THE DIOCESE OF RHODE ISLAND

What THE DIOCESE OF RHODE ISLAND does

The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island is a 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit organization and a territorial diocese of The Episcopal Church, part of the global Anglican Communion, founded in 1780 and headquartered at 275 North Main Street, Providence, RI. It coordinates more than 50 Episcopal congregations across the state of Rhode Island, providing spiritual leadership, governance, clergy development, and shared ministry resources. The diocese is led by The Rt. Rev. W. Nicholas Knisely (consecrated 2019), supported by a lean central staff of approximately six including the Canon to the Ordinary, Communications Director, and Finance Director. Operating ministries include Church Beyond the Walls (an ecumenical street-church partnership with the New England Synod of the ELCA), the Center for Reconciliation (racial reconciliation education and training), Episcopal Charities (a Rhode Island Foundation component fund supporting 30+ social service ministries), and specialized programs including Creation Care, Hispanic Ministries, and Youth/College ministries.

The diocese's product surface is programmatic rather than commercial: worship and sacramental services delivered through parishes, training programs (Education for Ministry, Lay Licensing, Safe Church), grant and loan programs for congregations (Diocesan Resource Fund grants up to $20K, Mustard Seed grants up to $2K, Vineyard grants, Revolving Loan Fund), stewardship education (Project Resource, TENS), and media initiatives including the Tea Time Theology podcast, the Dear Rhode Island Church Substack storytelling platform, and the RISEN diocesan magazine. Its underlying technology is standard nonprofit infrastructure: a content website (episcopalri.org), email newsletter, Facebook presence, podcast hosting, Vanco payment processing for online donations, and Substack publishing. No proprietary technology, software products, or technical platform is described.

Revenue is derived from voluntary tithes and offerings, apportionments from member congregations, individual donations (general fund, Episcopal Charities, Church Beyond the Walls), and pass-through grant funding from Episcopal Relief & Development and other denominational channels. The diocese has no commercial pricing model, no traditional paying customers, and no paid commercial products. Distribution is via the physical parish network across Rhode Island, with member congregations ranging from historic buildings to field locations near bus stops and serving communities from Newport to Woonsocket to Providence.

Name

THE DIOCESE OF RHODE ISLAND

Legal name

The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island

Website

https://episcopalri.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1780

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island is a 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit, founded in 1780, coordinating more than 50 Episcopal congregations across Rhode Island under Bishop W. Nicholas Knisely. It provides spiritual leadership, clergy development, grant funding, and ministries including the Center for Reconciliation, Church Beyond the Walls, and Episcopal Charities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Diocesan Ministry

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM), Christian Broadcasting (TV & Radio) (MPABALAA), Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

Keywords

• Episcopal diocese services
• Congregational ministry
• Religious community programs
• Faith-based outreach
• Worship and sacraments

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: The primary revenue source is voluntary tithes and offerings from members of the diocese's more than 50 congregations. Congregations contribute to the diocese through apportionment support.
2. Donations and Gifts: The diocese accepts online donations via credit card or electronic check for general fund support, Episcopal Charities, and Church Beyond the Walls mission.
3. Grant Programs: The diocese administers various grant programs including Diocesan Resource Fund grants (up to $20,000), Mustard Seed grants (up to $2,000), Vineyard grants (over $2,000), Revolving Loan Fund, Congregational Development Commission funding, and Episcopal Charities grants for outreach and service ministries in Rhode Island.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island is a regional governing body of the Episcopal Church that coordinates worship, sacraments, pastoral care, Christian formation, and outreach ministries across more than 50 congregations throughout Rhode Island. It provides clergy support, lay training and licensing, grant funding for congregational development, charitable outreach through Episcopal Charities, and social justice programs including racial reconciliation and creation care.

