CREAS - Centro Regional Ecuménico de Asesoría y Servicio

What CREAS - Centro Regional Ecuménico de Asesoría y Servicio does

CREAS (Centro Regional Ecuménico de Asesoría y Servicio) is a non-profit ecumenical organization founded in 2000 and headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, operating across multiple Latin American countries with a staff of approximately 57. It functions as an intermediary service and grantmaking body for Protestant, ecumenical, and social-action movements in the region, channeling international cooperation funds into grassroots community initiatives. Its two flagship programs are the Fondo de Pequeños Proyectos (FPP), a small-grants mechanism for community-led development projects (including a dedicated COVID-19 emergency response), and Ikuméni, a leadership-training program that has engaged more than 500 young leaders across Latin America.

The organization's business model is non-commercial and donor-funded rather than revenue-generating. Income derives from international cooperators — primarily Pan para el Mundo (Brot für die Welt), the World Council of Churches, and ACT Alliance member churches — channeled into grantmaking, training, advocacy, and peace-dialogue work. CREAS's customer-equivalent counterparties are therefore a small set of institutional donors, while its end beneficiaries are geographically distributed: community cooperatives, women entrepreneurs, Afro-descendant and indigenous communities, and youth. Leadership consists of Executive Director Horacio Mesones and Founder/Director General Emérito Humberto Shikiya, the latter of whom was awarded the 2026 World Methodist Peace Award and serves as WCC Special Envoy for Colombia peace dialogues, signaling elevated institutional standing within the global ecumenical system.

Underlying technology is limited to standard NGO operational tooling; there is no proprietary platform, AI/ML system, or technical product disclosed. CREAS's principal assets are institutional relationships, programmatic reach, and reputational capital built over more than two decades of regional presence.

Name

CREAS - Centro Regional Ecuménico de Asesoría y Servicio

Legal name

CREAS - Centro Regional Ecuménico de Asesoría y Servicio

Website

https://creas.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CREAS is a Buenos Aires-based ecumenical non-profit founded in 2000 that channels international donor funding into grassroots community projects and youth leadership training across Latin America through its FPP grants and Ikuméni programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Community Development Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAJ

Interfaith & Ecumenical Councils and Dialogue Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAKAG

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

Keywords

• Ecumenical development services
• Community project funding
• Social economy programs
• Interreligious leadership training
• Nonprofit grantmaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Buenos Aires

HQ country

Argentina

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. International Cooperation and Donations: CREAS funds its operations and grant-making through international cooperation agreements with entities such as Pan para el Mundo (Bread for the World), the World Council of Churches, ACT Alliance members, and other international development organizations. Revenue is deployed as grants to community organizations and as programmatic activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CREAS is a regional ecumenical service center that supports churches, faith communities, community organizations, and cooperatives across Latin America through two main programmatic offerings: the Fondo de Pequeños Proyectos (FPP), a small projects fund combining economic grants with formation and accompaniment, and Ikuméni, a laboratory of ecumenical and interreligious best practices that trains young leaders in peace, reconciliation, dialogue, and cooperation. The organization promotes human dignity and care for the Common House through ecumenical cooperation, interreligious dialogue, and community development initiatives.

Product overview

CREAS operates as a unified non-profit organization offering two main programmatic services: the Fondo de Pequeños Proyectos (FPP) for economic and capacity support to community organizations, and Ikuméni for ecumenical and interreligious leadership training. These programs are complemented by publications, formation programs, and project support services, all focused on promoting human dignity and care for the Common House in Latin America through ecumenical cooperation, interreligious dialogue, and community development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ikuméni: Laboratorio de Buenas Prácticas Ecuménicas e Interreligiosas - Laboratory of Ecumenical and Interreligious Best Practices that has trained more than 500 young leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean
• Fondo de Pequeños Proyectos (FPP)

