Caritas Vienna

What Caritas Vienna does

Caritas Vienna (legal name: Caritas der Erzdiözese Wien) is the charitable and social welfare arm of the Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna, operating as a private nonprofit under the Caritas Österreich umbrella, which comprises nine independent diocesan organizations across Austria. The organization delivers a comprehensive portfolio of social services spanning counseling, family support, disability care, elderly and hospice/palliative care, refugee integration, homeless outreach, and employment reintegration, serving beneficiaries in Vienna and Lower Austria. Service delivery is channeled through physical facilities (day centers, residential homes, counseling centers, emergency shelters), mobile outreach (Canisibus soup bus, Louisebus medical bus, streetwork teams), and digital platforms (online social counseling, Caritas Wegweiser, donation portals). Sub-brands such as magdas HOTEL, INIGO restaurant, Wörkerei, youngCaritas, and CarBiz extend the mission into social enterprise and youth engagement.

The underlying technology stack is a standard web platform with WCAG 2.1 accessibility compliance, Easy-to-Read content formats, and multilingual support across 29 languages; no proprietary AI/ML or software products are disclosed. The business model is mission-funded rather than commercial: revenue is sourced from individual and corporate donations (tax-deductible under Spendenabsetzbarkeitsnummer SO-1129), government contracts with the Fonds Soziales Wien, Land Niederösterreich, Sozialministeriumservice, and AMS Wien, and revenue-generating social enterprises (INIGO, magdas HOTEL, kunst.hand.werk, Wörkerei, Brotfabrik event spaces, OBENauf accommodation). The organization engages 16,955 volunteers and operates more than 1,600 locations nationally as part of the broader Austrian Caritas network, with distribution spanning Vienna and Lower Austria primarily, and selected international development cooperation through Österreichische Entwicklungszusammenarbeit. Most services to beneficiaries are free or subsidized.

Name

Caritas Vienna

Legal name

Caritas der Erzdiözese Wien

Website

https://caritas-wien.at

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Caritas Vienna is the Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna's charitable nonprofit, delivering social welfare services—including shelters, counseling, hospice care, disability support, refugee integration, and employment programs—to vulnerable populations across Vienna and Lower Austria, funded by donations, government contracts, and social enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Welfare Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Social Assistance (624), Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (624210), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Refugee & Migrant Integration Enterprises (Livelihoods, Services) (BPAGALAN), Income Support & Cash Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAE), Health Equity, Access & Social Determinants Programs (BPAIAJAO)

Keywords

• Social welfare services
• Humanitarian aid
• Homeless shelter services
• Disability support services
• Refugee integration programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations form a significant portion of funding. Donations are tax-deductible in Austria (Spendenabsetzbarkeitsnummer SO-1129). The organization maintains transparency that at least 90% of donations are used for direct charitable work.
2. Government Contracts and Public Funding: Caritas receives public funding through contracts with the Fonds Soziales Wien, Land Niederösterreich, Sozialministeriumservice, and AMS Wien for various social services including refugee care, disability services, and employment programs.
3. Social Business Enterprises: Revenue-generating social enterprises including INIGO restaurant, magdas HOTEL, shops (kunst.hand.werk, Wörkerei), and rental services (Brotfabrik event spaces, OBENauf accommodation). These generate revenue while providing employment opportunities for target groups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Caritas Vienna provides a comprehensive portfolio of social welfare services free or at subsidized rates to beneficiaries, including emergency shelters, food distribution, social counseling, family support, hospice and palliative care, disability services, asylum and refugee integration, and employment reintegration. The organization also operates revenue-generating social business enterprises (INIGO restaurant, magdas HOTEL, OBENauf accommodation, Wörkerei workshop) that employ target groups. Services are funded through donations, Austrian and EU government contracts, and social enterprise revenue.

Product overview

Caritas Vienna is a charitable social services organization (part of the Catholic Church) offering a comprehensive portfolio of interconnected social support services rather than a unified software product. The organization operates as a network of programs including emergency assistance (shelters, food services, medical care), family support (counseling, family assistance, learning cafés), disability services (day care centers, housing, vocational training), asylum and integration services, employment assistance (job counseling, social enterprises like INIGO restaurant and magdas HOTEL), and community engagement programs (youngCaritas, Käfig League). Key digital touchpoints include the online social counseling service, the Caritas Wegweiser guide for service navigation, and the wirhelfen.shop donation platform. The various programs are coordinated through regional offices in Vienna and Lower Austria.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• magdas: Social business projects of Caritas aiming to solve social problems with economic approaches
• INIGO
• Wörkerei
• youngCaritas
• Caritas Wegweiser
• Caritas Hotline
• Canisibus
• Louisebus
• CarBiz

