C.S. Lewis Foundation

What C.S. Lewis Foundation does

The C.S. Lewis Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1986 in Redlands, California, that operates educational, cultural, and scholarly programs dedicated to the legacy of C.S. Lewis, with an emphasis on the intersection of Christian faith, reason, and imagination. It serves Christian intellectuals, scholars, artists, and the broader higher-education community, primarily through event-based and content-based programs: the annual C.S. Lewis Summer Institute (a week-long academic and cultural gathering), retreats, the Annual Conference & Faculty Forum, an ongoing webinar series, study guides, and a blog. It also operates The Kilns, C.S. Lewis's former home in Oxford, offering guided tours, Oxford walking tours, and a Scholars-in-Residence program that provides extended academic residencies. Sub-brands include C.S. Lewis Retreats, the C.S. Lewis Oxbridge Summer Institute, and C.S. Lewis Summer Seminars.

The Foundation has no commercial technology product, software platform, or AI/ML capabilities; its delivery model is a portfolio of in-person events supplemented by live-stream and on-demand YouTube content. Distribution spans in-person attendance, live-stream registration, and an online content archive, with marketing conducted through email, social media (Facebook, Instagram, X), YouTube, and a regularly published blog. The organization runs a 501(c)(3) donor-funded model supported primarily by individual charitable contributions, supplemented by event registration fees (which vary by full registration, single session, regional rates, and live-stream) and minor grants such as the 2025 Belfast and Northern Ireland Subvention Scheme. Donations are processed through Neon CRM, with planned-giving instruments (annuities, trusts, estate plans) and a vehicle-donation program as additional contribution channels.

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by President Steven Elmore, who succeeded founder Dr. J. Stanley Mattson (1937-2024) in 2020. It is affiliated with C.S. Lewis College, the Northfield Study Center, the Green Pastures Study Center, and C.S. Lewis Foundation (UK), and explicitly disclaims affiliation with the C.S. Lewis estate, deriving no licensing revenue from Lewis's works. In 2025 the Summer Institute expanded geographically to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and in 2026 the Foundation is launching a C.S. Lewis & St. Patrick Tour of the UK and Ireland, signaling incremental internationalization of program surface.

Name

C.S. Lewis Foundation

Legal name

C.S. Lewis Foundation

Website

https://cslewis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The C.S. Lewis Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1986 that delivers educational, scholarly, and cultural programs preserving the legacy of C.S. Lewis, serving Christian intellectuals, scholars, artists, and the higher-education community through conferences, retreats, Kilns-based programming, webinars, and donor-funded operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Literary Educational Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

Keywords

• Christian education programs
• Literary heritage events
• Academic conference services
• Spiritual retreat programs
• Nonprofit educational foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Redlands

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: The foundation is funded primarily through the generosity of individual donors. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, it relies on charitable contributions to fund its educational and cultural programs.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The C.S. Lewis Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that operates educational and cultural programs preserving the legacy of C.S. Lewis. Its core offerings include the annual C.S. Lewis Summer Institute, spiritual retreats, the Annual Conference & Faculty Forum, guided tours and a Scholars-in-Residence program at The Kilns (Lewis's Oxford home), a webinar series, heritage travel tours, and study guides to Lewis's works. Programming is delivered through in-person events in the US and UK, live-stream broadcasts, and on-demand digital content.

Product overview

The C.S. Lewis Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of C.S. Lewis through a portfolio of programs and services. The organization operates as a series of interconnected programs rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include the annual C.S. Lewis Summer Institute (a week-long academic and cultural conference featuring speakers and artists), the C.S. Lewis Retreats program, and the C.S. Lewis Oxbridge Summer Institute. The Foundation also maintains The Kilns in Oxford (C.S. Lewis's former home) offering tours and a Scholars-in-Residence program for academic research. Additional programs include webinar series, the Annual Conference & Faculty Forum, and travel tours to sites related to C.S. Lewis. The Foundation publishes educational content through its blog and provides study guides and resources. No commercial technology products or software platforms are offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Kilns: C.S. Lewis's beloved home in Oxford, England - now a study centre operated by the foundation with tours, Scholars-in-Residence Program, and Oxford Walking Tours.
• C.S. Lewis Summer Institute
• C.S. Lewis Retreats
• C.S. Lewis Oxbridge Summer Institute
• C.S. Lewis Summer Seminars

