The Anna Trust

What The Anna Trust does

The Anna Trust is a private nonprofit foundation established in 2024 and headquartered in Rome, Italy, dedicated to ensuring dignity in aging for Catholic women religious globally. It was co-founded with the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and four religious congregations - Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles, Congregation of Jesus Mary Joseph, Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood, and Sisters of St. Joseph Benedict Cottolengo - with initial funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation's Catholic Sisters Initiative. The foundation operates four core programs: Grantmaking (financial grants to congregations for elderly sisters' care, with a maximum planning grant of $40,000), Field Building (collaboration and technical assistance across congregations), Advocacy and Awareness, and the Cognitive Impairment Support Initiative (CISI) for sisters living with dementia.

Its service portfolio combines grantmaking with a structured educational stack: a Cognitive Health and Wellness Certificate delivered with the Avila Institute of Gerontology, a Train of Trainers (ToT) certificate course launching in 2026 with Maria College, a seven-month professional training program hosted by the Neurology Academy (22 sisters in the inaugural cohort), and a multilingual webinar series (English, Italian, Spanish, French) drawing 350-400 participants per session. A quarterly newsletter reaches over 1,000 subscribers, and a YouTube channel has accumulated roughly 1,000 views. Technical expert partners include CARA at Georgetown, the Milken Institute Future of Aging, the Global Brain Health Institute, and the Gerontological Society of America.

The organization does not sell products or services; its operating model is philanthropic - soliciting donations through its website (DonorBox, PayPal) and a U.S. donations fund operated with the National Catholic Community Foundation, then deploying those funds as grants, training, and advocacy. It is governed by a Board chaired by Sr. Patricia Murray, IBVM (UISG Executive Secretary) with Sr. Teresa Maya, CCVI as Vice-Chair, supported by a small executive team of 1-10 staff. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The organization reports operating presence in Italy, the United States, Kenya, Zambia, Mexico, and India.

Name

The Anna Trust

Legal name

The Anna Trust

Website

https://annatrustfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Anna Trust is a Rome-based nonprofit foundation founded in 2024 that provides grants, education, and advocacy to support dignified elder care for Catholic women religious worldwide, funded primarily by philanthropic donations and led in partnership with UISG.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Roma

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation/Nonprofit Operations: The Anna Trust operates as a nonprofit foundation funded through donations and grants from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Conrad Hilton Fund for Sisters, religious congregations, and private foundations. The organization provides financial grants to congregations for elder care programs rather than generating revenue from product or service sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Anna Trust is a nonprofit foundation that provides financial grants (planning grants up to $40,000 and seed grants), education and training programs, and advocacy/awareness initiatives to support the dignified aging and elder care of Catholic women religious (sisters) worldwide. Its core offerings include the Cognitive Impairment Support Initiative (CISI), the Cognitive Health and Wellness Certificate, the Train of Trainers Course, professional dementia care training, and a multi-language webinar series, delivered through partnerships with technical experts such as the Avila Institute, Maria College, and the Neurology Academy.

Product overview

The Anna Trust operates as a foundation offering four interconnected core programs: Grantmaking (financial grants for elderly sisters' care), Field Building (collaboration and technical assistance), Advocacy and Awareness, and the Cognitive Impairment Support Initiative (CISI). The CISI program specifically provides specialized dementia care training through multiple educational products including the Cognitive Health and Wellness Certificate (via Avila Institute), the Train of Trainers Course (via Maria College), professional training (via Neurology Academy), and a webinar series. Supporting these are Seed Grants that enable trained sisters to deliver programs nationally. The organization functions as a unified grantmaking and education foundation rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CISI (Cognitive Impairment Support Initiative): Program focused on sisters living with dementia or other cognitive impairments in religious communities, providing specialized training and support.

Products and services

• Grantmaking Program Financial grants worldwide to improve long-term care of women religious in vulnerable contexts, promoting innovative solutions, assisting congregations in responding to elderly needs, and developing models of good practice in consecrated women's whole-being elder care.
• Cognitive Impairment Support Initiative (CISI) Specialized program focusing on sisters living with dementia or other cognitive impairments in religious communities, providing training, seed grants, and support through partnerships with leading gerontology institutions.
• Field Building Program Promotes sharing of information, facilitates collaboration between congregations, and provides tailored technical assistance to strengthen elder care capacity globally.
• Advocacy and Awareness Program Addresses systemic injustices and informs behaviors and attitudes underlying unhealthy practices towards aging, working to make visible the stories, data, and good practice in elder care.
• Cognitive Health and Wellness Certificate Certificate program delivered through the Avila Institute of Gerontology, providing foundational training in care and accompaniment of members of religious communities living with cognitive impairment, combining theoretical content with practical applications through eleven educational modules.
• Train of Trainers (ToT) Course Certificate course delivered in partnership with Maria College, equipping members of religious congregations to become trainers in Best Practice Dementia Care, launching September 2026.
• Webinar Series Online educational webinars on topics including dementia care, safeguarding for senior female religious, psychological impact of dementia, and planning for elderly sisters' care, offered in English, Spanish, Italian, and French.
• Professional Dementia Care Training (Neurology Academy) Seven-month professional training program hosted by the Neurology Academy for 22 sisters selected by The Anna Trust, providing consultant-led training in professional dementia care.
• Seed Grants Grants offered to Sisters who have successfully completed training pathways, supporting training activities and dissemination of knowledge at the national level to organize and deliver training programs within their own countries and networks.

