San Antonio Marriage Initiative

What San Antonio Marriage Initiative does

San Antonio Marriage Initiative (SAMI) is a faith-based nonprofit ministry founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The organization operates as a community hub rather than a direct service provider, connecting three audiences — engaged couples, marriage leaders (counselors, pastors, ministry staff), and churches — through curated resources, quarterly Round Tables, a counselor directory, discernment counseling referrals, podcasts, and event listings. Its core products are free information and referral services, including premarital preparation, marriage enrichment, struggling-marriage support, military couple resources, and church ministry development support. There is no proprietary technology platform; the organization relies on a Squarespace website (samarriage.org), email newsletters, and social media channels for distribution.

SAMI is funded entirely through charitable donations processed via PayPal, with no fees charged to couples, marriage leaders, or churches. Its revenue model is therefore donor-dependent rather than transactional. Distribution is anchored in church partnerships and a Marriage Leader Network of pastors, counselors, and judicial-system professionals, supplemented by a partnership with USMarriage.org for event discovery within a 50-mile radius of San Antonio. The organization is part of the broader Marriage Initiative Family coalition alongside National Marriage Week USA, Marriage Resources, and Texas Family.

The leadership team is led by President and Founder Carl Caton, who concurrently serves as President of National Marriage Week and (as of 2025) was appointed by Governor Abbott as Chair of the Texas Commission on Marriage and Family. The organization is governed by a board that includes Dennis Stoica, Jeff Kemp, and Jackie Parker. SAMI self-reports being the "best resourced city in the country for marriage," grounded in a 75+ church network and 270+ marriage leaders mobilized since 2009. Operating scale is modest — approximately 10 employees and 15 named team members — and the organization has no subsidiaries, no disclosed funding rounds, and no technology IP.

Name

San Antonio Marriage Initiative

Legal name

San Antonio Marriage Initiative

Website

https://samarriage.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

San Antonio Marriage Initiative (SAMI) is a faith-based nonprofit founded in 2009 that connects couples, marriage leaders, and churches in San Antonio through free resources, counseling referrals, quarterly Round Tables, and events, funded entirely by donor contributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marriage and Family Support Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

Keywords

• Marriage support services
• Faith-based ministry
• Premarital counseling resources
• Marriage enrichment programs
• Community marriage initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: SAMI is funded entirely through generous donors. The organization maintains a donation portal through PayPal and relies on charitable contributions to fund the research, vetting, and sharing of marriage resources. No revenue is generated from selling products or services to end users.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

San Antonio Marriage Initiative (SAMI) is a faith-based nonprofit ministry that mobilizes the San Antonio community around marriage support by offering free resources for couples at all stages (premarital, enrichment, struggling, military, discernment counseling) and supporting marriage leaders and churches through networking, curriculum guidance, and quarterly Round Tables. The organization serves as a centralized hub connecting couples to vetted counselors and ministry leaders rather than directly providing counseling services.

Product overview

San Antonio Marriage Initiative (SAMI) is a faith-based ministry offering a portfolio of marriage support services including Premarital Resources, Marriage Enrichment, and Struggling Marriage support. The organization connects couples with Discernment Counseling for those considering divorce, provides a counselor referral service, and offers specialized Military Marriage Resources. SAMI supports marriage leaders through quarterly Round Tables and provides Church Marriage Ministry Support to help congregations develop marriage ministries. The organization also facilitates Marriage Events and produces Podcasts as educational content for couples.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Premarital Resources Resources and tools for couples preparing for marriage, including assessments and premarital counseling guidance.
• Marriage Enrichment Resources to help married couples strengthen their relationship, improve communication, and nurture their marriage.
• Struggling Marriage Resources Support and guidance for couples experiencing difficulties in their marriage.
• Podcasts Audio content featuring marriage-related topics, interviews, and advice for couples.
• Discernment Counseling Short-term counseling approach (fewer than 5 sessions) designed to help couples considering divorce identify all options and find clarity on the best path forward.
• Find a Counselor Directory connecting couples with vetted marriage counselors and therapists in the San Antonio area.
• Military Marriage Resources Resources specifically tailored to support military couples and families.
• Marriage Round Tables Quarterly networking events for marriage leaders offering peer learning and resource sharing opportunities.
• Church Marriage Ministry Support Resources, training, and networking support for churches developing or enhancing marriage ministries.
• Marriage Events Marriage classes, date nights, and community events for couples in the San Antonio area.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 270 people from 75 churches engaged in initial consultation period (2009-2012)
• +1 more outcomes

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

Partnerships

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

• Marriage Initiative FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAMI is part of the Marriage Initiative Family, a broader network of marriage-focused organizations collaborating to strengthen marriages across the country.
• National Marriage Week USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAMI participates in National Marriage Week USA initiatives to promote the value and importance of marriage across communities.
• Marriage ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated organization providing marriage education resources and support for couples and families.
• Texas FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level Texas organization focused on family strengthening that collaborates with SAMI on marriage initiatives.
• USMarriage.orgmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSAMI partners with USMarriage.org to list local marriage classes and events, providing couples with easy access to enrichment opportunities within a 50-mile radius of San Antonio.
• Navigating USminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRelationship program highlighted on SAMI's church resources page, offering interactive tools for couples to build deeper connection and stronger communication.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• USMarriage.org: Major GTM partner that lists local marriage classes and events used by SAMI for the San Antonio market. Operates as a national directory/event platform serving the same couple and marriage-leader audience.
• Texas Family: State-level Texas organization focused on family strengthening that directly collaborates with SAMI on marriage initiatives. Comparable faith-based family/marriage advocacy nonprofit operating in overlapping Texas geography.
• California Healthy Marriages Coalition: State-level coalition co-founded by SAMI board member Dennis Stoica to promote healthy marriages. Comparable nonprofit coalition model operating at state scale in California with overlapping faith-based, resource-referral approach.
• Marriage Resources: Affiliated 'Marriage Initiative Family' organization providing marriage education resources and support for couples and families. Shares branding, audience, and mission with SAMI in the faith-based marriage support category.
• Marriage Initiative Family: Parent umbrella network of marriage-focused organizations including SAMI. Direct umbrella peer sharing mission, branding, and cross-promotion across the faith-based marriage support ecosystem.
• National Marriage Week USA: National awareness campaign organization that SAMI explicitly partners with and whose President (Carl Caton) leads SAMI. Operates in the same faith-based marriage-strengthening space with overlapping events, content, and donor base.
• Orange County Marriage Resource Center: Faith-based marriage resource center founded by SAMI board member Dennis Stoica, directly demonstrating the replicable city-by-city model SAMI aspires to scale. Same operating model, target audience, and faith-based positioning in a different metro.

Broad incumbents

• Smart Marriages: Established national marriage education conference and network (IMPACT Awards) that recognizes leaders in the marriage support space, including SAMI's board member. Operates as a broader industry convener serving many of the same professionals SAMI serves.
• Focus on the Family: Large, well-established Christian family ministry offering marriage counseling resources, events, and publications. Operates broadly across family/marriage support with a much larger national footprint and deeper funding base than SAMI.

Emerging players

• National Association of Relationship & Marriage Educators (NARME): Professional association for relationship and marriage educators; SAMI's founder and board member Dennis Stoica both serve on its board. Comparable mission around equipping marriage-leader professionals with training and resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/themarriageinit
• Facebookfacebook.com/themarriageinitiative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/samarriage
• Instagraminstagram.com/themarriageinitiative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 San Antonio Marriage Initiative