Alpha Nederland (Stichting Alpha-cursus Nederland)

What Alpha Nederland (Stichting Alpha-cursus Nederland) does

Alpha Nederland (legal name: Stichting Alpha Nederland) is a Dutch non-profit foundation registered as an ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling, Public Benefit Organization) since January 1, 2008, headquartered at Regulierenring 16, 3981 LB Bunnik, Netherlands. The organization operates the Dutch branch of the international Alpha course program, delivering faith-exploration curricula built around video presentations and structured small-group discussions on Christian basics. It serves individual seekers exploring Christianity, youth and teenagers, seniors, and church congregations, with specialized programs for prisoners, refugees, university students, and business professionals. Governance consists of a Director-CEO (D. Sommer) and a five-member Supervisory Board (Raad van Toezicht) chaired by E.J.W. Hoekstra, with no disclosed parent company or external investors.

The organization's core technology is a digital ecosystem spanning registration and member portals (registratie.alphanederland.org, mijn.alphanederland.org) and a portfolio of course-specific websites (alphacursus.nl, alphayouth.nl, dichter.nu, parentingcourse.nl, prayercourse.nl, bijbeljaar.nl) that support both in-person delivery through partner churches and remote participation via Alpha Online. The product suite includes the foundational Alpha course, the Dichter one-on-one spiritual companionship program (29,000 participants), the Prayer Course co-developed with 24-Prayer NL, and demographic-specific variants (Alpha Youth, Alpha Business, Alpha Prisons, Alpha Senioren, Alpha Students, Alpha Vluchtelingen, Alpha Youth op school, Alpha als cultuur). Distribution is channeled through a network of approximately 1,000 partner churches that deliver courses locally, supported by Alpha Nederland's training, curriculum, and relationship-management staff.

Alpha Nederland operates as a donation-funded non-profit; courses are offered free to participants while the foundation derives revenue from tax-deductible donations, dedicated sponsor dinners, and fundraising initiatives. Go-to-market is event-driven and partnership-driven: relationship managers engage church leaders while digital channels (monthly newsletter, Alpha Life annual magazine, De Kansen voor de Kerk podcast, SEO-optimized websites, social media on X/Twitter) drive top-of-funnel awareness. Disclosed metrics indicate 400,000 lifetime Alpha participants across the Netherlands and a 92% self-reported positive-influence rate.

Name

Alpha Nederland (Stichting Alpha-cursus Nederland)

Legal name

Stichting Alpha Nederland

Website

https://alphanederland.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Alpha Nederland operates the Dutch branch of the global Alpha faith-exploration course program. The non-profit foundation delivers video-based small-group curricula through 1,000 partner churches, serving seekers, youth, seniors, and specialized audiences across the Netherlands via a donation-funded model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Education Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Faith exploration courses
• Church partnership programs
• Evangelism curriculum
• Spiritual formation courses
• Christian education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bunnik

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

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: As an ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling - Public Benefit Organization), Alpha Nederland relies on donations from supporters. Donations are tax-deductible under Dutch law. The organization also receives funding through dedicated sponsor dinners and fundraising initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Alpha Nederland runs the Alpha course and related faith-exploration programs through a network of approximately 1,000 partner churches in the Netherlands. The core offering consists of video-based group discussion courses exploring the Christian faith, delivered both in-person at churches and online, alongside companion programs for youth, seniors, students, refugees, prisoners, and businesses, plus the Dichter one-on-one spiritual accompaniment program, the Prayer Course, and the Parenting Course. Courses are offered free of charge to participants and funded primarily through tax-deductible donations under the organization's ANBI status.

Product overview

Alpha Nederland operates as a platform offering faith-based courses and programs centered on evangelization, church vitalization, and societal transformation. The core offerings include the Alpha course (the foundational program with video presentations and group discussions), the Dichter one-on-one spiritual companionship program, and multiple specialized variants (Alpha Youth, Alpha Students, Alpha Senioren, Alpha Business, Alpha Prisons, Alpha Vluchtelingen) targeting specific demographics. Supplementary programs include Alpha Online (digital delivery), Alpha als cultuur (embedding Alpha culture in churches), Prayer Course (collaboration with 24-Prayer NL), and Parenting Course. The organization also publishes the Alpha Life magazine and manages a newsletter.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alpha: Core Alpha course program for evangelization and faith exploration
• Alpha Online
• Alpha Youth
• Alpha als cultuur
• Dichter
• Alpha Youth op school
• Alpha Business
• Alpha Prisons
• Alpha Senioren
• Alpha Students
• Alpha Vluchtelingen
• Parenting Course
• Prayer Course
• Alpha Life

