Co-Serve International

What Co-Serve International does

Co-Serve International is a 501(c)(3) public charity (legally The Marshall Christensen Foundation, DBA Co-Serve International) headquartered in Sandy, Oregon, that develops and disseminates servant leadership education through experiential programs and a global network of partner communities. Founded in 1997 following Marshall Christensen's engagement with Kazakh-American Free University (KAFU), the organization operates a portfolio of programs including the 30-hour Leadership Principles Course, a 4-month Mentor Program with weekly guided discussions, the 2-3 week in-person Servant Leadership Academy, the International Educators Academy, the Education through Business Immersion (EBI) program in Oregon, a Teaching Abroad program, and a comprehensive one-year International Servant Leadership Program. In 2026 it added an Online Servant Leadership Academy that graduated more than 20 participants from six countries.

The organization works through six core partner communities in Kazakhstan (KAFU), Ukraine (Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University), Thailand (Karen Leadership Development Program), the Philippines (Shepherd's Home of Servant Leadership), Nigeria (HALCIA), and the United States, with extended reach into Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Co-Serve staff are physically embedded in several of these communities rather than operating a centralized delivery model, and the curriculum emphasizes personal mission statements, holistic formation, and cross-cultural learning rather than technology-mediated instruction. The organization explicitly does not use proprietary technology.

Co-Serve's revenue model is entirely donation-based: as a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 93-1230131, authorized 2008) it accepts one-time and recurring contributions from individuals and organizations via check, credit card, bank account, and PayPal, with all programs delivered at no cost to participants. Programs are marketed through the organization's website, Facebook, Instagram, partner referrals, and earned media, while distribution occurs directly through the global partner network and host organizations (including EBI hosts such as Foster & Associates CPAs, Pacific Rim Sash & Door, SnowCap Community Charities, and Southwest Bible Church).

Name

Co-Serve International

Legal name

The Marshall Christensen Foundation DBA Co-Serve International

Website

https://co-serve.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Co-Serve International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit headquartered in Sandy, Oregon, that delivers servant leadership education through experiential programs and a network of six partner communities across Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Thailand, the Philippines, Nigeria and the USA, funded entirely by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Education (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry) (EDAIAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Unpaid/Volunteer-Linked Work Placement Programs (EDAIAFAE), In-Country Placement, Homestay & On-Ground Coordination Services (EDAIAGAM), Credentialing, Academic Credit, Assessment & Transcript Services (EDAIAFAO)

Keywords

• Leadership development programs
• Servant leadership training
• Nonprofit education services
• Experiential leadership learning
• Global mentorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sandy

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Co-Serve International operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (The Marshall Christensen Foundation DBA Co-Serve International) that relies entirely on donations from individuals and organizations. Donations support staff, programs, and the mission to build communities of servant leadership worldwide. The organization accepts one-time and recurring donations via check, credit card/bank account, and PayPal.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Co-Serve International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers servant leadership education through experiential learning programs, structured mentorship, and partner community immersion. Its portfolio includes the Servant Leadership Academy (2-3 week intensives), the Leadership Principles Course (30 hours), the Mentor Program (4 months), the International Educators Academy, the Education through Business Immersion program, the Teaching Abroad Program, and the Online Servant Leadership Academy, all delivered at no cost to participants across a network of 6 international partner communities.