Products and services

• Social Counseling (Sozialberatung) In-person social counseling service providing support for people in financial and social distress, including crisis intervention, debt advice, and referral to appropriate Caritas services.
• Online Social Counseling (Online Sozialberatung) Digital counseling service delivering social support and guidance remotely for people unable to visit in person.
• Caritas Hotline Telephone helpline providing immediate assistance, crisis counseling, and guidance for people in need.
• Emergency Shelters and Night Accommodations (Notschlafstellen) Emergency overnight accommodation services for homeless individuals, including separate facilities for men, women, and youth aged 14-18.
• Canisibus (Soup Bus) Mobile food service operating two daily routes through Vienna, providing hot soup and bread to homeless and disadvantaged people year-round.
• Louisebus (Medical Bus) Mobile medical clinic providing free healthcare services to homeless people at various locations in Vienna, staffed by doctors and volunteers five days a week.
• P7 Wiener Service für Wohnungslose Central first-point-of-contact service for acutely homeless people in Vienna, providing advice and mediation for emergency shelter.
• Betreuungszentrum Gruft Daytime center and shelter for homeless men and women aged 18 and older, open 365 days a year around the clock.
• Hospice Services (Hospiz) Comprehensive hospice and palliative care including stationary hospice, mobile palliative care teams, hospice teams, and day hospice for seriously ill individuals.
• Family Centers (Familienzentren) Psychosocial counseling and psychotherapy services for adults, children, adolescents, and refugees at centers in Vienna, Wiener Neustadt, and Baden.
• Family Assistance (Familienhilfe) In-home family support services assisting families in crisis situations, including classic family assistance and KiB (Children in Crisis) programs.
• Learning Cafés (Lerncafés) Free educational support programs providing tutoring and learning assistance to children and adolescents from socially disadvantaged families.
• Care for People with Disabilities Day care centers, residential housing, inclusive education, vocational integration, and care services for people with disabilities across Vienna and Lower Austria.
• Asylum and Integration Services Comprehensive support for asylum seekers and migrants including legal advice, housing, integration programs, and German language courses.
• Step2Job and ArbeitsMarktBeratung Employment assistance programs helping long-term unemployed individuals re-enter the job market through counseling and job placement support.
• CarBiz - Caritas Bildungszentrum Educational center offering vocational training programs, German courses, and employment-related education for migrants and refugees.
• INIGO Restaurant and Gastro Restaurant providing dining services and employment opportunities for people reintegrating into the workforce.
• magdas HOTEL Hotel with social and cultural impact employing refugees and migrants, offering accommodation with a focus on integration through employment.
• OBENauf Zimmer und Frühstück Bed and breakfast accommodation operated as a social enterprise, providing employment for people with disabilities.
• Le+O - Lebensmittel und Orientierung Food assistance program distributing approximately 951 tons of food annually to people affected by poverty.
• Caritas Wegweiser Online guide helping people find appropriate Caritas services based on their specific needs and situation.
• Brunnenpassage Arts and social space at Brunnenmarkt creating new access to contemporary art and enabling encounters between diverse community members.

Quantifiable outcome

• 951 tons of food distributed to poverty-affected people last year
• +2 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles9 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• SuperarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusical movement and encounter program for young people. Superar operates as a partner in the Kulturhaus Brotfabrik cultural center.
• Verein Lebenslicht KrumbachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with local association at Tagesstätte Krumbach for people with disabilities in the Bucklige Welt region.
• Corporate PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious companies support Caritas through corporate volunteering, donations, and sponsorship partnerships including Social Team Days, skilled-based volunteering, and project sponsorships.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Austrian Red Cross (Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz): Major humanitarian organization in Austria providing emergency aid, refugee support, family services, and social welfare programs. Operates similar multi-channel service delivery model and competes for government contracts and donor funding.
• Hilfswerk Österreich: Austrian social services nonprofit providing family support, elderly care, mobile services, and counseling across Austria. Directly comparable in service portfolio, geographic reach, and funding model (donations + government contracts).
• Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Österreich (ASBÖ): Austrian social and healthcare nonprofit providing ambulance services, social care, refugee accommodation, and emergency aid. Competes in overlapping service areas with similar revenue model.
• Volkshilfe Österreich: Major Austrian social welfare nonprofit providing similar services including family support, poverty relief, refugee integration, and social counseling for vulnerable populations. Competes directly for government contracts and donor funding across overlapping service areas.
• Diakonie Österreich: Protestant counterpart to Caritas in Austria, providing social services including refugee care, disability services, family support, and employment assistance. Operates similar model combining donations, government contracts, and social enterprises across Austria.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Deutschland: German Catholic charity federation with significantly larger scale, providing closely analogous services (counseling, refugee care, social enterprises, employment programs). Useful benchmark for service model and social enterprise expansion patterns.
• Caritas Österreich (Austrian Caritas Federation): Umbrella organization of nine independent Caritas diocesan organizations in Austria, including Caritas Vienna. Direct parent entity providing coordination, federal-level advocacy, and international aid programs. Caritas Vienna operates as one of the nine member organizations.
• Malteser (Order of Malta): Catholic-affiliated humanitarian organization operating in Austria and Germany, providing refugee care, social services, and emergency aid. Similar faith-based identity and service portfolio to Caritas Vienna.

Emerging players

• Wiener Tafel: Vienna food bank redistributing surplus food to those in need. Directly comparable to Caritas' Le+O and Canisibus food distribution programs, with similar operational model and volunteer-driven structure.
• SOS-Kinderdorf Österreich: Austrian child welfare nonprofit providing residential care, family support, and youth services. Specializes in child and family services with comparable funding model (donations + government contracts).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/caritas-austria.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CaritasAustria
• Facebookfacebook.com/caritas.wirhelfen
• Instagraminstagram.com/caritaswirhelfen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caritasvienna

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 Caritas Vienna