Products and services

• Alpha (core course) The foundational Alpha course that invites people to explore the Christian faith through video presentations and small-group discussions, serving as Alpha Nederland's primary evangelization and church-vitalization program.
• Alpha Online Digital version of the Alpha course that enables remote participation and online delivery of the course content for individuals who cannot or prefer not to attend in person.
• Alpha Youth Youth-focused version of the Alpha course designed specifically for teenagers and young people exploring faith.
• Alpha Youth op school Alpha Youth program delivered within school settings, bringing the youth faith-exploration course into educational institutions through church-school partnerships.
• Alpha Business Alpha course adapted for business and professional contexts, targeting working professionals exploring questions of faith and meaning.
• Alpha Prisons Alpha program specifically designed for and delivered in prison settings.
• Alpha Senioren Alpha course designed for senior citizens and older adults, including those who come to faith later in life.
• Alpha Students Alpha course tailored for university and college students.
• Alpha Vluchtelingen Alpha program designed specifically for refugees.
• Dichter Program focused on deepening faith through one-on-one spiritual companionship and relationship-building, with 29,000 participants across 1,000 churches in the Netherlands.
• Parenting Course Course focused on parenting support and guidance, available for both children and teenagers, based on Christian principles.
• Prayer Course An eight-session journey through the Lord's Prayer with video content and discussion questions, developed in collaboration with 24-Prayer NL, featuring new videos, updated manuals, two additional meetings, and prayer tools for individuals and groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of Alpha participants experience positive influence
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 24-Prayer NLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner24-Prayer NL collaborated with Alpha to develop the Prayer Course, a journey through the Lord's Prayer in eight videos with discussion questions. This partnership combines Alpha's course methodology with 24-Prayer NL's prayer expertise to create a resource for deepening prayer life.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Christianity Explored: A UK-based course-driven evangelism ministry offering structured small-group programs to introduce people to Christianity. Directly comparable to Alpha's core proposition of running multi-session evangelistic courses in local church settings.
• Alpha International: The global parent organization of the Alpha course network. Alpha Nederland is an independent national affiliate, making Alpha International the most direct structural peer and benchmark for curriculum, branding, and methodology.
• The Marriage Course: A sister program to Alpha developed by the same team (Nicky and Sila Lee), offering a parallel course-based ministry model through churches. Closely comparable distribution and content strategy, frequently run alongside Alpha.
• Youth for Christ Netherlands: A Dutch affiliate of Youth for Christ International running faith-based youth programs and outreach. Direct overlap with Alpha Nederland's Alpha Youth and Alpha Youth op school offerings in mission and target audience.

Broad incumbents

• Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ): Global evangelical ministry with strong student and youth programs. Comparable to Alpha's audience-development approach and overlapping work in student evangelism (Alpha Students).
• Evangelische Omroep (EO): A major Dutch Christian broadcaster and broader evangelical organization offering content, community programs, and event-based evangelism. Wide portfolio but overlapping mandate around faith formation in the Netherlands.

Emerging players

• IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students): An international student-led evangelical movement with Dutch affiliates. Comparable to Alpha's university-facing Alpha Students sub-brand in target audience and faith-exploration focus.

Others

• Vineyard Churches Netherlands: A Dutch church network that runs Alpha courses among other programs. Sits adjacent to Alpha Nederland as both a customer-type partner and a peer in Dutch church-based ministry infrastructure.
• Missie Nederland: A Dutch umbrella organization coordinating missionary and evangelism efforts across churches. Operates in the same Dutch faith-formation ecosystem and shares the goal of church vitalization that Alpha Nederland targets.

Regional players

• IZB (Interkerkelijke Zendingsbond): A Dutch inter-church missionary organization supporting evangelism and church planting across the Netherlands. Comparable mission space and Dutch church network, though with a missionary rather than curriculum focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/alphanederland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichting-alpha-nederland
• Facebookfacebook.com/alphanederland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Alpha Nederland (Stichting Alpha-cursus Nederland)