Product overview

Co-Serve International offers a portfolio of servant leadership development programs rather than a unified software product. The core programs include the Leadership Principles Course (30-hour foundational course), the Mentor Program (4-month guided mentorship), the Servant Leadership Academy (intensive 2-3 week experiential program), the International Educators Academy, the Education through Business Immersion program, the Teaching Abroad Program, and the comprehensive International Servant Leadership Program (ISLP) which combines multiple elements over one year. Additionally, they offer an Online Servant Leadership Academy conducted virtually over 3 weeks. These programs are delivered through international partnerships with universities and organizations worldwide and focus on experiential learning, personal development, and cross-cultural connection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leadership Principles Course A 30-hour immersive experience that builds an open and accepting community demonstrating the value of each participant. Through action and reflection, participants learn the values and principles of servant leadership including the value of people and relationships, the meaning of service, unique purpose, and serving in community.
• Mentor Program A four-month guided mentorship experience connecting individuals with a mentor for weekly Internet-based discussions on applying servant leadership principles, using a Co-Serve workbook with weekly topics.
• Servant Leadership Academy An intensive 2-3 week experiential learning program that brings together participants from around the world to experience real-life servant leadership communities and develop their own personal mission statement.
• International Educators Academy (IEA) An experience specifically designed for university teachers and administrators from partner universities. Educators are hosted by institutions exemplifying servant leadership principles and immersed in institutional life for 2-3 weeks.
• Education through Business Immersion (EBI) A program inviting select students to spend 3.5 weeks in the USA, living with an American host family and completing an internship at an American business to build cross-cultural understanding.
• Teaching Abroad Program A program recruiting volunteer English, Business, and Humanities teachers to teach at international universities for periods ranging from 2 weeks to 4 months, modeling servant leadership values.
• International Servant Leadership Program (ISLP) A one-year program combining the Principles of Servant Leadership Course, Mentor Program, and Servant Leadership Academy for comprehensive servant leadership development.
• Online Servant Leadership Academy A 3-week online collaborative program where participants from multiple countries engage in servant leadership training, featuring speakers who are Co-Serve alumni.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20 students graduated from Online Academy from 6 countries
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kazakh-American Free University (KAFU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Co-Serve maintains a close partnership with KAFU, supporting their work to develop leaders for independent Kazakhstan. Co-Serve staff assist the university with their leadership programs, visiting volunteer teacher programs, and international education programs. This partnership traces back to Co-Serve's founding in 1994 when KAFU was created.
• Center for Servant Leadership Development at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University (BGKU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBGKU has made servant leadership a key value of their corporate culture. Co-Serve partners closely with their Center for Servant Leadership Development, which strives to help each student and teacher develop as servant leaders. BGKU students have been helping KLDP students in Thailand learn English.
• Karen Leadership Development Program (KLDP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe KLDP provides a loving and supportive community to young Karen leaders while they pursue their university education in Chiang Mai, Thailand. While at the KLDP, students are involved in a variety of learning experiences that help them develop holistically as servant leaders. Co-Serve staff person, Lu Hawley, works as a key mentor for the KLDP staff and students.
• Shepherd's Home of Servant Leadership (SH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShepherd's Home is an intentional community in the Philippines that strives to live according to servant leadership principles. They serve in their community and host retreats and seminars to help people understand their value and potential. Co-Serve staff person, Dan Ballast, lives as part of the SH community with his family.
• Harvest Leadership Community in Africa (HALCIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHALCIA helps leaders clarify their calling and live out that calling as servant leaders through study groups. Co-Serve partners with HALCIA by championing their programs and exchanging ideas and resources with them. HALCIA recently purchased their own retreat facilities in Nigeria.
• Foster & Associates CPAsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoster & Associates CPAs served as a workplace host for the Education through Business Immersion (EBI) program, providing 3 weeks of experiences serving and being served inside their organization for students from Kazakhstan.
• Pacific Rim Sash & DoorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacific Rim Sash & Door served as a workplace host for the Education through Business Immersion (EBI) program, providing 3 weeks of experiences serving and being served inside their business for students from Kazakhstan.
• SnowCap Community CharitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSnowCap Community Charities served as a workplace host for the Education through Business Immersion (EBI) program, providing experiences of servant leadership in action for students from Kazakhstan.
• Southwest Bible ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthwest Bible Church supported the EBI program by allowing students to participate in their activities including an International Day event where students represented Kazakhstan.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AIESEC: AIESEC is the world's largest youth-run organization, facilitating international internships, volunteer exchanges, and leadership development programs across more than 100 countries. Co-Serve's Education through Business Immersion (EBI) and Teaching Abroad programs share AIESEC's model of placing young adults in cross-border experiential learning opportunities, though AIESEC operates at significantly larger scale and focuses more broadly on professional skill development.
• World Learning: World Learning operates the School for International Training (SIT) and experiential education programs across the globe, with a strong emphasis on immersive cross-cultural learning and leadership development. Co-Serve shares World Learning's commitment to international experiential education and partnerships with universities in developing regions, though World Learning operates at substantially larger scale and serves a broader academic audience.
• International Leadership Association (ILA): ILA is the global membership organization for leadership scholars, educators, and practitioners, offering conferences, publications, and educational programs on leadership development. Like Co-Serve, ILA focuses on leadership formation across international contexts, though ILA operates at a more academic and professional scale and serves a broader spectrum of leadership theories beyond servant leadership specifically.
• LeaderShape Institute: LeaderShape Institute runs intensive multi-day leadership development programs for college students and young professionals, with a focus on ethics-centered, values-driven leadership formation. Like Co-Serve's Servant Leadership Academy, LeaderShape delivers cohort-based experiential programs that emphasize authentic leadership identity and community impact, making it a strong methodological peer despite LeaderShape's primarily U.S. operational footprint.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is one of the largest U.S. nonprofit study abroad and exchange organizations, operating programs in over 40 countries. Like Co-Serve, CIEE delivers cross-cultural educational programming with university partnerships and experiential learning components, though CIEE focuses on academic credit-bearing study abroad rather than the values-based leadership formation that defines Co-Serve's niche.
• Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership: The Greenleaf Center is the foremost global organization dedicated to promoting servant leadership practice and education, founded on the work of Robert K. Greenleaf — the originator of the servant leadership concept that defines Co-Serve's mission. Both organizations center servant leadership philosophy and deliver educational programming, though the Greenleaf Center focuses more on training resources and a global membership network while Co-Serve emphasizes international experiential programs.

Broad incumbents

• Peace Corps: The Peace Corps is a U.S. government agency that sends American volunteers abroad for international community development and cross-cultural exchange. Co-Serve's Teaching Abroad Program and Education through Business Immersion share Peace Corps' model of placing Americans in international service placements, though Peace Corps operates at vastly larger scale with government funding and a much broader programmatic mandate.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Habitat for Humanity is a large, established faith-inspired nonprofit operating globally through a network of local affiliates, mobilizing volunteers and donor funding to deliver community development outcomes. Co-Serve shares Habitat's model of a donor-supported organization leveraging an international partner ecosystem and faith-motivated participation, though Habitat operates at massive scale focused on housing rather than leadership formation.
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): CCL is a globally recognized leadership development institution offering research-backed programs for executives, managers, and emerging leaders. CCL and Co-Serve both deliver structured leadership development curricula with experiential components, but CCL operates at substantially larger scale, serves corporate clients, and focuses on broader leadership competencies rather than servant leadership specifically.

Emerging players

• Atlas Corps: Atlas Corps is a nonprofit that recruits and places international professionals in fellowship roles with U.S.-based organizations to develop leaders through cross-sector experience. Like Co-Serve, Atlas Corps uses international experiential placements as a vehicle for leadership formation and operates a global network of partner organizations, though Atlas Corps focuses on mid-career professionals rather than university students and has a larger U.S. operational base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CoServe
• Instagraminstagram.com/coserve_international
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/co-serve-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Co-Serve International