Quantifiable outcome

• First Request for Proposals issued December 2025 with maximum grant request of $40,000 per planning grant
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Catholic Community Foundation (NCCF)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 July 2025U.S.-based Catholic foundation that partnered with The Anna Trust to open a tax-advantaged donations fund for U.S. donors. Provides necessary U.S. tax documentation to donors.
• International Union of Superiors General (UISG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-founding organization and key governance partner. Executive Secretary Sr. Patricia Murray serves as Board Chair. UISG provides institutional support and connection to global superior generals.
• Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the ApostolescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024One of five co-founding religious congregations. Superior General Sr. Mary Barron serves on the Steering Committee.
• Congregation of Jesus Mary JosephcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024One of five co-founding religious congregations. Superior General Sr. Mary Karickakunnel serves on the Steering Committee.
• Missionary Sisters of the Precious BloodcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024One of five co-founding religious congregations. Superior General Sr. Monica Mary Ncube serves on the Steering Committee.
• Sisters of St. Joseph Benedict CottolengocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024One of five co-founding religious congregations. General Superior Madre Elda Pezzuto serves on the Steering Committee.
• Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical expert partner providing research on Catholic sisters' aging. Fr. Thomas P. Gaunt, Director of CARA at Georgetown University, serves on The Anna Trust Board. Conducts regional research in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
• The Avila Institute of Gerontology Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationEducational arm of Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm. Partners with The Anna Trust to deliver Cognitive Health and Wellness Certificate and advanced dementia care training. Sr. Peter Lillian serves as Director.
• Maria CollegecoreTechnology or IntegrationPrivate Catholic University in Albany, NY collaborating on the Train of Trainers (ToT) Course launching August 2026. Will deliver certificate curriculum for dementia care trainers in partnership with Avila Institute.
• Milken Institute, Future of AgingcoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic alliance partner contributing expertise on aging and future of aging research to inform The Anna Trust's programs.
• Global Brain Health InstitutecoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical expert partner providing brain health expertise for The Anna Trust's cognitive impairment programs.
• Gerontological Society of AmericacoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical expert partner contributing gerontological expertise to support best practices in elderly sister care.
• Neurology AcademycoreTechnology or IntegrationInnovative education provider for healthcare professionals. Hosted a consultant-led, seven-month professional training program for 22 sisters selected by The Anna Trust in dementia care.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR): US-based association of leaders of Catholic women religious congregations. Overlapping beneficiary population and active engagement with Anna Trust conferences; a key channel rather than direct funder.

Broad incumbents

• Conrad N. Hilton Foundation: Major private foundation that serves as the anchor funder and co-founding partner of The Anna Trust via its Catholic Sisters Initiative. Comparable as a faith-aligned grantmaking foundation, though significantly larger and broader in scope.
• Catholic Charities USA: National Catholic social services network with extensive grantmaking, elder-care, and congregational support programs. Broader in scope but highly comparable as a Catholic-affiliated nonprofit services and grantmaking institution.
• Catholic Health Association of the United States: Large Catholic healthcare ministry association; its Senior Director for Theology and Sponsorship is Vice-Chair of The Anna Trust. Comparable institutional Catholic health/elder-care footprint and shared governance relationships.

Direct peers

• Resource Center for Religious Institutes: Service organization supporting leaders of Catholic religious institutes, addressing governance, elder care, and operational sustainability. Comparable mission of supporting Catholic congregations in meeting aging-member needs.
• National Catholic Community Foundation: US-based Catholic donor-advised fund platform that partners with The Anna Trust to host a US donations fund. Operates as a comparable Catholic grantmaking intermediary serving faith-aligned causes.
• International Union of Superiors General (UISG): Co-founding organization of The Anna Trust representing the global leadership of Catholic women religious. Comparable as a global Catholic-leadership institution with overlapping Rome base and elder-care advocacy agenda.
• National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO): USCCB-administered office that operates the Retirement Fund for Religious, providing direct grants and resources to US congregations for the retirement and elder care of sisters and brothers. Operates in the same narrow niche of Catholic religious elder care.
• Avila Institute of Gerontology: Educational arm of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm and The Anna Trust's training partner. Directly comparable as a Catholic-affiliated gerontology education and training provider serving religious communities.
• Hilton Fund for Sisters: Co-founding donor of The Anna Trust focused on supporting Catholic sisters worldwide. Directly comparable mission of mobilizing resources for Catholic sisters, with overlapping leadership and donor relationships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheAnnaTrustFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-anna-trust-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Anna Trust