Wisconsin Conference-United

What Wisconsin Conference-United does

Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ is a regional nonprofit ministry support organization serving United Church of Christ congregations across the state of Wisconsin. Operating as a regional judicatory body under the national UCC denomination, it serves member churches in three regions — Northern, Eastern, and Southern — through a staff of 11-50 employees headquartered in Ripon, WI. The conference provides grants for innovative ministry (Catalyst Grants up to $15,000), theological education (Damascus Project, a joint program with Minnesota Conference), climate justice programming (Kairos Call to Action), youth formation, and justice advocacy across immigration, racial, Palestine, and LGBTQIA+ issues. It also facilitates the Search and Call process for pastoral placements and provides clergy coaching and resources.

The conference's products are programmatic rather than technology-based: grant programs, online theological courses, youth retreats at Daycholah Center, faith formation curricula (including the Kid Lit Picture the Bible curriculum), and justice ministry working groups. No software products, AI systems, or technology platforms are offered. Distribution is handled through three Associate Conference Ministers who serve regional clusters of congregations, supplemented by a resource center website, semi-monthly newsletter, and annual events.

Revenue is generated primarily through per-member Membership Dues assessed at $5.00 per church member, supplemented by OCWM (Our Church's Wider Mission) contributions from congregations and modest grantmaking activity. In 2025, the conference restructured by consolidating four historical associations into a unified conference ministry structure. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Conference Minister Franz Rigert with Associate Conference Ministers Jane Anderson (Eastern Region), Rachel Bauman (Southern Region), and Shannon Joshi (Northern Region).

Name

Wisconsin Conference-United

Legal name

Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ

Website

https://wcucc.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ is a regional nonprofit ministry support organization serving UCC congregations across Wisconsin through grants, theological education, justice advocacy, and clergy support across three regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Denomination Administration

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Religious conference administration
• Ministry support services
• Congregational grant funding
• Clergy search and call
• Faith formation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Deforest, WI

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Wisconsin Conference-United Church of Christ is a regional 501(c)(3) conference body of the UCC denomination serving affiliated congregations across Wisconsin. It delivers ministry support, Catalyst Grants, clergy search-and-call, formation programs (Damascus Project, Kairos Call to Action, Creation Care), and youth/KidLit faith formation resources to member churches in three regions.

Product overview

Wisconsin Conference UCC is a regional church body of the United Church of Christ that operates as a ministry support organization rather than a technology product company. Its offerings consist of grant programs (Catalyst Grants for innovative ministry), educational programs (Damascus Project for theological education), and programmatic initiatives (Kairos Creation Care, Youth Ministry). These are ministry programs serving member congregations, not software products or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Damascus Project: Online theological education and leadership skills development program for laypeople and members in discernment
• Catalyst Grants
• Kairos Call to Action
• Creation Care
• The Damascus Project