Product overview

The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island is a religious organization operating as part of the Episcopal Church, not a technology company. Its 'products and services' consist of ministry programs, training initiatives, publications, and communication platforms serving over 50 congregations across Rhode Island. The core offerings include worship and sacramental ministries, lay training and licensing programs, charitable outreach through Episcopal Charities, multimedia storytelling initiatives (Dear Rhode Island Church), podcasting (Tea Time Theology), and a diocesan magazine (RISEN). Financial support programs include grants and loans for congregations, while stewardship programs like Project Resource support financial development in faith communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tea Time Theology Podcast A podcast sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island and The Cathedral of St John, creating space for real conversations about faith, covering theology in everyday life, pop culture, and oral histories of congregations.
• Church Beyond the Walls

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 congregations served across Rhode Island
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Compass Rose SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008The Rev. Della Wager Wells of Emmanuel Church, Newport has served for 15 years with the Compass Rose Society, an organization founded in 1997 that supports programs and ministries of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Consultive Council. The society removes barriers to relationship within the global Anglican Communion.
• New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch Beyond the Walls is a specialized mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island in partnership with the New England Synod of the ELCA. It is a street-church community building solidarity among people from all walks of life - housed and unhoused, poor and privileged, churched and unchurched.
• Episcopal CharitiescoreOthersEpiscopal Charities is a component fund of the Rhode Island Foundation that funds social service programs in churches and throughout Rhode Island. The goal is to share the love of Christ by funding outreach to those in need, supporting 30+ ministries and agencies annually.
• Episcopal Relief & DevelopmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe diocese coordinates with Episcopal Relief & Development for disaster response and relief efforts, including Hurricane Harvey relief, Hurricane Dorian response, and ongoing development programs. ERD is the churchwide relief agency of the Episcopal Church.
• Center for ReconciliationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island focused on racial reconciliation education and training. The Center produces multiple programs weekly and reaches out across the state. Led by Executive Director Debra Sharpe with Associate Director Marco A. McWilliams for Education and Training.
• St. James Episcopal Church and St. Mark Lutheran ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo churches in Woonsocket formed a 'Covenant of Cooperation and Partnership' to share resources and ministries. They worship together, share support for outreach ministries, combined choirs, and share clergy compensation costs.
• Anglican CommunionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe diocese is part of the global Anglican Communion connected through the Archbishop of Canterbury and Anglican Consultive Council. Compass Rose Society facilitates relationship-building with provinces including Tanzania, South Sudan, and other global Anglican communities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire: Direct peer: smaller Episcopal state-level diocese in New England with similar congregational governance, stewardship programs, and Diocesan Convention structure. Comparable scale and ministry portfolio.
• Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut: Direct peer: Episcopal state-level diocese in the same New England region with similar congregational network, grant programs, and Bishop-led governance model. Most directly comparable on scale and operating model.
• Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts: Direct peer: same Episcopal Church denomination, immediately adjacent New England jurisdiction, with a comparable governance structure coordinating congregations across a single U.S. state. Operates similar diocesan ministries, grants, and Bishop-led programs.
• Episcopal Diocese of Vermont: Direct peer: smaller Episcopal state-level diocese in New England with analogous governance, diocesan convention, and congregational grant-making structure. Comparable in scale and ministry mix.
• Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts: Direct peer: Episcopal diocese serving the western portion of Massachusetts with comparable structure of member congregations, Bishop leadership, and diocesan grant-making to congregations.
• Episcopal Diocese of Maine: Direct peer: Episcopal state-level diocese in New England with similar congregational-oversight structure, Bishop leadership, and grant programs for member churches. Comparable geographic scope within a single state.

Others

• New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: Strategic partner peer: the ELCA regional body partnering with the Diocese of Rhode Island on the Church Beyond the Walls street ministry. Comparable in scale and regional ministry model, though a different denomination.
• Episcopal Charities of Rhode Island (Rhode Island Foundation component fund): Internal operational peer: a component fund of the Rhode Island Foundation operating under the diocese that funds 30+ social service ministries annually. Comparable as a faith-based grantmaking vehicle, though not a separate diocese.

Regional players

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence: Regional peer: the principal Catholic diocese covering the same Rhode Island geography. Different denomination but directly comparable in mission (parish network, Bishop governance, charitable outreach) and competes for the same congregant base in Rhode Island.

Broad incumbents

• Episcopal Church (Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society): Broad incumbent: the national headquarters of the Episcopal Church, of which the Diocese of Rhode Island is a constituent member. Sets denominational policy, runs General Convention, and provides resources accessed by the diocese.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EpiscopalRI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-diocese-of-rhode-island

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about THE DIOCESE OF RHODE ISLAND