La Cometa onlus

What La Cometa onlus does

La Cometa onlus (legal name: Associazione Volontari La Cometa Onlus) is an Italian non-profit charitable association (Associazione di Promozione Sociale, ONLUS) founded in 2004 and headquartered at Via Latina 30, Rome. The organization funds humanitarian programs in at least eight developing countries (India, Philippines, Madagascar, Nigeria, Argentina, Timor Leste, Cameroon, and Vietnam) through a structural partnership with Suore Ospedaliere della Misericordia (SOM), the religious congregation whose on-the-ground presence enables direct program delivery. Its program portfolio spans eight core service lines: hospitals, welcoming houses for orphaned girls and the elderly, literacy and scholarship programs, vocational training courses, school and community canteens, water-well construction, a leprosy center and family support program, and a child distance-sponsorship scheme.

The underlying "technology" is operational rather than digital: delivery is mediated entirely by SOM mission infrastructure (sisters operating hospitals, schools, and reception centers in the field), while fundraising in Italy is conducted via a permanent charity shop in Rome, periodic parish-based markets, solidarity party favors (bomboniere solidali) for sacramental and life-event celebrations, online and bank/postal donations, and the 5x1000 Italian tax designation. There is no proprietary software platform, mobile application, API, or AI system; donor engagement relies on a website (lacometaonlus.eu), Facebook, and YouTube.

The revenue model is a portfolio of small-scale recurring and transactional streams rather than a unified commercial offering. Distance adoptions are subscription-based at €25/month per child and €50/month for family support; one-time donations and well-construction unit pricing (€1,050-1,200 per well) and training course packages (€380 per participant) sit alongside transaction-fee revenue from charity-shop sales and bomboniere orders. The organization has approximately 20 employees or volunteers and no disclosed financials, funding rounds, institutional donors, or parent-company structure.

Name

La Cometa onlus

Legal name

Associazione Volontari La Cometa Onlus

Website

https://lacometaonlus.eu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Cometa onlus is an Italian non-profit association founded in 2004 that funds humanitarian programs in eight developing countries via the Suore Ospedaliere della Misericordia, raising money through distance child sponsorships, charity shops, solidarity party favors, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), International & Global Public Health Aid Administration (Government Donors) (HLAJALAO), Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid programs
• Child sponsorship services
• Distance adoption programs
• Nonprofit fundraising services
• International development aid

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Distance Adoption Programs: Monthly subscription-based support enabling donors to support children and families in developing countries. Two tiers: basic adoption (€25/month) covering education, medical visits, and nutrition; family support tier (€50/month) providing broader family assistance.
2. One-time Donations: Direct monetary contributions to specific projects including hospital support, water wells, feeding programs, leprosy treatment, schools, and emergency relief. Donors can direct funds to particular initiatives via bank transfer or postal account.
3. Solidarity Bomboniere Sales: Sale of solidarity party favors (bomboniere) for sacraments and celebrations including Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, Weddings, Anniversaries, and Graduations. Proceeds fund development projects in SOM mission countries.
4. Charity Shop Sales: Permanent charity shop (mercatino) at Via Latina 30 headquarters and periodic markets at churches. All proceeds support organization's development projects.
5. 5x1000 Tax Designation: Italian tax mechanism allowing taxpayers to designate 0.5% of income tax to registered non-profits. The organization has received varying amounts annually from 2005-2018, typically €12,000-18,000 per allocation period.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La Cometa onlus is an Italian non-profit charitable association (APS) that funds and supports humanitarian development projects in mission countries through the Suore Ospedaliere della Misericordia (SOM). It offers distance child sponsorships, solidarity party favors, charity shops, and donation services that finance hospitals, schools, welcoming houses, vocational training, water wells, canteens, literacy, scholarships, and leprosy care across countries such as India, the Philippines, Madagascar, Nigeria, Argentina, Cameroon, and Timor Leste.

Product overview

La Cometa onlus is a non-profit charitable association (Associazione di Promozione Sociale) inspired by the Serva di Dio Principessa Teresa Orsini Doria and the Suore Ospedaliere della Misericordia (SOM). The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of humanitarian aid programs structured around healthcare (Ospedali), child and elderly care (Case di accoglienza), education (Alfabetizzazione, Borse di studio), vocational training (Corsi di formazione), food security (Mense), water access (Acqua per tutti), leprosy care (Lebbrosario), and child sponsorship (Adozioni a distanza). Additional fundraising mechanisms include Mercatini charity shops, Bomboniere solidali, and 5x1000 tax donation programs. All projects support SOM mission countries: India, Philippines, Madagascar, Nigeria, Argentina, Cameroon, Timor Leste, Vietnam, Rwanda, and Indonesia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adozioni a distanza (Distance Adoptions)

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 wells constructed providing potable water access to communities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Suore Ospedaliere della Misericordia (SOM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSisters of the Merciful Hospital - the foundational mission partner whose on-the-ground presence in India, Philippines, Madagascar, Nigeria, Argentina, Cameroon, Timor Leste, and other countries enables La Cometa's programs. SOM sisters run hospitals, schools, welcoming houses, and feeding programs, implementing the charitable initiatives funded by La Cometa donors. The organization was inspired by the action of Servant of God Princess Teresa Orsini Doria, founder of the SOM congregation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Italiana: National Italian Catholic charitable confederation. While much larger in scale, it shares the Catholic parish-driven fundraising network, ONLUS status, and reliance on volunteers that underpin La Cometa's GTM motion.
• Medici Senza Frontiere (MSF Italy): Italian chapter of international medical-humanitarian organization. Comparable healthcare-in-underserved-areas focus and Italian donor base, though operationally much larger and more globalized.
• Emergency NGO: Well-known Italian humanitarian NGO operating hospitals and clinics in developing countries, including in Africa and Asia. Comparable mission focus on healthcare access for underserved populations, though significantly larger and more publicly visible.

Regional players

• Fondazione Don Gnocchi: Italian Catholic-inspired foundation running rehabilitation, healthcare, and social assistance programs. Comparable in religious-affiliated identity, Italian ONLUS status, and integrated social/health service delivery model.

Direct peers

• Missioni Consolata: Italian missionary organization supporting development and evangelization projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Comparable Catholic-congregation-backed, multi-country humanitarian/development portfolio.
• Fondazione L'Albero della Vita: Italian ONLUS supporting children and families in Italy and abroad through distance support, education, and protection programs. Directly comparable sponsorship-driven model and beneficiary focus.
• CESVI: Italian humanitarian NGO founded in Bergamo, active in international development, healthcare, and emergency relief. Directly comparable in size, Italian donor base, and distance-sponsorship style programs.
• Fondazione Francesca Rava: Italian nonprofit focused on child welfare, distance adoption, and international health/education projects. Closely comparable in mission (children), adoption-program model, and Italian donor base.
• AVSI Foundation: Italian NGO running international development, education, and humanitarian projects across multiple countries. Comparable to La Cometa in mission, donor base (Italian Catholics and general public), and project-based fundraising model.

Emerging players

• AMREF Health Africa: Africa-focused health NGO with Italian fundraising presence. Comparable healthcare-delivery mission in underserved African geographies and Italian donor base overlap, but with a different geographic focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCONSO5VBUETSVZeTLfJ3Dhg?feature=CAQQwRs=
• Facebookfacebook.com/photos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-cometa-onlus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 La Cometa onlus