THE MID-AMERICA REFORMED SEMINARY FOUNDATION

What THE MID-AMERICA REFORMED SEMINARY FOUNDATION does

The Mid-America Reformed Seminary Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation supporting Mid-America Reformed Seminary, a private theological seminary founded in 1985 and based at 229 Seminary Drive, Dyer, Indiana. The Foundation's role is fundraising and donor stewardship, channeling charitable contributions from churches and individuals across North America into the seminary's operating budget, student aid, capital projects, and endowments. A separate Canadian foundation entity, the Mid-America Reformed Seminary Foundation (MARSF), registered under Canadian federal law in St. Catharines, Ontario, handles Canadian-donor funds. The seminary itself delivers graduate theological education through four programs: the Master of Divinity (preparation for ordained pastoral ministry), the Master of Theological Studies (theological education without ordination), the Ministerial Apprenticeship Program (practical ministry training), and Non-Degree courses for lay learners and Christian educators.

The institution's core technology stack is modest and education-focused: Panopto for class livestreaming, a hosted student portal, the ATLA Religion Database and other digital library resources, and content distribution via the MARSCAST podcast (320 episodes), YouTube, and email publications including The Messenger and the Mid-America Journal of Theology (published annually since 1985). Revenue is generated through two primary streams: tuition and fees for degree programs, supplemented by need-based aid from the Student Aid Fund and International Student Aid Fund; and donations via the Annual Fund, Capital Campaign, planned gifts (annuities, remainder trusts, IRA rollovers), and various endowment funds.

Customer and stakeholder segments include prospective male pastoral students seeking ordination, lay theological learners, international students who pledge to return to their home countries, and Reformed/Presbyterian sending churches and denominations. Alumni serve in over 28 countries, with particularly strong placement in the Reformed Church of New Zealand (9 of 17 ministers). The Foundation's geographic reach is North America-centric operationally with a global alumni footprint, and it operates with rolling admissions and a residential on-campus delivery model centered on a confessional Reformed identity.

Name

THE MID-AMERICA REFORMED SEMINARY FOUNDATION

Legal name

Mid-America Reformed Seminary

Website

https://midamerica.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Mid-America Reformed Seminary Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that fundraises and stewards donor support for Mid-America Reformed Seminary, a Dyer, Indiana-based theological institution training pastors for Reformed and Presbyterian churches through graduate degree programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dyer

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Students pay tuition and fees for degree programs including Master of Divinity and Master of Theological Studies. The seminary offers financial aid through the Student Aid Fund and International Student Aid Fund to support students.
2. Donations and Charitable Giving: Mid-America receives donations from individuals and churches through various giving methods including online donations, checks, automatic bank drafts, stocks, real estate, IRA charitable rollovers, gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and planned gifts. The seminary operates an Annual Fund, Capital Campaign, and various endowment funds.
3. Annual Fund and Operating Revenue: The Annual Fund (also called the General Fund) covers day-to-day operational costs including employee compensation, utilities, maintenance, equipment, and the library. Revenue comes from churches and individuals throughout North America.
4. Student Aid Fund Investment Income: The Student Aid Fund is invested to grow the principal balance and provide investment revenue. Charitable contributions combined with investment income provide student aid awards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Mid-America Reformed Seminary Foundation supports Mid-America Reformed Seminary through fundraising, donor stewardship, and financial administration of charitable contributions (including online giving, checks, stock transfers, IRA rollovers, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and planned gifts). The Foundation administers Annual Fund, Capital Campaign, Student Aid Fund, International Student Aid Fund, and Faculty Endowment contributions, and operates a distinct Canadian entity (MARSF) to receive and steward donations from Canadian supporters.

