Faith Matters Network

What Faith Matters Network does

Faith Matters Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in August 2014 by Rev. Jen Bailey and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, operating under the legal entity Faith Matters Network Collaborative (EIN: 88-1541030). The organization accompanies spiritually grounded leaders — including faith leaders, community organizers, chaplains, ordained clergy, and social activists — through cohort-based programming designed to address leadership burnout, integrate healing justice into movement work, and foster spiritual sustainability. FMN centers its work on womanist wisdom as a foundational theological framework, positioning itself at the intersection of spirituality, healing justice, and faith-rooted social movements in a way that distinguishes it from mainstream faith-based organizations.

The organization's programmatic portfolio spans three core pillars — Learning Journeys (1-2 year cohort-based regional experiences), Movement Chaplaincy (a 12-week training plus ongoing seasonal webinars and monthly gatherings), and Spiritual Innovation (financial investment, mentorship, and coaching for Black women and BIPOC spiritual leaders, launched May 2023). Supporting programs include the Rooted in Resilience Fellowship (international), Micah Fellows Program (Arkansas-based economic justice), Disciples of Welcome (United Methodist clergy), Womanist Wisdom / Womanism Around the Table virtual series, and the Wisdom Learning Journey. A self-serve Resource Library at resources.faithmattersnetwork.org digitizes a decade of guides, toolkits, and reflections. Programs are delivered via hybrid in-person and online models. Since founding, FMN reports training more than 25,000 spiritually grounded leaders.

The revenue model is donor- and grant-driven: one-time and monthly individual donations collected through a Kindful-powered giving platform, supplemented by foundation grants. Major disclosed funders include the Nathan Cummings Foundation (founding supporter), Lilly Endowment Inc. ($1M grant in September 2020), Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Methodist Foundation of Arkansas, and The Duke Endowment. Go-to-market is relationship-driven through partnerships with denominational bodies, foundation networks, and community organizations rather than paid acquisition. FMN is not a technology platform — it has no proprietary software, no AI/ML capabilities, and no commercial product lines. Leadership transitioned from founder Rev. Jen Bailey (departed January 2025) to Rev. Riana Shaw Robinson as Executive Director in July 2025, with COO Brittney Jackson as senior operational leader.

Name

Faith Matters Network

Legal name

Faith Matters Network Collaborative

Website

https://faithmattersnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Faith Matters Network is a Nashville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs cohort-based faith and justice programs — Learning Journeys, Movement Chaplaincy, and Spiritual Innovation — accompanying over 25,000 spiritually grounded leaders, faith leaders, and BIPOC innovators nationwide since 2014 through foundation grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Leadership Development and Training

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Faith-based nonprofit
• Spiritual leadership training
• Womanist education programs
• Movement chaplaincy training
• Healing justice fellowships

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville, TN

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: Faith Matters Network is sustained primarily through donations from individual supporters and institutional donors. The organization is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 88-1541030) relying on charitable contributions. Monthly donations are actively solicited on the website.
2. Foundation grants: The organization has received major grants from institutional foundations including Lilly Endowment Inc. ($1M grant in September 2020), Nathan Cummings Foundation, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, and The Duke Endowment for specific programmatic initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Faith Matters Network delivers cohort-based learning journeys, fellowships, and chaplaincy training that accompany spiritually grounded leaders — clergy, chaplains, activists, and community organizers — in faith-rooted social justice work. Its three programmatic pillars are Learning Journeys, Movement Chaplaincy, and Spiritual Innovation, supported by fellowships (Rooted in Resilience, Micah Fellows, Disciples of Welcome) and a digital Resource Library of guides, toolkits, and reflections.

