198 member entities across 13 regional divisions and 3 articulations in Brazil. It delivers humanitarian emergency response to communities affected by socio-environmental disasters, reception and integration support for migrants and refugees, food security and nutrition programs, social protection for children, adolescents and youth, solidarity economy initiatives, and advocacy for traditional peoples and vulnerable communities. The organization mobilizes more than 15,000 volunteer agents and coordinates with international Cáritas networks, government agencies, and faith-based partners to implement its programs.
Is Cáritas Brasileira a public or private company?
Cáritas Brasileira is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cáritas Brasileira founded?
Cáritas Brasileira was founded in 1956. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Cáritas Brasileira based?
Cáritas Brasileira is headquartered in Brasilândia, Brazil, in the Latin America region.
How does Cáritas Brasileira make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Financial Contributions are the primary driver. The others are project-Based Partnerships.
Who are Cáritas Brasileira's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Action Against Hunger and Save the Children. Broad incumbents are Oxfam, World Vision International and Cáritas Internacionalis. Direct peers are Catholic Relief Services (CRS), International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Mercy Corps. Regional players are Pastoral da Criança and Brazilian Red Cross (Cruz Vermelha Brasileira).
Does Cáritas Brasileira have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cáritas Brasileira.
What industry is Cáritas Brasileira in?
Cáritas Brasileira's product category is Humanitarian Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAH, Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance, with a secondary code of BPADAEAK, Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming. Its NAICS code is 6242 and its SIC code is 8300.