Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

What Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School does

Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (CRCDS) is a private, non-profit theological seminary and graduate theological education provider founded in 1817, currently headquartered in Rochester, New York after a 2025 relocation to 20 East Avenue. The institution delivers graduate-level theological and multi-religious studies education to a denominationally and geographically diverse student body (over 20 denominations, 7 countries, 4 continents) at a small scale, with 11–50 employees and a 5:1 student/faculty ratio. Its portfolio comprises Master of Arts, Master of Divinity, two Doctor of Ministry specializations (Queer and Trans Studies; Prophetic Proclamation), three graduate certificates (Black Religious Thought and Life; Foundational Theological; Gender, Sexual, and Racial Justice), and two signature programmatic initiatives (BRTL and GSRJ), supplemented by continuing education, library services, on-demand and livestream content, and a 2026-pilot virtual campus platform for hybrid theological education funded by a Wabash Center (Lilly Endowment Inc.) grant.

CRCDS runs on a relatively conventional small-seminary digital infrastructure: Populi for SIS/LMS, a SiteWrench-hosted public website, Zoom-based distance learning, and a livestream/on-demand video library, with no proprietary AI/ML components and no external equity ownership. Its revenue model is mixed: tuition from degree and certificate programs is the primary recurring stream, supplemented by the Tuition Subscription Plan (a monthly recurring payment mechanism intended to reduce affordability friction), philanthropic contributions through structured donor societies (Donor Portal, Covenant Circle, Horizon Society, Giving Circles, Planned Giving), external grants (including a $1M grant reported in October 2025 and the 2026 Wabash Center grant), and ancillary facility rental and on-demand content access. The institution is governed by a Board of Trustees, led by President Rev. Angela D. Sims, PhD (who also holds the John Price Crozer Professorship of Social Ethics), with Rev. Paula B. Blue as Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness/COO and Title IX Coordinator. CRCDS is accredited and operates within standard US higher-education compliance frameworks (Title IX, FERPA, Clery Act, Article 129-A, Drug-Free Schools Act).

Name

Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

Legal name

Colgate Crozer Divinity School

Website

https://crcds.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1817

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School is a private, non-profit theological seminary founded in 1817 in Rochester, NY, offering graduate theological degrees, certificates, and signature programs in Black religious thought and gender, sexuality, and racial justice to a denominationally and globally diverse student body.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological and Ministerial Graduate Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Divinity Schools (University-Affiliated) (EDAHAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI), Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Theological graduate education
• Divinity school programs
• Graduate certificate programs
• Ministerial formation
• Multi-religious studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition (degree and certificate programs): Primary revenue from tuition charged for Master's, Doctor of Ministry, and certificate programs (Black Religious Thought and Life; Foundational Theological; Gender, Sexual, and Racial Justice). Specific tuition amounts are not publicly disclosed in the source.
2. Monthly Tuition Subscription Plan (TSP): Subscription-style payment plan available to any student in a graduate certificate or degree program, allowing monthly tuition payments rather than semester lump sums; recurring revenue mechanic.
3. Donations and Annual Giving: Philanthropic revenue supported by a Donor Portal, Covenant Circle, Horizon Society, Giving Circles, Planned Giving, and an annual Donor Honor Roll. CRCDS is a 501(c)(3) seminary dependent on charitable giving.
4. Grants and Foundation Funding: External grant funding including a $1 million grant reported in October 2025 and a Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion grant (announced June 2026) for the Virtual Teaching in Incarnational Ways project.
5. Facility Rental and On-Demand Content Access: Ancillary revenue from facility rental of campus spaces and on-demand content programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Core offering

Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School is a private, non-profit theological seminary offering graduate theological degree programs (Master of Arts, Master of Divinity, Doctor of Ministry specializations in Queer and Trans Studies and Prophetic Proclamation), three graduate certificates (Black Religious Thought and Life, Foundational Theological, Gender, Sexual, and Racial Justice), and signature programmatic initiatives in Black religious thought and gender/sexual/racial justice. Its offerings are supported by a Tuition Subscription Plan, on-demand and livestream content, an on-campus library, continuing education, and a veterans financial aid program.

Product overview

Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (CRCDS) is a theological and multi-religious graduate institution offering a portfolio of academic programs, signature programmatic initiatives, and learner support services rather than a single unified product. The core academic portfolio consists of the Master of Arts, Master of Divinity, and two Doctor of Ministry specializations (Queer and Trans Studies: Theological / Sociological / Legal Perspectives, and Prophetic Proclamation), supplemented by three graduate certificates (Black Religious Thought and Life, Foundational Theological, and Gender, Sexual, and Racial Justice). Two signature programmatic initiatives — the Black Religious Thought and Life (BRTL) Program and the Gender, Sexuality, and Racial Justice (GSRJ) Program (which includes GSRJ ON-DEMAND conference recordings) — sit alongside the academic catalog. Student-facing services include the Tuition Subscription Plan (TSP), the Veterans Program, the CRCDS On-Demand & Livestream service, the Ambrose Swasey Library, and the Gene L. Bennett Program for Life Long Learning continuing education offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ambrose Swasey Library at Colgate Rochester Crozer: The on-campus library at CRCDS, named the Ambrose Swasey Library, providing course book lists and access to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors.