Product overview

Faith Matters Network offers a suite of cohort-based programs and digital resources centered on womanist wisdom that accompanies spiritually grounded leaders in healing themselves and their communities. The organization operates three core programmatic pillars: Learning Journeys (cohort-based spiritual leadership programs), Movement Chaplaincy (training in spiritual care for justice work), and Spiritual Innovation (investment in Black women and BIPOC spiritual leaders). Supporting programs include the Rooted in Resilience Fellowship, Micah Fellows Program, Disciples of Welcome, Womanist Wisdom virtual series, and Wisdom Learning Journey. A Resource Library provides digital access to guides, toolkits, and reflective materials accumulated over a decade of work. The organization is NOT a software technology platform—it is a nonprofit providing training programs, fellowships, and educational resources for faith leaders and spiritual activists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Learning Journeys Cohort-based experiences spanning one to two years that unite spiritual leaders from specific regions in shared purpose, addressing pressing issues affecting local communities and fostering connections that nurture and uplift participants' vocational paths.
• Movement Chaplaincy Continued education offerings fusing ancient wisdom with modern healing justice practices for those in chaplaincy. Flagship offering is a 12-week Movement Chaplaincy Training with holistic spiritual care perspectives for activists and community leaders, alongside seasonal webinars, online courses, and monthly gatherings.
• Spiritual Innovation Groundbreaking initiative providing financial investment, mentorship, and coaching to amplify the voices of spiritual leaders, focusing on Black women and BIPOC communities who are often overlooked by conventional institutions.
• Resource Library Self-serve digital archive of guides, toolkits, reflections, and conversations born from FMN's work at the intersections of spirituality, justice, and collective wisdom — making experiential wisdom accessible to the broader network.
• Rooted in Resilience Fellowship International cohort fellowship bringing together spiritual care practitioners, healers, and medical professionals as a community of practice focused on reconnecting healing justice with the land. The 2025 cohort included 9 fellows.
• Micah Fellows Program Arkansas-based learning journey equipping faith leaders to end poverty and advocate for economic justice. Supports three cohorts of 8 pastors and community leaders each with retreats, monthly conversations, and mini-grants for community projects.
• Disciples of Welcome 12-month hybrid experience for United Methodist clergy focusing on spiritual formation, bridging divides, and wellness practices, with 1:1 spiritual formation sessions, grief and wellness workshops, and in-person/virtual gatherings. The 2023-2024 cohort included 25 UMC clergy.
• Womanist Wisdom / Womanism Around the Table Virtual program series highlighting the field of womanism and Black women's spiritual innovation through bi-monthly virtual gatherings that explore how womanist wisdom shapes pursuit of justice and collective liberation.
• Wisdom Learning Journey 14-month cohort program for women leaders from North Carolina and Pennsylvania exploring democracy as a spiritual practice through education, investment, and community care for local constituents, especially Black and BIPOC women.

Named customers5 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

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The ReMix TNminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Faith Matters Network partnered with The ReMix TN, a Nashville-based community organizing group, to share resources and educate faith leaders on how communities can act in solidarity during an era of mass deportations. FMN offered a framework for faith communities nationwide to mobilize in response to immigration justice crises.
• LaCireminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 February 2025LaCire is the executive search firm conducting FMN's national search for a new Executive Director in 2025. They are serving as the lead recruiter for this senior leadership placement.
• The Dinner PartyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021The Pathways to Repair project began in September 2021 in collaboration with The Dinner Party and Center for Rural Strategies, focusing on bridging divides and repair work at the intersection of spirituality and community.
• Center for Rural StrategiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021Center for Rural Strategies partnered with FMN on the Pathways to Repair project starting September 2021, addressing rural-urban divides and building connections across communities through a faith and healing lens.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sojourners: National faith-rooted social justice nonprofit offering movement leader training, advocacy, and spiritual formation programs. Comparable in mission and audience (faith leaders engaged in justice work) and similar cohort/retreat delivery model.
• Faith in Public Life: Faith-based advocacy and leadership development organization training clergy and faith leaders in civic engagement and narrative change. Overlaps with FMN's faith-leader cohort model and justice focus.
• Auburn Theological Seminary: Auburn equips faith leaders and seminarians for social justice and community organizing through cohort-based programs (e.g., Auburn Fellows, Media Ministry). Directly comparable to FMN's Learning Journeys model and faith-rooted justice training.
• Repairers of the Breach: Faith-rooted social justice organization led by Rev. Dr. William Barber II focused on moral fusion organizing, poverty, and equity. Comparable in faith-rooted movement-building and training leaders for economic justice work.
• Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE): FTE cultivates diverse young leaders exploring ministry and theological vocations through fellowships, mentorship, and cohort programs. Strong parallel to FMN's Spiritual Innovation focus on emerging BIPOC leaders.
• The William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation: University-based institute offering racial reconciliation training, dialogue facilitation, and community leadership programs. Comparable in equipping faith and community leaders for justice work with cohort and workshop delivery models.

Emerging players

• Healing Justice Collective: Network focused on healing justice practices within social movements, offering training, resource-sharing, and convenings for organizers and healers. Directly comparable to FMN's Movement Chaplaincy and Rooted in Resilience programming.
• Forward Together: Movement-building organization led by and for women of color, focused on reproductive and economic justice. Shares FMN's womanist-anchored approach and movement leader accompaniment model, with broader policy advocacy bent.
• SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective: Black-women-led reproductive justice organization advancing collective leadership of women of color. Comparable in centering Black women and BIPOC leadership in social movements, with overlapping constituency though narrower issue focus.

Broad incumbents

• Interfaith America (formerly Interfaith Youth Core): Large interfaith leadership organization convening faith and civic leaders across traditions. Operates at scale and overlapping mission of faith-rooted leadership development, but broader interfaith framing rather than womanist-centered.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/faithmattersnetwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/faithmattersnetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/faith-matters-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Faith Matters Network