Community Works

What Community Works does

CommunityWorks, Inc. is a privately held strategic process consulting firm founded in 1994 and headquartered at PMB 302, 9702 E. Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm serves a narrow vertical of clients — primarily Catholic women religious congregations, dioceses, parishes, Catholic education institutions, and small nonprofits — providing organizational planning, strategic process facilitation, governance transformation, and culture-change consulting. Its service methodology is anchored in the proprietary Transformative Communities Framework and the related Culture of Discernment approach, both of which integrate contemplative practices (presence, planning, action, adaptation) with organizational development. CommunityWorks does not sell a software product or operate a technology platform; its deliverable is professional advisory services delivered through direct engagements.

The firm is led by President Donna M. Fyffe, Ed.S., with senior consultants Mark Clarke and Mary Evett, supported by a broader collaborative partner network that includes Thresholds of Transformation (an international initiative with multilingual English/Spanish/French publications), the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), The Leadership Circle, Seeing Things Whole, the Centre for Contemplative Dialogue, and several artists and musicians. CommunityWorks generates revenue through consulting engagements and foundation-funded projects — most notably the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation-commissioned 'Pathways to Transforming Governance' research initiative conducted with three religious congregations and CARA. The firm does not publish pricing and acquires clients via direct outreach, referrals, and thought-leadership content delivered through a publications library of over 30 articles, a quarterly newsletter, and a Facebook page. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, consistent with a boutique practitioner-led consultancy with no institutional funding rounds or external investment.

Name

Community Works

Legal name

CommunityWorks, Inc.

Website

https://cworksindy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CommunityWorks is a privately held Indianapolis-based strategic process consulting firm serving Catholic religious congregations, dioceses, parishes, and small nonprofits through organizational planning, governance transformation, and culture-change engagements using its proprietary Transformative Communities Framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents) (BPAGAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Strategic process consulting
• Organizational planning services
• Nonprofit consulting services
• Religious congregation consulting
• Transformative community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Strategic Process Consulting: CommunityWorks generates revenue through consulting engagements with religious congregations, nonprofits, small businesses, dioceses, parishes, and educational institutions. Services include organizational planning, strategic process facilitation, and transformative community development. The firm is described as a 'strategic process consultant' with a mission to engage organizations in creating social transformation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CommunityWorks delivers strategic process consulting and organizational planning services to religious congregations, dioceses, parishes, nonprofits, educational institutions, and small businesses. Its practice is anchored in the proprietary Transformative Communities Framework, supported by collaborative consultation, customized team development, and a portfolio of multilingual publications produced for faith-based and mission-driven clients.

Product overview

CommunityWorks, Inc. is a strategic process consulting firm that provides organizational planning and transformation services to religious congregations, nonprofits, and small businesses. The company offers a unified consulting approach centered on its Transformative Communities Framework, which encompasses the Culture of Discernment methodology. Services include strategic planning, collaboration consulting, and cultural transformation. The company also produces publications and thought leadership content including articles on collective transformation, learning communities, and governance reform. The core offering is professional consulting services rather than a software product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Process Consulting Customized strategic process facilitation and organizational planning engagements delivered to religious congregations, dioceses, parishes, nonprofits, educational institutions, and small businesses.
• Transformative Communities Framework

Quantifiable outcome

• Assisted religious clients in seeing the bigger picture, asking hard questions, having courageous conversations, and moving forward with renewed faith and trust

