North Carolina Study Center

What North Carolina Study Center does

The North Carolina Study Center (NCSC) is an independent 501c3 nonprofit organization (EIN: 46-5216355) founded in 2015 and headquartered at 203 Battle Lane in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, directly serving the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill community. Its mission is to cultivate Christian life and thought among UNC students through worship, theological education, leadership formation, and community. The organization's core product portfolio centers on two flagship programs: the Fellows Program, a three-year biblical and theological education sequence delivered at a heavily subsidized $150 per student, and the Wilberforce Leadership Program, a two-semester formation and leadership experience that integrates design-thinking methodology with Christian formation tradition. Surrounding these are seminary-level for-credit courses, seminars, spiritual formation offerings, a Certificate in Christian Thought, and the Carolina Way Camp welcome program for incoming freshmen.

Underlying the programs is a hospitality-driven community infrastructure — the renovated Battle House provides coffee service, study space, and gathering space that draws over 100 students on a typical day — backed by partnerships with campus ministries, the John Templeton Foundation, Duke's Center for Christianity & Scholarship, Baylor University, the Trinity Forum, and other Christian study centers. NCSC has no proprietary software or technology platform; program delivery is in-person, with limited virtual components (e.g., summer WLP meetings on Zoom, online conversation series).

NCSC's business model is overwhelmingly donor-funded. The 2025-26 operating budget is just over $1,770,000, supported by direct online giving, checks, stocks, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, and employer matching, with a separate $3,893,176 capital campaign completed in 2021 funding the Battle House renovation. Program fees are negligible relative to the budget. The customer base is segmented across UNC undergraduates (primary), UNC graduate students (secondary), UNC faculty (Triangle Faculty Roundtable, events), and alumni/families/supporters (donor and volunteer segment). Staff size is small (1-10 employees) and leadership is led by Executive Director Madison Perry and Director of Programs & Operations Andrew Borror, who holds a Ph.D. in Divinity from the University of Aberdeen.

Name

North Carolina Study Center

Legal name

North Carolina Study Center

Website

https://ncstudycenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

North Carolina Study Center is an independent 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2015 that delivers Christian formation, theological education, and leadership development programs to undergraduate, graduate, and faculty audiences at UNC-Chapel Hill from its Battle House facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies) (EDAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Christian theological education
• Leadership formation programs
• Campus ministry services
• Religious education programs
• Spiritual formation

Headquarters

HQ city

Chapel Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization is an independent 501c3 (EIN: 46-5216355) that relies on donor generosity. Their 2025-26 budget is just over $1,770,000. Multiple giving options are available including direct online giving, checks, stocks, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, and employer matching.
2. Program Registration Fees: The Fellows Program charges a heavily subsidized cost of $150 per student, covering 16 meals, an ESV Study Bible, and all course materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

North Carolina Study Center operates a Christian life and thought educational program based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It delivers the multi-year undergraduate Fellows Program, the postgraduate Wilberforce Leadership Program focused on public-policy leadership, for-credit university courses, seminars, spiritual formation cohorts, a Certificate in Christian Thought, and the Carolina Way Camp.

Product overview

North Carolina Study Center is a Christian life and thought center at UNC-Chapel Hill offering a portfolio of educational programs for students. The core programs include the Fellows Program (a three-year biblical and theological education sequence), the Wilberforce Leadership Program (a two-semester formation and leadership experience), For-Credit Courses (seminary-level classes), Seminars, Spiritual Formation programs, a Certificate in Christian Thought, and Carolina Way Camp (a welcome program for incoming students). These programs work together to provide holistic Christian education integrating faith with academic and vocational pursuits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fellows Program
• Wilberforce Leadership Program
• For-Credit Courses
• Seminars
• Spiritual Formation
• Certificate in Christian Thought
• Carolina Way Camp

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 students visit daily for coffee, study space, and community
• +2 more outcomes

