Catholic Community Foundation- CLE

What Catholic Community Foundation- CLE does

Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2000 that serves as the central philanthropic and fundraising arm of the Diocese of Cleveland. Operating from Cleveland, Ohio with a lean staff of 15, CCF coordinates charitable giving across all eight counties of the diocese (Ashland, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit, Wayne), supporting more than 100 parishes, 108 Catholic schools, Catholic Charities (which serves nearly 400,000 people annually), Borromeo Seminary, and Saint Mary Seminary. Its core product portfolio spans the annual Catholic Charities Appeal, the Angel Scholarship Fund (an Ohio-certified Scholarship Granting Organization), Fund A Dream tuition assistance, the #weGIVECATHOLIC online giving day, donor advised funds (via IPHiview), named endowment funds, charitable gift annuities, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, stock donations, and bequest planning integrated through FreeWill.

The foundation's business model combines event-driven annual campaigns (most notably the 2026 Catholic Charities Appeal targeting $15.3M), direct-to-consumer online and mail giving, and sales-led engagement through the Lawyers Guild and ASF Ambassador volunteer network. Revenue derives from charitable contributions plus modest fee streams — donor advised funds and named funds carry $5,000–$10,000 minimums, charitable gift annuities require a $10,000 minimum with payments following American Council on Gift Annuities rates, and beginning July 2026, CCF will retain 3% of Angel Scholarship Fund donations for administration. Core technology consists of donor-facing web platforms, the IPHiview donor portal, and pooled investment management of parish endowments; no proprietary AI or technology products are offered. Distribution is primarily direct via the CCF website, parish In-Pew collections, and coordinated campaigns across the diocesan network, with no third-party resellers involved.

CCF is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Andy Rebholz, with Maria Ruddock as Board Secretary, and is led day-to-day by Executive Director Patrick Grace. Its 230+ beneficiary organizations and 7,000+ ASF donor households anchor a community ecosystem that has produced record fundraising in successive recent years — including $8.1M raised through ASF in tax year 2024 and $4.3M through #weGIVECATHOLIC in its 2025 anniversary year.

Name

Catholic Community Foundation- CLE

Legal name

Catholic Community Foundation

Website

https://catholiccommunity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Catholic Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as the central philanthropic arm of the Diocese of Cleveland, coordinating charitable giving, endowments, and tuition-assistance programs across 100+ parishes, 108 Catholic schools, and eight Northeast Ohio counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious Organizations (81311)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Charitable giving vehicles
• Donor advised funds
• Planned giving services
• Scholarship granting organization
• Endowment fund management

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: The primary revenue stream is charitable contributions from donors supporting Catholic Charities, Catholic education, priestly formation, and other diocesan ministries. Donations are received via online portal, mail, stock transfer, IRA QCD, and bequest.
2. Charitable Gift Annuities: The foundation issues charitable gift annuities in exchange for donor contributions, paying a fixed income stream to the donor for life. Minimum gift of $10,000; donor must be age 65 or older. The foundation follows American Council on Gift Annuities recommendations.
3. Donor Advised Fund Management: Donors establish donor advised funds with a minimum of $5,000. The foundation manages the fund, provides a donor portal for grant recommendations, and charges an administrative fee. Funds can support Catholic Charities, parishes, and other qualified Catholic charities.
4. Angel Scholarship Fund (SGO): As a certified Ohio Scholarship Granting Organization, the foundation receives tax-credit-eligible contributions to the Angel Scholarship Fund. Beginning July 2026, 3% of each ASF donation is retained by the SGO to fund ongoing administration and program growth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Catholic Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as the central development arm of the Diocese of Cleveland, offering a comprehensive suite of charitable giving and fundraising vehicles—including annual appeals, donor advised funds, named endowment funds, charitable gift annuities, IRA qualified charitable distributions, bequests, stock donations, and the Ohio tax-credit Angel Scholarship Fund—to support Catholic Charities, Catholic education, priestly formation, and other diocesan ministries across eight Northeast Ohio counties.

Product overview

Catholic Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as the central development arm of the Diocese of Cleveland. The foundation offers a comprehensive suite of charitable giving and fundraising products designed to support Catholic Charities, Catholic education, priestly formation, and other diocesan ministries. The core product portfolio includes: the Catholic Charities Appeal (annual health and human services fundraiser), the Angel Scholarship Fund (Ohio tax credit scholarship program for Catholic schools), Fund A Dream (tuition assistance scholarships), #weGIVECATHOLIC (online Giving Tuesday platform), Donor Advised Funds, Named Funds, Charitable Gift Annuities, bequest planning, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, stock donations, and parish/school support resources. These products work together to enable faithful philanthropy while providing tax-advantaged giving options for donors supporting Northeast Ohio Catholic ministries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Angel Scholarship Fund: Ohio Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) that enables donors to turn Ohio state income tax liability into tuition assistance for Catholic school students through a 100% tax credit program.
• #weGIVECATHOLIC
• Fund A Dream