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good ShepherdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunityWorks worked collaboratively with the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd on the 'Pathways to Transforming Governance' initiative, a seven-part series exploring what prompts a congregation to change its government structure and the benefits gained from such transformation. The project was commissioned by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
• Sisters of Notre DamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CommunityWorks on the 'Pathways to Transforming Governance' initiative, working collaboratively to explore governance transformation across religious congregations.
• Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and MarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with CommunityWorks on the 'Pathways to Transforming Governance' project, supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, exploring governance structure changes across religious congregations.
• Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARA collaborated with CommunityWorks on the Pathways to Transforming Governance initiative, providing research expertise. CARA surveyed additional congregations on governance structure changes and collaborated with the Sisters of Notre Dame to evaluate their new governance model implementation.
• Thresholds of TransformationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn international collaborative partnership in which CommunityWorks participates. The partnership offers informational brochures in English, Spanish, and French, FAQ documents, and a dedicated website (thresholdsoftransformation.org). CommunityWorks displays the TT International Collaborative Partnership logo on its site.
• The Leadership Circle (Bob Anderson)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBob Anderson is associated with The Leadership Circle and offers 360 Personnel Assessment and leadership training programs. Listed as a CommunityWorks collaborative partner providing leadership development tools and resources.
• Seeing Things Whole (Dick Broholm and David Specht)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDick Broholm and David Specht of Seeing Things Whole are listed as CommunityWorks collaborative partners, offering consulting services aligned with CommunityWorks' organizational planning and strategic process methodologies.
• Bread of Life, Sacramento, CAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJean Holsten of Bread of Life, in collaboration with the Centre for Contemplative Dialogue out of Louisville, KY, supports individuals and communities in living with greater depth, authenticity, and effectiveness through contemplative dialogue practices.
• Centre for Contemplative DialogueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteven Wirth leads the Centre for Contemplative Dialogue, which supports individuals and communities through contemplative dialogue. The Centre collaborates with CommunityWorks to provide training, facilitation, and downloadable resources for contemplative practices.
• Doris Klein, CSA (Artist)minorOthersInternationally recognized artist and spiritual director who assists Religious Congregations in developing Chapter themes, logos, and artwork for final Chapter documents. Available for retreats and creative consultation. Listed as a CommunityWorks collaborative artist partner.
• Marie Larkin (Artist)minorOthersBritish Association in Art Therapy member, certified spiritual director, and teacher of 'Art and Spirituality' at the Institute for Contemporary Spirituality in Scranton, PA. Collaborates with Jan Novotka on retreats and designs logos for Chapters.
• Jan Novotka (Musician)minorOthersSongwriter, retreat director, wilderness/vision-fast guide, spiritual director, bio-spiritual focusing companion, and leader of song for retreats, rituals, and Chapters. Collaborates with CommunityWorks as a collaborative musician partner.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Slingshot Group: Slingshot Group is a church consulting and capital campaign firm serving churches and faith-based nonprofits with strategic planning, generosity initiatives, and leadership development. It is a direct peer in the faith-based strategic consulting space with comparable client overlap.
• The Unstuck Group: The Unstuck Group provides strategic consulting to churches and faith-based organizations, focused on growth, clarity, and congregational health. It is a direct peer in faith-based strategic consulting, competing for similar organizational planning and church transformation engagements.
• Ministry Architects: Ministry Architects is a consulting firm serving churches and faith-based organizations, specializing in strategic planning, staffing, and ministry design. It is a direct peer in the church and faith-based organizational consulting space.
• The Reid Group: The Reid Group is a faith-based organizational development and leadership consulting firm serving churches, dioceses, and nonprofits. It is the closest direct peer to CommunityWorks, offering comparable strategic planning, governance, and congregational transformation services to similar client segments.
• Auxano: Auxano is a church consulting firm specializing in vision framing, strategic planning, and organizational clarity for churches and faith-based ministries. It is a direct peer in faith-based strategic process consulting, though it skews more toward evangelical congregations than the Catholic women-religious focus of CommunityWorks.

Emerging players

• FaithSearch Partners: FaithSearch Partners provides executive search and leadership consulting to churches, faith-based schools, and ministries. It is an emerging player with partial overlap to CommunityWorks' leadership and governance transformation work, focused primarily on search rather than strategic process facilitation.

Broad incumbents

• The Bridgespan Group: The Bridgespan Group is a global nonprofit strategy consulting firm advising foundations, NGOs, and faith-based institutions on strategy, organization, and performance. It is a broad incumbent competitor for high-end nonprofit and faith-based strategic engagements, with a much larger bench and brand.
• FORVIS (formerly CapinCrouse): FORVIS is a top-10 national accounting and advisory firm whose faith-based practice (formerly CapinCrouse) serves churches, colleges, ministries, and faith-based nonprofits with audit, tax, and management advisory services. It is a broad incumbent that competes for governance, operational, and strategic engagements from a much larger and more diversified platform.

Others

• Leadership Roundtable: The Leadership Roundtable is a Catholic organization of business and institutional leaders that promotes best practices in Church management, governance, and strategic planning. It is an adjacent, ecosystem-level organization that addresses the same institutional pain points as CommunityWorks but through convening and standards rather than direct consulting.
• Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA): CARA is a Georgetown University-based research center that studies Catholic religious life, parishes, and diocesan operations. It is a documented research partner of CommunityWorks on the Hilton Foundation–funded governance transformation project, and a thematically adjacent player in the same client ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityWorks1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Community Works