The Catholic Foundation in the Archdiocese of Dubuque

What The Catholic Foundation in the Archdiocese of Dubuque does

The Catholic Foundation in the Archdiocese of Dubuque (CFAD) is a public, nonprofit 501(c)(3) Catholic community foundation established in 2011 by a task force convened by Archbishop Jerome Hanus, and headquartered at the St. Patrick Church Parish Hall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Operating independently from the Archdiocese Corporation, CFAD manages more than 400 funds representing approximately $210 million in assets under management across 30 counties in northeast Iowa, placing it in the top 25% of more than 190 Catholic foundations in the United States. The foundation's stated mission is to endow long-term financial support for Catholic ministries in the Archdiocese, including parishes, Catholic schools, cemeteries, social services organizations, and vocations programs.

CFAD's core products fall into three groupings: permanent endowments (minimum $10,000 for single-organization and $50,000 for field-of-interest funds), donor advised funds (endowed at $25,000 and non-endowed at $5,000), and trust accounts (10-Year Agency Trusts from $50,000 and Temporary Two-Year Trusts from $500,000). Underlying all fund types is a Catholic responsible investing program operating four strategic portfolios (Growth, Moderate, Conservative, Preservation), with investment oversight provided by Mercer Investment Consulting and screened against US Conference of Catholic Bishops guidelines. Supporting service offerings include complimentary Charitable Giving Plans, Charitable Legacy Plans, a Legacy Giving Program Toolkit for Catholic organizations, and the discretionary St. Katharine Drexel Fund grant program.

The business model rests on a 0.6% annual administrative fee assessed quarterly on quarter-end market balances, plus separate investment management fees averaging around 0.6% passed through to underlying managers. Revenue is supplemented by donations and bequests that flow into AUM rather than recognized as revenue. Customer segments span individual donors and families, Catholic parishes, schools, cemeteries and nonprofit organizations (including 100+ perpetual care cemetery funds), and a Professional Advisor Network of CPAs, attorneys, and financial planners who assist with planned giving. Distribution is hybrid: direct in-person consultation, an online Fund Holder Portal, recorded webinars, parish presentations, and outreach through social media channels and the Consortium of Catholic Foundations, with the foundation staffed by 5 personnel led by Executive Director Michele Brock.

Name

The Catholic Foundation in the Archdiocese of Dubuque

Legal name

The Catholic Foundation in the Archdiocese of Dubuque

Website

https://ourcfad.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Catholic Foundation in the Archdiocese of Dubuque is a 501(c)(3) Catholic community foundation managing $210M and 400+ endowments, donor advised funds, and trusts, serving Catholic parishes, schools, cemeteries, charities, and individual donors across 30 counties in northeast Iowa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Sponsors (BPAGAKAF)

Keywords

• Charitable giving services
• Endowment management
• Donor advised funds
• Catholic planned giving
• Community foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Administrative Fees: CFAD charges an annual 0.6% administrative fee on all funds, assessed quarterly (0.15% on quarter-end market balance). This fee covers investment oversight, grant review and distribution, fund reporting, accounting, and education services. Investment management fees are assessed separately by underlying managers, averaging around 0.6%.
2. Donations and Bequests: CFAD receives donations and legacy gifts from individuals, families, and organizations. These contributions fund new endowments and donor advised funds, expanding the foundation's assets under management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CFAD is a Catholic community foundation that establishes and manages endowments, donor advised funds, and trust accounts for individuals, families, and Catholic organizations in the Archdiocese of Dubuque. It invests contributions under Catholic responsible investing principles and distributes grants to beneficiary Catholic parishes, schools, cemeteries, and social service organizations. CFAD also provides complimentary charitable planning and legacy giving services and operates the discretionary St. Katharine Drexel grant program.