Product overview

Mid-America Reformed Seminary is a theological institution offering educational programs for preparing pastors for Reformed and Presbyterian ministry. The institution provides Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Ministerial Apprenticeship, and Non-Degree programs. Supporting services include the Seminary Library with digital databases, the MARSCAST podcast with 320 episodes, the annual Mid-America Journal of Theology, the Center for Missions and Evangelism, and class livestreaming via Panopto.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Divinity A comprehensive graduate theological degree preparing students for pastoral ministry in Reformed and Presbyterian churches.
• Master of Theological Studies A graduate theological degree for those seeking theological education without pursuing ordination.
• Ministerial Apprenticeship Program A program providing practical ministry experience alongside theological training.
• Non-Degree Programs Courses available for lay church members, ordained ministers, and Christian school teachers without pursuing a formal degree.
• Mid-America Seminary Library The library serves as the chief academic resource for students and faculty with books, reference collections, bound periodicals, and computer databases (including ATLA/ATLAS).
• Mid-America Reformed Seminary Foundation (MARSF) Donor Services A distinct Canadian non-profit corporation providing donor stewardship, fund administration, and reporting for Canadian supporters of Mid-America Reformed Seminary.
• Annual Fund and Capital Campaign Giving Charitable giving programs covering day-to-day operational costs (Annual/General Fund), capital campaigns, Student Aid Fund, International Student Aid Fund, Faculty Endowment, and planned giving vehicles.
• Mid-America Journal of Theology A confessional Reformed periodical published annually, featuring scholarly articles and book reviews covering biblical studies, ecclesiastical studies, doctrinal studies, and ministerial studies.
• MARSCAST A faculty-produced podcast discussing theology and culture, with 320+ episodes available.
• Center for Missions and Evangelism A center dedicated to missions and evangelism training and conference programming (including a 2026 conference).
• Class Livestream Remote livestream access to seminary classes via the Panopto platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Alumni serve in over 28 countries worldwide
• +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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Barnabas FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarnabas Foundation partners with Mid-America to provide estate planning services and planned giving options to donors. They offer the Stewards Fund, a donor-advised fund, as one of the best ways to maximize and simplify charitable giving. The foundation provides confidential estate planning discussions at no charge and helps donors with charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and other planned giving vehicles.
• Mid-America Reformed Seminary Foundation (MARSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMARSF is a non-profit corporation registered under federal laws of Canada, distinct from Mid-America in Dyer, Indiana. Located in St. Catharines, Ontario (mailing to Stoney Creek Stn Winona, Ontario), the Board of Trustees of MARSF represents the financial interests of Canadian donors. The foundation receives regular reports from the seminary to assure Canadian donations are used for Canadian constituents. Canadians also serve on the Board of Trustees of Mid-America in Dyer, with some serving both boards.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Reformed Theological Seminary: Multi-campus Reformed/evangelical seminary with global online reach (Global Ed). Directly competes for students and donors in the broader Reformed/Presbyterian market, but at much larger scale.
• Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary: Grand Rapids-based confessional Reformed seminary serving OPC, URC, and similar denominations. Overlaps tightly with MARS on faculty pedigree, theology, and donor base.
• Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary: Small Presbyterian (ARPC) seminary offering M.Div. and M.A. programs in Reformed theology. Closely comparable in size, denominational focus, and residential model.
• Calvin Theological Seminary: Grand Rapids-based seminary of the Christian Reformed Church offering the M.Div. and theological training for Reformed pastors. Most direct confessional and curricular peer to MARS.
• Westminster Theological Seminary: Philadelphia-area seminary serving PCA, OPC, and broader Reformed denominations with M.Div. and M.A. programs. Closely comparable in confessional stance and target student.

Regional players

• Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary: Hamilton, Ontario-based seminary serving the Canadian Reformed Churches with M.Div. training. Regional peer with overlapping international student flows and donor pools relevant to MARSF's Canadian mandate.
• Tyndale University: Toronto-area Christian university offering seminary-equivalent theological programs. Canadian regional peer for faculty, students, and donors overlapping with MARSF's catchment.

Broad incumbents

• Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary: Multi-campus evangelical seminary with significant online enrollment. Adjacent in mission (theological education for ministry) though broader theologically than MARS.
• The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary: Largest U.S. confessional seminary with extensive online offerings and a broader evangelical footprint. Sets the competitive bar on hybrid delivery and tuition scale.

Emerging players

• Bethlehem College & Seminary: Minneapolis-based combined undergraduate/seminary with a confessional Reformed identity. Comparable in theological commitments and residential culture but smaller and newer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAXyKqiNXsadooqc6-2Unmw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mid-america-reformed-seminary

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about THE MID-AMERICA REFORMED SEMINARY FOUNDATION