What Compassion Coalition does

Compassion Coalition is a Knoxville, Tennessee–based faith-based nonprofit founded in 2000 that operates as a member coalition of 66 churches and community organizations across Knox County. Its mission is to mobilize the collective church to address poverty and unmet community needs, organized around three pillars: informing members of local needs, equipping them through training, and connecting them to individuals in crisis. Since 2018 the organization has operated as an initiative of the Knoxville Leadership Foundation.

The core technology and service stack consists of Connection Point, a referral bridge operational since 2004 that uses Microsoft Forms for referral intake and Salesforce for resource tracking to connect individuals in need with member churches; a portfolio of licensed training programs (COPE from ThinkTank Inc., Bridges Out of Poverty from Aha Process, the in-house Frontline Series, and Getting Ahead Classes); the Benevolence Network for inter-church case consultation; the Community Coordination Team for cross-sector collaboration; a Speakers Bureau; and the Amachi Mentoring Program. Two staff members are lifetime certified Bridges Out of Poverty trainers.

Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring coalition membership dues, tiered training fees (free for members, $15–$150 for non-members), individual and corporate donations (including an annual Ironman Golf Tournament), and organizational support from parent Knoxville Leadership Foundation. The organization employs four core staff and serves a market of nearly 700 Knox County churches and 100,000+ affiliated individuals, addressing a local poverty rate of 20.5%—nearly double the national average.

Name

Compassion Coalition

Legal name

Compassion Coalition

Website

https://compassioncoalition.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Compassion Coalition is a Knoxville, Tennessee faith-based nonprofit coalition of 66 churches and organizations that mobilizes the local church to address poverty through referral services, licensed training programs, and inter-church collaboration across Knox County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Poverty Intervention Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (813110), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Poverty training programs
• Faith-based coalition services
• Community referral services
• Benevolence network programs
• Church capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville, TN

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coalition Membership Dues: Churches and organizations pay membership dues to join Compassion Coalition, receiving access to free and discounted trainings, Connection Point resources, and member-only materials.
2. Training Fees: Revenue from training programs including Bridges Out of Poverty (2-Day $50-150, 3-Hour $25-50, 1-Hour free-$15), Frontline Series ($50 nonmembers, free for members), and COPE group rates.
3. Donations: Individual and organizational donations support the organization's programs and operations, including an annual Ironman Golf Tournament fundraiser.
4. Knoxville Leadership Foundation Support: As an initiative of the Knoxville Leadership Foundation since 2018, receives organizational support and funding through the parent nonprofit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Compassion Coalition is a member-based coalition of churches and organizations that informs, equips, and connects member churches to collectively address poverty in Knoxville, Tennessee. Core offerings include licensed training programs (COPE, Bridges Out of Poverty), the Connection Point referral system that bridges individuals in need with member churches, Frontline Series trainings, Getting Ahead classes, Benevolence Consultation, and a Community Coordination Team.

