Rensselaer Newman Foundation

What Rensselaer Newman Foundation does

The Rensselaer Newman Foundation is a non-profit educational corporation chartered by the New York Board of Regents on November 22, 1963, serving the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) campus community in Troy, NY. It operates the Chapel + Cultural Center (C+CC), a multi-purpose facility combining Catholic worship space with performing arts, visual arts galleries (500 running feet of hanging space), and community programming, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. The Foundation runs the Newman Catholic Fellowship (founded 1907, the oldest religious organization on the RPI campus), a Knights of Columbus council, liturgical ministries, service and volunteering programs, and chaplaincy services, and partners with the separately incorporated Christ Sun of Justice Parish (established 1971, spun off in 2022).

The organization's core technology footprint is operational rather than product-focused: a state-of-the-art 10K Lumen laser cinema projection system with a 25-foot screen, professional sound and lighting, and live-streaming infrastructure broadcasting Sunday Mass at 10 AM on YouTube. Its digital presence spans Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and a quarterly Sun & Balance newsletter/magazine with archives dating to 2000, alongside weekly bulletin PDFs.

The Foundation's revenue model is donation-driven, with no fees charged for worship services, sacraments, or most programs. Revenue streams include individual donations (processed via givecloud.co), the annual Catholic Day of Giving campaign (June 8) with matching gifts from named alumni donors, planned giving through the Phelan-Wiberley Society and estate planning seminars, corporate sponsorships of the annual Sun & Balance Award Dinner, and limited facility rental income. Customer segments comprise RPI students (primary), faculty and staff, Russell Sage College students, alumni and friends, and Troy community members served through food pantry and feeding program partnerships. The Foundation employs approximately 7 staff including the Chapel + Cultural Center Director, Business Administrator, Chaplain, and Canonical Pastor.

Name

Rensselaer Newman Foundation

Legal name

Rensselaer Newman Foundation

Website

https://rensselaernewman.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Rensselaer Newman Foundation is a Troy, NY-based non-profit religious and cultural organization, chartered in 1963, that provides Catholic campus ministry, worship, and arts programming to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute community. It operates the historic Chapel + Cultural Center and partners with the separately incorporated Christ Sun of Justice Parish.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Campus Ministry and Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Campus ministry
• Catholic parish services
• Religious nonprofit
• Faith community programs
• Chaplaincy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Troy

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: The organization raises funds through individual donations to the Rensselaer Newman Foundation and the Christ Sun of Justice Parish. Online giving is available through givecloud.co platforms.
2. Planned Giving and Legacy Program: Legacy giving program including estate planning appointments, planned giving seminars, and the Phelan-Wiberley Society for planned giving donors.
3. Annual Catholic Day of Giving: Annual fundraising campaign (June 8) that unifies Catholics at RPI to celebrate and strengthen their shared faith and mission. Matching gifts from supporters up to $4,000.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Rensselaer Newman Foundation provides Catholic campus ministry, worship services, sacraments, and faith formation programming to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute community. Its core delivery vehicle is the Chapel + Cultural Center (C+CC), a multi-purpose facility combining a Catholic worship space, performing arts auditorium (up to 200 seats), art gallery, and meeting spaces; it operates alongside the Christ Sun of Justice Parish, the Newman Catholic Fellowship, Knights of Columbus Council, liturgical and service ministries, and a chaplain's office. Programs are offered free of charge and supported through donations, planned/legacy giving, and annual fundraising campaigns.

Product overview

The Rensselaer Newman Foundation operates a multi-component religious and cultural services portfolio centered on the RPI campus. The core offerings include the Chapel + Cultural Center (C+CC) facility providing worship, arts, and community space; the Christ Sun of Justice Parish delivering Catholic sacraments and pastoral care; student organizations including Newman Catholic Fellowship and Knights of Columbus Council for faith development; liturgical and service ministries; and live streaming of Sunday Mass. Supporting programs include an art collection spanning seven centuries, the Sun & Balance newsletter publication, and campus ministry/chaplaincy services. The organization functions as a faith-based nonprofit providing integrated religious services, cultural programming, and student support rather than a traditional technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chapel + Cultural Center (C+CC)
• Christ Sun of Justice Parish
• Newman Catholic Fellowship
• Knights of Columbus Council
• Live Mass Streaming
• Art Collection and Exhibitions
• Campus Ministry / Chaplaincy Services

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Nielsen Direct, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the 2024 Sun & Balance Award Banquet. Located at mailprep.com.
• Window Depot USA of AlbanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the 2024 Sun & Balance Award Banquet.
• Crisafulli Bros. Plumbing & Heating Contractors, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the 2024 Sun & Balance Award Banquet. Located at crisbro.com.
• Our Lady of the Snows (Grafton, NY)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity food pantry partnership. RNF collects food and personal care items at the C+CC and transports them to the parish in Grafton. 2-3 hours per month commitment.
• St. Joseph House (Troy, NY)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeeding program partnership. RNF provides desserts to support their program to feed people in need in Troy. 2-3 hours per month.
• Diocese of AlbanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished the University Parish of Christ Sun of Justice in 1971 as a 'personal parish' (Canon 518) to provide pastoral care to the RPI community. Supervises canonical aspects of the parish.
• Rensselaer Polytechnic InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship with RPI. The Chapel + Cultural Center is located on campus. The Foundation provides chaplain services to the Institute. Unique partnership in higher education faith community.
• Russell Sage CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents from Russell Sage College are welcome to participate in Newman Catholic Fellowship meetings, dinners, and activities, extending the campus ministry beyond RPI.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• St. Paul's Catholic Center (University of Wisconsin-Madison): University-affiliated Catholic Newman Center serving UW-Madison students with worship, sacraments, student fellowship, and cultural programming. Operates a historic chapel/cultural venue on campus with comparable mix of Mass, fellowship, and arts programming.
• Catholic Center at Boston College: Campus ministry organization providing Catholic worship, sacraments, retreats, and faith formation to BC students. Operates within a Jesuit university context similar to RNF's integration of faith and academic life.
• Catholic Newman Community (MIT): Catholic chaplaincy serving MIT students with Mass, sacraments, and student fellowship. Most directly comparable peer given MIT is an elite STEM-focused university with a relatively small Catholic student population, mirroring RNF's RPI context.
• St. Thomas More Chapel (Yale University): Catholic chaplaincy and chapel serving the Yale University community with daily Mass, sacraments, student fellowship, and pastoral care. Closely comparable in serving a STEM/research university with a small Catholic student population.
• Newman Catholic Student Center (University of Texas at Austin): University Catholic center serving UT Austin students through Mass, sacraments, student organizations, and faith formation. Comparable in offering integrated worship, fellowship, and student organization programming at a large public research university.

Emerging players

• FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students): National Catholic outreach organization sending missionaries to university campuses to evangelize and form students. Comparable in serving university Catholic populations but operates as a sending organization rather than a single-campus ministry.

Others

• Catholic Campus Ministry Association (CCMA): Professional association supporting Catholic campus ministers at universities nationwide. Comparable as an ecosystem peer providing resources and standards for the type of work RNF performs at RPI.

Regional players

• Diocese of Albany Catholic Charities: Regional Catholic social services arm of the same Diocese of Albany that governs Christ Sun of Justice parish. Comparable as a faith-based nonprofit serving the same geographic area and engaging RNF on food pantry and feeding program partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RPI_Chaplain
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChapelandCulturalCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rensselaer-newman-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/chapelculturalcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rensselaer Newman Foundation