Products and services

• Catholic Charities Appeal Annual fundraising campaign supporting health and human services provided by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland, serving nearly 400,000 people annually across eight counties. Targeted at individual Catholic donors and parishioners across the diocese.
• Angel Scholarship Fund Certified Ohio Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) enabling donors to turn state income tax liability into tuition assistance for Catholic school students through a 100% tax credit program. Contributions designated to a specific Catholic school or undesignated to area of greatest need.
• Fund A Dream Tuition assistance scholarship program pairing donors with deserving K-12 Catholic school students demonstrating financial need; $2,500 scholarships granted per student.
• #weGIVECATHOLIC 24-hour online giving event held on Giving Tuesday supporting parishes, schools, ministries, and nonprofits throughout the Diocese of Cleveland; powered by CCF's secure giving platform with 230+ participating organizations.
• Donor Advised Funds Charitable savings account allowing donors to recommend grants to Catholic causes over time, with tax advantages and flexible giving. Minimum initial gift of $5,000; donors receive a charitable giving portal (IPHiview) for tracking and grant recommendations.
• Named Funds Permanent endowment funds established in honor of individuals or families to support Diocese of Cleveland ministries in perpetuity. $10,000 minimum to establish; supports Diocese priorities or donor-designated ministries (parish, Catholic Charities, education, priestly formation).
• Charitable Gift Annuity Irrevocable gift providing fixed income stream for life in exchange for a contribution, with the remainder benefiting Catholic ministries. Minimum gift of $10,000; donor must be age 65 or older; income rate increases with age at time of gift.
• IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution Tax-free distribution from traditional IRA for donors age 70½ or older to qualified charities; satisfies minimum required distribution; maximum taxable income reduction of $111,000 per year.
• Bequest through a Will Legacy giving option allowing donors to specify gifts to the Church through their estate planning. FreeWill online will-writing tool (20 minutes or less) integrated on the CCF website to help donors include bequest language.
• Give Stock Donation of appreciated stocks offering tax advantages compared to cash donations; capital gains tax can be spread over many years if donor is also named annuitant.
• Parish & School Resources Tools and resources for parishes and schools including campaign management, endowment establishment, offertory enhancement programs, In-Pew Appeal coordination, and marketing toolkits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 400,000 people served annually by Catholic Charities through foundation-funded programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Cathedral CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCF partnered with Cathedral Corporation to provide offertory enhancement programs to parishes, combining faith formation with proven techniques for increasing parish offertory collections. The program includes 6–9 week appeals, personalized letters, lay witness testimonials, and administrative support.
• Our Sunday Visitor (OSV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCF partnered with Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) to deliver offertory enhancement programs to parishes, providing printed materials, campaign management, and administrative support alongside Cathedral Corporation.
• FreeWillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCCF provides FreeWill, a free online will-writing tool, on its website to help donors write a legal will in 20 minutes or less and include bequest language to benefit their parish or a diocesan ministry.
• Shape ClevelandminorOthersCCF negotiated a professional video production service through Shape Cleveland offering parishes and schools a 3–4 hour video shoot and editing into a 90–120 second video for ASF marketing for a cost of $1,300.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota: Faith-aligned Catholic community foundation offering donor advised funds, endowed funds, and charitable gift annuities for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis—near-twin in mission and product portfolio.
• The Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of Dubuque: Diocesan foundation providing endowment, planned giving, and scholarship administration for parishes and schools in eastern Iowa—comparable mid-sized Catholic community foundation model.
• Catholic Foundation of Michigan: Diocesan Catholic community foundation serving the Archdiocese of Detroit with DAFs, endowments, planned giving, and scholarship programs—directly comparable in mission, product set, and diocesan-affiliation model.

Regional players

• The Dayton Foundation: Regional community foundation serving the greater Dayton, Ohio area with DAFs, scholarships, and grantmaking—a comparable community foundation model in the same state and adjacent Ohio geography.
• Greater Cincinnati Foundation: Regional community foundation serving the Greater Cincinnati area with donor advised funds, competitive grants, and endowment services—comparable community foundation model in the same Ohio region.

Broad incumbents

• Cleveland Foundation: Largest community foundation in the U.S. and dominant secular philanthropic institution in Northeast Ohio—competes for the same regional donor pool and operates DAFs, competitive grants, and endowment management at much greater scale.
• Catholic Charities USA: National umbrella for the Catholic Charities network; CCF's largest beneficiary partner and a broad incumbent operating across health and human services fundraising at national scale.
• United Way of Greater Cleveland: Large regional nonprofit umbrella raising workplace giving for human services in Northeast Ohio—competes for overlapping donor and corporate giving dollars across the same eight-county footprint.

Others

• Our Sunday Visitor Institute: Catholic offertory enhancement and parish fundraising partner that collaborates with diocesan foundations on parish-level campaigns—an enabling partner rather than direct competitor, but provides a comparable suite of parish fundraising products.

Emerging players

• Scholarship Granting Organizations of Ohio (collective): Other state-certified SGOs compete for the same Ohio tax-credit scholarship dollars; the Angel Scholarship Fund's donor base and school network compete head-to-head with these peer SGOs for limited annual tax-credit capacity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CatholicCommCLE
• YouTubevimeo.com/catholiccommunityCLE
• Facebookfacebook.com/CatholicCommCLE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catholiccommcle
• Instagraminstagram.com/catholiccommcle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Catholic Community Foundation- CLE