Products and services

• Fondo de Pequeños Proyectos (FPP) A small projects fund that combines financial support with training and accompaniment to strengthen community organizations, churches, and cooperatives that develop social impact actions across Latin America. Proposals are received through open calls (convocatorias) and evaluated by a committee.
• Ikuméni - Laboratorio de Buenas Prácticas Ecuménicas e Interreligiosas A laboratory of ecumenical and interreligious best practices that has trained more than 500 young leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean in a culture of peace, reconciliation, dialogue, hospitality, and cooperation through local and community initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 500 young leaders trained in peace, reconciliation, dialogue, hospitality, and cooperation through Ikuméni program
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• KoinoniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKoinonia is an ecumenical organization and ACT Alliance member based in Brazil. CREAS articulated with Koinonia during COVID-19 emergency response to provide food and hygiene kits to 500 vulnerable families in São Paulo affected by flooding.
• Consejo Mundial de Iglesias / World Council of Churches (WCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WCC invited CREAS/Director General Humberto Shikiya to accompany Colombia's peace process (2022). Shikiya was appointed WCC Special Envoy for peace dialogues in Colombia. CREAS develops its peacebuilding and reconciliation strategy in alignment with WCC frameworks and the 'Llamados a la transformación – Diaconía Ecuménica' document.
• Concilio Mundial Metodista / World Methodist CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe World Methodist Council awarded CREAS Director General Emérito Humberto Shikiya the 2026 World Methodist Peace Award, recognizing his commitment to peace, justice, and reconciliation in Latin America.
• Universidad Nacional de Quilmes (UNQ)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNQ provides technical assistance, training workshops, commercialization strategies, and brand positioning support to CREAS-supported cooperatives. Collaborated on Yarará brand development, CHASQUI virtual sales platform, and La Pallamay's communication and design incubation.
• Universidad Cristiana de PanamásecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with UniReformada de Colombia and Universidad Centro Educativo Latinoamericano (UCEL) to co-host a webinar on Social, Solidarity and Popular Economy.
• UniReformada (Corporación Universitaria Reformada, Colombia)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniReformada co-hosted the webinar on Social, Solidarity and Popular Economy with CREAS and partners. Also organized the II Assembly of Qonakuy (Red de Universidades Protestantes y Evangélicas), where CREAS participated in a dialogue on gender and diversity.
• Universidad Centro Educativo Latinoamericano (UCEL), ArgentinasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCEL co-hosted the webinar on Social, Solidarity and Popular Economy together with Universidad Cristiana de Panamá, UniReformada de Colombia, and CREAS.
• PAMPA 2030 (Plataforma Argentina de Monitoreo para la Agenda 2030)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCREAS participates in PAMPA 2030 as a faith-based organization (OBF). PAMPA 2030 convened workshops on strengthening local capacities for rights promotion of indigenous peoples in Chaco.
• Qonakuy (Red de Universidades Protestantes y Evangélicas de América Latina)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCREAS accompanied the II Assembly of Qonakuy in Barranquilla. Director Ejecutivo Horacio Mesones participated in a conversation on inclusion, gender, and diversity. CREAS was invited specifically for its FPP experience supporting projects like Juntas y Unidas.
• Federación Luterana Mundial - Programa ColombiasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaura Chacón of the Lutheran World Federation's Colombia program co-facilitated a conversation on inclusion, gender, and diversity at the Qonakuy Assembly alongside CREAS Director Ejecutivo.
• Unión de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras de la Economía Popular (UTEP) - Federación TextilsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerYarará cooperative articulated with UTEP's Textile Federation to expand work networks, access new orders, and increase visibility of the cooperative experience.
• Act AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCREAS participates in ACT Alliance as a member, contributing to the Gender Community of Practice (COP) in Latin America alongside organizations such as SEDI Asociación Civil, Fundación Hora de Obrar, CEDEPCA, and DIAKONIA. CREAS also engaged in COVID-19 response coordinated through ACT Alliance.
• WACC América Latina (World Association for Christian Communication)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCREAS participates in WACC AL, contributing to discussions on communication as a human right and gender-just media representation in Latin America.
• Cooperativa de Comunicación TramassecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerTramas Communication Cooperative provides communication training and support to La Pallamay women entrepreneurs as part of the FPP-supported project for organizational strengthening and brand development.
• Instituto Popular de Cultura – INCUPOsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerINCUPO accompanied 'Mujeres de Campo Hardy' in northern Santa Fe, providing formation support alongside CREAS FPP for a sewing enterprise project targeting women who have suffered gender-based violence.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• World Council of Churches (WCC): Global ecumenical body of which CREAS is a strategic partner (Shikiya served as WCC Special Envoy); WCC's diaconal and peacebuilding programs overlap directly with CREAS's mission and constituencies across Latin America.
• Norwegian Church Aid: Large ACT Alliance member headquartered in Norway with global operations on peace, climate, and gender; co-member of ACT Alliance alongside CREAS and a comparable institutional peer in the funding ecosystem that surrounds CREAS.
• Christian Aid: Major UK-based ACT Alliance member operating globally on poverty, gender justice, and climate; a broad incumbent with overlapping themes and partner networks in Latin America that CREAS works alongside and within.
• Lutheran World Federation (LWF): Global communion of Lutheran churches with active Latin American programs on accompaniment, peacebuilding, and gender justice; CREAS directly partnered with LWF's Colombia program at the Qonakuy Assembly, indicating overlapping programmatic scope.
• Pan para el Mundo (Bread for the World): German Protestant development service and co-founder of CREAS's Fondo de Pequeños Proyectos; a comparable faith-based grantmaking and accompaniment organization operating across Latin America with a closely aligned programmatic model.

Direct peers

• Fundación Hora de Obrar: Argentine faith-based development foundation and ACT Alliance Gender Community of Practice peer of CREAS in Latin America; comparable size, mission, and constituency in Argentina and the region.
• Diakonia (Sweden): Swedish ecumenical development organization and ACT Alliance co-member with CREAS, funding and supporting community organizations across Latin America on social justice, gender, and economic justice — directly comparable programmatic peer.
• Koinonia (Brazil): Ecumenical ACT Alliance member based in Brazil that CREAS has directly partnered with for emergency response. Operates a similar model of accompaniment, advocacy, and grassroots community organization support in the region.
• Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias (CLAI): Continental ecumenical body for Latin America and the Caribbean, coordinating churches and faith-based organizations on similar themes (peace, justice, social economy). Closest functional peer to CREAS in the Latin American ecumenical ecosystem.

Regional players

• SEDIC (Servicio Evangélico de Desarrollo Integral y Capacitación): Argentinian Protestant development agency working on community strengthening, social economy, and faith-based accompaniment; operates in similar Argentine geographies and beneficiary populations to CREAS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/creaslac
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CREASLAC/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/CreasLAC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/creaslac
• Instagraminstagram.com/creaslac

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CREAS - Centro Regional Ecuménico de Asesoría y Servicio