Product overview

Compassion Coalition operates as a member-based coalition organization offering a portfolio of interconnected training programs, referral services, and support systems for churches serving vulnerable populations in Knoxville. The core offerings include COPE (poverty simulation), Bridges Out of Poverty training, and the Frontline Series for church capacity building. Connection Point serves as the central referral hub connecting individuals in need with member churches and resources. Getting Ahead Classes provide educational pathways for individuals in poverty cycles. Additional services include Benevolence Consultation, Community Coordination Team, Speakers Bureau, and Bulletin Board. Membership provides free or discounted access to these programs and resources. The organization functions as an initiative of the Knoxville Leadership Foundation since 2018.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• COPE (Cost of Poverty Experience) A 3-hour poverty simulation that allows participants to experience a month in the life of a low-income family, enabling them to serve with empathy and understanding. Targeted at churches, organizations, and community groups.
• Bridges Out of Poverty Training equipping participants with a deeper understanding of poverty, offered in 2-day ($50-150), 3-hour ($25-50), and 1-hour (free-$15) formats. Members receive discounted or free access.
• Frontline Series A 5-part training series equipping churches to better respond to those seeking assistance with compassion and integrity. Modules include Responding to Requests, Building a Benevolence Team, Community Resources, Mentoring, and Caring for Neighbors. Costs $50 non-members; free for members.
• Connection Point A referral system bridging individuals in need with churches and resources. Social workers, school staff, church benevolence teams, and volunteers submit referrals through Microsoft Forms; needs are assessed and connections to appropriate resources are facilitated. Free for members.
• Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin'-By World A 16-session course offering a step-by-step process for people in poverty cycles to investigate their lives and start moving forward, facilitated by member churches at sites including First UMC, Beacon of Hope, Beaver, CAC, and First Baptist.
• Benevolence Consultation & Network Works with church staff and volunteers to develop benevolence programs, providing ongoing support through training and individual case consultations across the Benevolence Network of churches.
• Community Coordination Team Brings churches and social service agencies together to collaborate on the needs of the most vulnerable in the city, sharing information, identifying gap needs, and building relationships.
• Speakers Bureau Staff and key volunteers speak at churches, Sunday School classes, mission conferences, small groups, Bible studies, businesses, or organizations on topics including Getting Involved with Compassion, How to Help Without Hurting, Understanding Poverty, Mobilizing Churches to Serve, Understanding Community Resources, and Developing Church Benevolence Teams.
• Bulletin Board A newsletter/information service that informs and connects the local body of Christ with opportunities to serve specific immediate needs in Knox County, including local needs, volunteer opportunities, available community resources, training opportunities, and community prayer requests.
• Amachi Mentoring Program A mentoring program matching children who may lack consistent adult presence with caring mentors who provide guidance, support, and life skills development over extended periods.

Quantifiable outcome

• 66 churches and organizations collaborate through the coalition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Knoxville Leadership FoundationOthers · 1 January 2018Knoxville Leadership Foundation (KLF) is the parent organization of Compassion Coalition. Compassion Coalition became an initiative under the KLF umbrella in 2018. KLF Board of Directors provides governance and oversight.
• ThinkTank Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationThinkTank Inc. is the licensing organization for COPE (Cost of Poverty Experience). Compassion Coalition collaborates with ThinkTank to deliver this empathy-building, bias-breaking poverty simulation training program.
• The Restoration House of East TennesseecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompassion Coalition collaborates with The Restoration House of East Tennessee to facilitate COPE events. The Restoration House provides support and partnership in delivering poverty simulation experiences.
• Aha ProcesscoreTechnology or IntegrationAha Process created the Bridges out of Poverty training curriculum. Compassion Coalition has two staff members who are lifetime certified trainers in Bridges out of Poverty, enabling them to deliver this training to member churches and the community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Circles USA: National poverty-reduction initiative using 'Getting Ahead' classes—the same curriculum Compassion Coalition offers—making it a directly comparable peer in poverty education and coaching methodology.
• Love INC (Love In the Name of Christ): National network of church coalitions that coordinate local church resources to help people in need; directly comparable to Compassion Coalition's model of mobilizing member churches to serve poverty needs through training and referral.
• Volunteer Ministry Center: Knoxville-based faith-rooted nonprofit serving individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty; comparable local peer serving the same referral ecosystem that Compassion Coalition's Connection Point funnels into.
• Family Promise of Knoxville: Member organization of Compassion Coalition and a faith-based nonprofit serving homeless families in Knoxville; a close operational peer within Compassion Coalition's own coalition network.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of East Tennessee: Regional faith-based social services agency serving the same Knoxville population; comparable in mission and donor base, though broader in programmatic scope including refugee resettlement and counseling.
• Habitat for Humanity of Knoxville: Established faith-affiliated housing nonprofit serving low-income families in the Knoxville market; comparable in faith-rooted community development orientation though focused on housing.
• The Salvation Army Knoxville: Established faith-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, social services, and benevolence in the same Knoxville market; overlaps with Compassion Coalition's service population and referral flows.
• Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries (KARM): Local faith-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter and recovery services; a member of Compassion Coalition that operates at significantly larger scale in the same Knoxville ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Just Ministries: Faith-based organization focused on poverty, justice, and congregation-based community development; comparable in mission emphasis on equipping churches to respond to systemic poverty.

Others

• Knoxville Leadership Foundation: Parent organization of Compassion Coalition; operates multiple community initiatives including Amachi mentoring and the Resource Center. Highly relevant context as the structural backer and governance layer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/compassion-coalition

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 Compassion Coalition