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

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• UNC-Chapel HillcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNC giving account (602420) allows donors to contribute to the Study Center through the university. Many employers match gifts through UNC. Study Center operates in partnership with UNC but is independent.
• Upper House (University of Wisconsin-Madison)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCSC is a sub-grantee on the Higher Pursuits Project, 'an endeavor to engage the history, ideals, and values that shape the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and human flourishing in the contemporary university.'
• Baylor UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates research project 'Harnessing the Strengths of Comprehensive Moral Communities for Virtue Development in Higher Education' (December 2021 - November 2024). NCSC is one of five Christian study centers participating in the study.
• Duke Center for Christianity & ScholarshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates Triangle Faculty Roundtable (twice per semester, 2020-2022) bringing together 60-80 Triangle-area university faculty for dialogue at the intersection of Christian faith and modern science.
• InterVarsity Graduate & Faculty MinistriessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts Triangle Faculty Roundtable gatherings with Duke Center and NCSC.
• AEI Initiative on Faith and Public LifesecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored October 2020 event on politics and faithful political engagement with Anselm House, The Center for Christian Study at UVA, Upper House, and NCSC.
• Trinity ForumsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored October 2025 online conversation with Molly Worthen on charisma in leadership.
• Triangle Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with NCSC on Healthcare Fellowship Forum — informal gatherings for Christians in health-related fields at UNC.
• Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative at Duke Divinity School (TMC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts Healthcare Fellowship Forum with Triangle CMDA and NCSC.
• The 12 & Lydia GroupsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides mentorship opportunities for WLP alumni through relationships made possible by this organization.
• J. Hofmann HomesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partner for Battle House renovation project.
• EDK Design BuildminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesign-build partner for Battle House renovation project.
• Campus Ministries and Local ChurchescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with campus ministries (InterVarsity, RUF, etc.) and local churches for student referrals and event collaboration.
• Ratio ChristiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNC campus chapter; Luke Elliott (UNC senior) serves as president and moderates faith and doubt conversations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Christian Study Center of New York City: Independent Christian study center serving graduate students in New York City. Direct peer extending the same study-center model to a different geography and student population.
• Christian Study Center of Gainesville: Independent Christian study center at the University of Florida offering similar biblical education and student formation. Operates under a comparable model serving students at a major public university.
• The Center for Christian Study: Christian study center at the University of Virginia offering theological education, mentoring, and community. Direct peer co-sponsoring events with NCSC (e.g., AEI Initiative on Faith and Public Life).
• Anselm House: Christian study center at the University of Minnesota providing theological education, hospitality, and student formation. Direct peer operating under the same independent study-center model at a public research university.
• Upper House: Independent Christian study center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison offering biblical/theological education, leadership formation, and community. Direct peer with closely aligned model and active research collaboration via the Higher Pursuits Project.

Broad incumbents

• InterVarsity Christian Fellowship: Large established campus ministry serving Christian students across hundreds of universities including UNC. Broader incumbent with overlapping student audience but a fundamentally different (campus ministry) operational model.
• Ratio Christi: Campus apologetics ministry operating at UNC and other universities. Comparable faith/academic integration focus but differs from NCSC's independent study-center structure.

Others

• Young Life: National youth ministry organization. Wilberforce Leadership Program alumni have placed at Young Life camps; comparable Christian formation mission across age segments but a broader national structure rather than campus-anchored.
• Trinity Forum: National organization convening conversations at the intersection of Christian faith and culture. Co-sponsor of recent NCSC events; comparable intellectual formation mission but operates as a national programming nonprofit rather than a campus-based study center.

Regional players

• Duke Center for Christianity & Scholarship: Triangle-area peer co-hosting the Triangle Faculty Roundtable with NCSC. Comparable mission integrating Christian faith with academic life, though operating from Duke Divinity School rather than as an independent study center.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ncstudycenter
• Xx.com/ncstudycenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 North Carolina Study Center