South Coast Interfaith Council

What South Coast Interfaith Council does

South Coast Interfaith Council (SCIC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization headquartered in Long Beach, California, that builds interfaith cooperation across 35 cities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Founded in 1953 as an ecumenical council of Christian denominations and re-constituted as an interfaith council in 2004, it now represents 150+ member faith communities and 1,700 individual members spanning Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Hindu, Bahá'í, and other traditions, governed by a 21-member board of directors.

SCIC delivers its mission through three core program pillars — Service (feeding the homeless, Habitat for Humanity interfaith builds, CROP Hunger Walks, prayer vigils), Education (interfaith cafés, youth leadership, the Jerusalem: Crossroads of Three Abrahamic Faiths symposium), and Celebration (MLK Interfaith Celebration, Festival of Music concerts, Unity Awards). It does not develop or operate any proprietary technology product; all programming is delivered through in-person community engagement. 95% of programs are offered free of charge.

The organization's revenue model combines recurring membership dues across four tiers ($10-$50/month for Individual through Congregation members) with donations processed via PayPal. An explicit "no one turned away for inability to pay" policy applies to both membership and programs. Distribution occurs through in-person events, member faith communities acting as ambassadors, and organic social media channels (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter/X) plus Constant Contact email. Strategic partnerships include Habitat for Humanity, the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and NewGround.

Name

South Coast Interfaith Council

Legal name

South Coast Interfaith Council

Website

https://scinterfaith.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

South Coast Interfaith Council (SCIC) is a Long Beach-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that coordinates interfaith cooperation across 35 cities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, serving 150+ member faith communities and 1,700 individual members through service, education, and celebration programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Interfaith Community Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Interfaith & Ecumenical Councils and Dialogue Organizations (BPAGAJAJ)

Keywords

• Interfaith council services
• Community service programs
• Interfaith education
• Faith community networking
• Religious diversity programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Beach

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: SCIC generates revenue through structured membership dues from four tiers: Congregation/Faith Community ($50/month or $600/year minimum), Faith-based Entity ($40/month or $480/year), Affiliate Organization ($20/month or $240/year), and Individual ($10/month or $120/year). Membership includes voting or voice privileges at Assembly meetings. The organization explicitly states that no one will be turned away due to inability to pay.
2. Donations: The organization accepts charitable donations via PayPal. SCIC describes itself as a small grassroots nonprofit offering 95% of programs free of charge, relying on donations to meet its annual budget. The donation page emphasizes the mission of peace, respect, and compassion, and frames donations as support for the cause rather than a product purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

South Coast Interfaith Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that organizes interfaith service, education, and celebration programs connecting people of different faiths and cultures across 35 cities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. It operates a four-tier membership program for congregations, faith-based entities, affiliate organizations, and individuals, with 95% of programs offered free of charge to the community.

Product overview

The South Coast Interfaith Council (SCIC) operates as a community organization offering a portfolio of three core programmatic areas: Service, Education, and Celebration. These programs bring together people of different faiths and cultures to promote mutual understanding and compassion. The organization also runs an annual Educational Symposium on Jerusalem, manages membership programs for faith communities and individuals, and organizes events such as the MLK Interfaith Celebration, Festival of Music concerts, and interfaith community gatherings. SCIC serves 35 cities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties with over 150 member faith communities and 1700 individual members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Service Programs Community service initiatives bringing together people of different faiths through activities such as feeding the homeless, 9/11 Interfaith Build day with Habitat for Humanity, CROP Hunger Walks, Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, Season of Non Violence, Interfaith Prayer Vigils, Beach Clean Up, and Community Projects. Targeted at diverse faith communities across Southern California.
• Education Programs Educational initiatives including interfaith cafes, interfaith Sunday services, environmental networking, youth leadership programs, religion education, and community forums. Designed for faith communities and individuals seeking interfaith learning and dialogue.
• Celebration Programs Events and celebrations honoring diversity of faiths and cultures including the MLK Interfaith Celebration, Festival of Music concerts, Unity Awards dinners, annual assemblies, and holiday programs. Targeted at diverse faith communities across Southern California.
• Jerusalem: Crossroads of Three Abrahamic Faiths Educational Symposium Educational symposium exploring the historical and religious significance of Jerusalem for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, featuring scholarly panels and community dialogue. Targeted at faith community members, scholars, clergy, and the broader interfaith community.
• Membership Programs Four-tier membership structure including Congregation/Faith Community ($50/month or $600/year), Faith-based Entity ($40/month or $480/year), Affiliate Organization ($20/month or $240/year), and Individual memberships ($10/month or $120/year) with varying fees and voting privileges. No one is turned away due to inability to pay.