Products and services

• Catalyst Grants Grant funding program providing member Wisconsin UCC congregations with financial resources for ministry innovation, with multiple award tiers and particular priority for historically under-resourced and BIPOC-led churches.
• Damascus Project Anti-racism and intercultural competency formation program for UCC ministers and lay leaders in Wisconsin, designed to equip participants for racial justice work within their congregations.
• Kairos Call to Action Conference-wide call to action initiative focused on creation care and justice priorities, mobilizing Wisconsin UCC congregations around shared commitments.
• Creation Care Program Program supporting Wisconsin UCC congregations in environmental stewardship and creation care ministry, providing resources and coordination for sustainability efforts.
• Youth Ministry Programs Youth ministry programming providing events, formation opportunities, and resources for young people affiliated with Wisconsin UCC congregations.
• KidLit (Picture the Bible) Curriculum Children's faith formation curriculum that pairs picture books with Bible stories, designed for use by Wisconsin UCC congregations in their children's ministry programming.
• Clergy Search and Call Services Denominational service providing clergy search and call processes for Wisconsin UCC congregations seeking pastoral leadership, including authorized minister standing and boundary training.
• Resource Center Curated resource hub providing materials, references, and tools for Wisconsin UCC congregations, clergy, and lay leaders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ people participated in paid Damascus Project programs annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Drive $mart WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Founded in 2006 as Milwaukee Hybrid, rebranded in 2011. UCC member Bradlee Fons of Hope UCC Jackson leads the organization teaching safe and fuel-efficient driving skills. The 'Driving in God's Garden' program presents the message in faith context to congregations.
• Church World Service (CWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWS provides disaster relief globally. Wisconsin Conference supports through Disaster Relief Fund, packing CWS Cleanup Buckets (150) and Hygiene Kits (800) for Hurricane Helene and California wildfire response. CWS helped 80,915 individuals in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.
• Wisconsin Council of ChurchesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted immigration justice webinar with ACLU Wisconsin on preparing faith communities for potential ICE encounters and protecting immigrant communities.
• ACLU WisconsinminorOthersLegal director Ryan Cox provided guidance on preparing for ICE encounters at faith communities during co-hosted webinar.
• National Immigration Law CenterminorOthersProduced guide 'What to Do if Immigration Comes to Your Workplace' and fact sheet on protected-areas policy changes.
• Focus on EnergyminorOthersWisconsin utility program providing energy reviews and rebates that congregations use alongside Creation Care grants for energy efficiency projects.
• RENEW WisconsinminorOthersOrganization with Solar For Good program providing grants for solar installations used by congregations alongside conference grants.
• United Church Camps Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Daycholah Center retreat facility. Received grants for creation care and racial justice advocacy visioning. Home of Damascus Project spiritual growth programming.
• Great Lakes CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC collaborative across conferences (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana-Kentucky, New York) focused on Great Lakes preservation. Annual gatherings at Five Oaks Retreat Center in Paris, Ontario.
• Creation Justice Church Program (UCC National)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational UCC program providing resources to help churches start environmental ministries. Wisconsin Conference supports congregations in achieving this certification through Kairos Call to Action.
• Wild Church NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of about 300 wild churches worldwide practicing nature-based spirituality. Rev. Daniel Cooperrider's Flicker Wild Church is part of this movement.
• Community Immigration Law CenterminorOthersPresented immigration update workshop on immigration status and 'Know Your Rights' for faith communities.
• The Neighbor's PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit connecting individuals in crisis with housing and essential services in River Falls, partnering on Wellspring Village tiny house project.
• Middleton Community ChurchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost site for Digital Media Training Course in-person intensive workshop.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church: The Wisconsin Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church is a direct peer as another mainline denominational regional body covering Wisconsin, providing comparable clergy appointment, congregation support, and missional programming.
• Minnesota Conference UCC: The Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ operates as a direct peer, jointly running the Damascus Project online theological education program with Wisconsin Conference and sharing similar regional judicatory functions across member congregations.
• Illinois Conference UCC: The Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ is a direct peer as a nearby midwestern UCC regional body providing parallel congregation support, clergy resourcing, and justice ministry programming to affiliated churches.
• Wisconsin Council of Churches: The Wisconsin Council of Churches is a direct peer as a Wisconsin-based ecumenical body that convenes mainline denominations across the state on justice and advocacy issues, co-hosting programming such as immigration webinars with Wisconsin Conference UCC.
• Indiana-Kentucky Conference UCC: The Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the United Church of Christ is a direct peer regional judicatory that participates with Wisconsin Conference in the Great Lakes Collaborative and provides similar grants, clergy support, and justice ministry programs.
• Michigan Conference UCC: The Michigan Conference of the United Church of Christ is a direct peer regional body within UCC, partnering with Wisconsin Conference in the Great Lakes Collaborative focused on Great Lakes preservation and sharing parallel ministry support functions.
• Presbytery of Winnebago (PCUSA): The Presbytery of Winnebago is a direct peer as a regional judicatory of the Presbyterian Church (USA) covering a similar Wisconsin geography, providing parallel congregation oversight, clergy support, and grants to affiliated churches.

Broad incumbents

• United Church of Christ (National): The national United Church of Christ serves as the broader incumbent denomination of which Wisconsin Conference is a regional conference. It provides national programs like Creation Justice Church and OCWM that Wisconsin Conference localizes, and operates across a much broader geographic scope.
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA): The ELCA is a broad incumbent mainline Protestant denomination with parallel regional synod structures providing congregation support, clergy resourcing, and justice ministries. ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod specifically overlaps Wisconsin Conference's geography.

Others

• Church World Service: Church World Service is a long-standing mission partner of Wisconsin Conference UCC on disaster relief (including Hurricane Helene and California wildfire responses), operating in adjacent faith-based humanitarian and advocacy space rather than direct regional ministry competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wcucc
• YouTubevimeo.com/wcucc
• Facebookfacebook.com/WisconsinConferenceUCC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wisconsin-conference-united

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Conference-United