Products and services

• C.S. Lewis Summer Institute Annual week-long academic and cultural gathering bringing together scholars, artists, and fellow seekers to explore themes related to C.S. Lewis through lectures, the arts, worship, and community. Available both in-person and via live-stream.
• C.S. Lewis Retreats Spiritual retreat programs centered on C.S. Lewis's writings and legacy, offered to individuals and small groups.
• The Kilns Tours Guided tours of The Kilns, C.S. Lewis's beloved home in Oxford, England, including Oxford Walking Tours.
• Scholars-in-Residence Program Program allowing scholars to live and work at The Kilns, C.S. Lewis's former home, for extended periods of research and study.
• Webinar Series Online webinar programming featuring speakers discussing topics related to C.S. Lewis, the Inklings, faith, and imagination, with recordings available on YouTube.
• Annual Conference & Faculty Forum Annual academic conference featuring paper presentations, roundtables, and faculty discussions on topics related to C.S. Lewis and Christian thought, co-sponsored with the C.S. Lewis Study Center, Northfield, MA.
• C.S. Lewis & St. Patrick Tour Guided heritage tour exploring sites related to C.S. Lewis and St. Patrick in the UK and Ireland.
• C.S. Lewis Oxbridge Summer Institute Academic summer institute program focused on the study of C.S. Lewis and the Inklings, held at Oxbridge and other locations.
• Study Guides & Resources Study guides to the works of C.S. Lewis for academic and personal study purposes, made available online.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Visit BelfastminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Tourism partner providing promotional support for the Belfast Summer Institute event.
• Tourism Northern IrelandminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Government tourism body providing promotional support for the Belfast Summer Institute event.
• Cultivating Oaks PressminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Publisher sponsor for the 2025 C.S. Lewis Summer Institute.
• C.S. Lewis Study Center, NorthfieldcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Affiliated organization that co-sponsors the annual conference and Academic Roundtable. The study center in Northfield, MA is an extension of the foundation's educational mission.
• C.S. Lewis Foundation (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Colin Duriez served as a Director on the Board of Directors for the C.S. Lewis Foundation (UK) from 2024-2025, representing the international connection between the organizations.
• Dr. J. Stanley Mattson (Founder)coreOthers · 1 January 1986Dr. J. Stanley Mattson (1937-2024) founded the organization in 1986 and served as President for 34 years until his retirement in 2020. He was the visionary leader who established the foundation's mission and programs.
• C.S. Lewis CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated institution sharing the C.S. Lewis legacy in higher education.
• Northfield Study Center / Green Pastures Study CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate study center providing educational programs and scholarly resources.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Ratio Christi: Christian apologetics organization operating on university campuses with student chapters, conferences, and scholarly resources. Overlaps on the Christian-intellectual segment and academic mission.
• L'Abri Fellowship: Christian study and retreat community offering residential intellectual engagement with faith and culture. Comparable faith-rooted educational retreat programming and global donor network.

Direct peers

• The Tolkien Society: Member-supported organization dedicated to the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Comparable author-legacy stewardship, annual events, and scholarly publications model.
• Green Pastures Study Center: Affiliated study center hosting retreats and scholarly programming in the C.S. Lewis tradition. Closely tied to the Foundation's mission and audience.
• The Inklings Institute: Focused on scholarship around C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Inklings. Overlapping audience and subject matter with the Foundation's Summer Institute and webinar programming.
• Anselm Society: Christian nonprofit cultivating beauty, goodness, and truth through arts, culture, and scholarship. Comparable faith-and-culture educational mission, conference programming, and donor base.
• C.S. Lewis Study Centre (UK): UK-based affiliated organization also operating programming around C.S. Lewis's Oxford legacy, including scholars' residencies. Closely related mission with shared historical roots.
• Marion E. Wade Center (Wheaton College): Houses the largest collection of C.S. Lewis manuscripts and runs academic conferences and exhibits on Lewis and the Inklings. Most directly comparable mission and content focus.
• C.S. Lewis College: Affiliated higher-education venture sharing the C.S. Lewis name and educational mission; comparable audience of Christian intellectuals and overlapping board networks.

Others

• Hillenbrand Books / Wade Center Publishing Affiliates: Publishers and curators producing scholarly editions and study guides on the Inklings. Comparable adjacent activity of producing educational content around C.S. Lewis's works.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CSLewisFound
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CSLewisFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/cslewisfound
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/c-s-lewis-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/cslewisfound

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about C.S. Lewis Foundation