Product overview

The Catholic Foundation in the Archdiocese of Dubuque (CFAD) is a nonprofit Catholic community foundation that provides charitable giving services. Its core offerings include Endowments (permanent funds for long-term organizational support), Donor Advised Funds (tax-advantaged charitable investment accounts), and Trust Accounts for Catholic organizations. These are complemented by planning services such as Charitable Giving Plans, Charitable Legacy Plans, and a Legacy Giving Program Toolkit for parishes and schools. CFAD also manages the St. Katharine Drexel Fund grant program for evangelization and Works of Mercy. All funds are invested according to Catholic responsible investing principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Endowments Permanent funds set aside for the long-term benefit of Catholic organizations, invested in professionally managed Catholic responsible investments with earnings distributed regularly for designated charitable purposes; provides ongoing income for beneficiaries indefinitely.
• Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) Tax-advantaged charitable giving accounts where donors contribute funds, receive an immediate income tax deduction, and then advise on grant distributions to multiple charities over time; funds grow tax-free in Catholic responsible investments.
• Trust Accounts Investment vehicles for Catholic organizations including 10-Year Agency Trusts (target market-rate return of 5%, up to 10% yearly distribution, revocable before term expires with early-termination cost) and Temporary (Two Year) Trusts (target market-rate return of 3-4%, up to 50% distributed in year one and all but $10,000 in year two).
• Charitable Giving Plan Complimentary planning service that helps individuals make their current giving more efficient and effective by assessing goals and needs alongside Catholic community needs.
• Charitable Legacy Plan Service that helps individuals organize their charitable intentions in a simple manner for planned giving and estate planning purposes.
• St. Katharine Drexel Fund Discretionary grant program providing assistance to Catholic organizations in the Archdiocese of Dubuque for new evangelization and Works of Mercy efforts.
• Catholic Responsible Investing Service Investment services that apply Catholic moral principles, regularly reviewing investments against U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops guidelines, applying investment screens, and avoiding companies with activities conflicting with Catholic Church teachings.
• Legacy Giving Program Toolkit Three-staged approach (Introductory, Operational, Upkeep) helping Catholic organizations start, grow, and sustain legacy gift programs with marketing materials, workshops, and templates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Target long-term rate of return of 6.8% net of investment fees for Growth Portfolio endowments
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mercer Investment Consulting and ManagementcoreTechnology or IntegrationMercer serves as CFAD's investment advisor, bringing expertise from advising over $550 billion in nonprofit investments for more than 300 nonprofit partners. They provide regular investment policy reviews, portfolio management guidance, and access to exclusive asset classes.
• Archdiocese of DubuquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFAD is independent of the Archdiocese Corporation but collaborates with the Archdiocese to endow financial support for Catholic ministries. Archbishop Thomas Zinkula serves as Ex Officio on CFAD's Board of Directors.
• Consortium of Catholic FoundationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFAD is a member of this community of Catholic foundation leaders sharing experiences and best practices. The group includes 65 leaders representing nearly $6 billion in assets under management at Catholic community foundations nationwide. CFAD's Executive Director attends the annual symposium.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Christian Foundation: Large faith-based DAF sponsor with national reach offering donor advised funds and granting services. Comparable as a values-aligned DAF competitor, but operates nationally and at materially larger scale than CFAD.
• National Philanthropic Trust: National sponsor of donor advised funds and a leading DAF administrator. Competes with CFAD for planned-giving and DAF dollars, particularly from larger and more sophisticated donors.
• Fidelity Charitable: Largest national donor advised fund sponsor with hundreds of billions in AUM. Competes for the same donor dollars as CFAD, particularly HNW Catholic donors, but operates as a secular platform without religious screening.
• Schwab Charitable: Major national DAF sponsor affiliated with Schwab. Competes for planned-giving and DAF dollars, especially among affluent donors using brokerage-based giving strategies; lacks CFAD's Catholic alignment.

Regional players

• Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque: Secular community foundation serving the same northeast Iowa geography as CFAD. Competes for the same local donor base on community giving, but lacks Catholic-aligned investing and faith-based donor services.
• Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation: Community foundation headquartered in Cedar Rapids, the same city as CFAD. Direct geographic overlap on donor and grantmaking activity; offers similar endowment and fund services without religious specialization.

Direct peers

• Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia: Archdiocesan Catholic foundation offering endowments, DAFs, and planned giving to Catholic donors in the Philadelphia region. Comparable in product mix and archdiocesan affiliation, though serving a more urban and larger population.
• Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota: Diocesan Catholic community foundation offering endowments, DAFs, and planned giving services to Catholic donors and organizations in a defined Midwestern territory. Closest direct analog in mission, product set, and operating model to CFAD.
• Catholic Community Foundation (Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis): Catholic community foundation serving a single archdiocese with endowments, donor advised funds, and Catholic responsible investing — directly comparable in scope, governance ties to a single archdiocese, and target donor base.
• Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis: Archdiocesan Catholic foundation managing endowments, DAFs, and scholarship funds for a single Midwestern diocese. Comparable in fund types, geographic scope, and donor-advised fund offerings to CFAD.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@OurCFAD
• Facebookfacebook.com/OurCFAD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ourcfad

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 The Catholic Foundation in the Archdiocese of Dubuque