Products and services

• Master of Arts Graduate theological degree program offered by CRCDS as part of its master's degree portfolio for prospective ministerial and academic students.
• Master of Divinity Graduate theological degree program offered by CRCDS as part of its master's degree portfolio, supporting preparation for ministry and related vocations.
• Doctor of Ministry in Queer and Trans Studies: Theological / Sociological / Legal Perspectives Doctor of Ministry specialization examining queer and trans studies from theological, sociological, and legal perspectives, designed for advanced ministry practitioners and scholars.
• Doctor of Ministry in Prophetic Proclamation Doctor of Ministry specialization in prophetic proclamation, supporting advanced formation for ministry leaders.
• Black Religious Thought and Life Certificate Graduate certificate program in Black Religious Thought and Life offered by CRCDS to students seeking focused credentials in this area.
• Foundational Theological Certificate Graduate certificate program providing foundational theological education, offered by CRCDS.
• Gender, Sexual, and Racial Justice Certificate Graduate certificate program in Gender, Sexual, and Racial Justice offered by CRCDS to students seeking focused credentials in this area.
• Black Religious Thought and Life (BRTL) Program Signature programmatic initiative of CRCDS focused on Black religious thought and life, with associated on-demand content and online community resources.
• Gender, Sexuality, and Racial Justice (GSRJ) Program Signature programmatic initiative that includes curricular offerings, public education, housed lectures, workshops, and on-demand conference content (GSRJ ON-DEMAND).
• Tuition Subscription Plan (TSP) Monthly tuition payment subscription plan available to any student enrolled in a graduate certificate or degree program, lowering affordability barriers through recurring payments.
• CRCDS On-Demand & Livestream On-demand and livestream video service covering the CRCDS experience, including recorded lectures and program-specific on-demand content for remote and community audiences.
• The Ambrose Swasey Library at CRCDS The on-campus library at Colgate Rochester Crozer, providing course book lists and access to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors.
• Gene L. Bennett Program for Life Long Learning Continuing education program offered as part of CRCDS continuing education opportunities for lifelong learners.
• GSRJ ON-DEMAND Conference Recordings On-demand video recordings of the GSRJ Conference 'Strategizing for Flourishing Futures,' including welcome sessions, community leaders panel, scholars panel, workshops, and reciprocal call to action.
• Virtual Campus for Hybrid Theological Education Wabash Center-funded pilot of a spatially designed virtual campus platform that supports interactive engagement among geographically dispersed students, faculty, and staff, beyond traditional video conferencing for hybrid theological education.

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Howard University School of Divinity: HBCU divinity school with overlapping emphasis on Black religious thought and social justice — directly comparable on the BRTL signature initiative.
• Chicago Theological Seminary: Small, progressive, multi-religious seminary with a comparable size and commitment to social justice — a closely matched peer in mission and operating model.
• Pacific School of Religion: Berkeley-based, progressive, multi-denominational seminary with comparable size, justice-centered mission, and overlapping focus on Black religious thought and social ethics.
• Iliff School of Theology: Methodist-affiliated, similarly small and progressive seminary with comparable academic portfolio (Master's, D.Min., certificates) and tuition-subscription-style accessibility initiatives.
• Union Theological Seminary: New York City-based progressive, multi-denominational seminary with a comparable justice-and-society orientation and similar urban, ecumenical identity to CRCDS.

Broad incumbents

• Boston University School of Theology: Methodist-affiliated seminary with comparable D.Min. and Master's offerings and an emphasis on social justice, competing for the same graduate theological applicant.
• Yale Divinity School: Large, well-resourced divinity school at a research university; competing in the same Master's, M.Div., and D.Min. market with broader brand and endowment.
• Harvard Divinity School: Elite, multi-religious divinity school attached to a top research university — broader scope and brand, but overlapping program structure and target applicant demographic.
• Vanderbilt Divinity School: Research-university divinity school with comparable academic programs and a progressive orientation, operating at materially larger scale than CRCDS.
• Princeton Theological Seminary: Major mainline seminary with comparable Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry offerings, competing for the same applicant pool but with materially greater resources.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/crcds1817
• Xx.com/crcds
• Facebookfacebook.com/66616278872
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colgate-rochester-crozer-divinity-school

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School