Named customers1 record

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

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Habitat for HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCIC partners with Habitat for Humanity for the 9/11 Interfaith Build day, bringing together people of different faiths to build homes for those in need. This annual service event is a flagship program combining interfaith cooperation with tangible community impact.
• CROP (Church World Service)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCIC participates in CROP Hunger Walks, a program organized by Church World Service that mobilizes communities to walk and raise funds to fight hunger globally and locally.
• 150+ Member Faith CommunitiescoreOthersSCIC's network comprises over 150 member faith communities across Southern California, including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Hindu, Bahá'í, and other traditions. These communities form the core organizational membership base and collaborate on interfaith service, education, and celebration programs.
• Academy for Judaic, Christian and Islamic StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Rev. Reinhard Krauss, Executive Director of the Academy for Judaic, Christian and Islamic Studies, is a signatory on SCIC's joint statements. The Academy collaborates with SCIC on interfaith educational initiatives.
• Islamic Shura Council of Southern CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Ahmed Soboh, Board Chair of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California (an umbrella organization of over 70 Islamic institutions), serves on SCIC's joint statements. The councils collaborate on interfaith peace initiatives.
• Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith CouncilminorOthersA regional interfaith council within SCIC's network. Multiple Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council members signed SCIC's joint statements on antisemitism and Islamophobia, demonstrating coordination among regional interfaith bodies.
• NewGroundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAziza Hasan, Executive Director of NewGround, is listed as a signatory on SCIC's joint statement. NewGround works in interfaith and intergroup conflict transformation, aligning with SCIC's mission.
• NewGround: Muslim-Jewish PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNewGround runs a Muslim-Jewish partnership program. Aziza Hasan, named an influencer by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, serves as Executive Director. SCIC lists this partnership in its interfaith advocacy work.
• Interreligious Council of Southern CaliforniaminorOthersSwami Mahayogananda, President of the Interreligious Council of Southern California and Secretary of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, is a signatory on SCIC's joint statements.
• Jewish-Muslim Youth AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCIC organizes the Jewish-Muslim Youth Alliance as part of its education programs, bringing together young people from Jewish and Muslim communities for dialogue and relationship-building.
• S.A.R.A.H (Spiritual and Religious Alliance for Hope)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSande Hart of S.A.R.A.H is a signatory on SCIC's joint statement. S.A.R.A.H is a spiritual and religious alliance for hope that collaborates with SCIC on interfaith unity efforts.
• Environmental Priorities NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCIC's Environmental Priorities Network is listed as an education program. This network likely involves partnerships with environmental organizations aligned with SCIC's interfaith values.
• Pepperdine University (Center for Faith and Learning)minorOthersDr. John Barton, Director of the Center for Faith and Learning at Pepperdine University, served as a Christian scholar-panelist at SCIC's Jerusalem Educational Symposium.
• Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR)minorOthersScholar-Rabbi Reuven Firestone (HUC) and Julia Knobloch (rabbinical student at HUC-JIR in Los Angeles) served as Jewish panelists at SCIC's Jerusalem Educational Symposium.
• The Claremont Colleges (Chaplaincy)minorOthersDr. Hadi Qazwini, Chaplain at The Claremont Colleges, served as a Muslim scholar-panelist at SCIC's Jerusalem Educational Symposium.
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los AngelescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFr. Alexei Smith serves as SCIC's Vice President of Interfaith Relations and as Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The Archdiocese collaborates with SCIC on interfaith relations across Southern California.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Interfaith America (formerly Interfaith Youth Core): National nonprofit working to build interfaith cooperation, particularly through higher education and youth leadership; operates a much larger footprint but overlaps with SCIC's interfaith education and youth leadership programs.
• Interfaith Alliance: National 501(c)(3) interfaith advocacy organization promoting inclusive civic participation; a broader incumbent that complements rather than directly competes with SCIC but shares mission and pursues similar advocacy, education, and convening activities at scale.
• Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding: National secular nonprofit combating religious prejudice through interfaith education and advocacy; comparable mission to SCIC's education pillar and often partners with regional councils on religious literacy programming.

Regional players

• Interfaith Center of New York: Regional interfaith convening body in the New York metro offering programming, advocacy, and dialogue for member communities; a structural analog to SCIC serving a different geography but with a similar organization-level purpose.
• Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council: A geographically adjacent interfaith body serving the Huntington Beach area within SCIC's broader LA/Orange County footprint; collaborates on joint advocacy statements and competes for the same faith-community members in the western Orange County segment.

Others

• Church World Service: Organizer of CROP Hunger Walks, in which SCIC participates; a national faith-rooted humanitarian organization that partners with regional interfaith bodies on hunger and service programming similar to SCIC's service pillar.
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles: Major service-program partner of SCIC through the 9/11 Interfaith Build; not a peer in interfaith coordination but a comparable community-services nonprofit that SCIC's flagship service programming depends on.

Direct peers

• Islamic Shura Council of Southern California: Umbrella organization of 70+ Southern California Islamic institutions engaged in interfaith dialogue; serves a parallel convening role for a specific faith community, collaborates with SCIC, and competes for participation and visibility in interfaith programming.
• NewGround: Muslim-Jewish Partnership: LA-based interfaith nonprofit focused on Muslim-Jewish dialogue and partnership; explicitly cited as a SCIC partner on interfaith advocacy, overlapping on constituent communities and programs such as the Jewish-Muslim Youth Alliance.
• Interreligious Council of Southern California: Regional interfaith council in Southern California with overlapping geography and member congregations; signatories to joint statements coordinated with SCIC and serving a parallel convening function across LA-area faith communities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MiliaSCIC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/SCInterfaith
• Facebookfacebook.com/SCInterfaith
• Instagraminstagram.com/south_coast_interfaith_council
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-coast-interfaith-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about South Coast Interfaith Council