The Franciscans

What The Franciscans does

The Franciscan Center, doing business as The Franciscans, is a single-site nonprofit retreat center founded in 1970 by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany on an 8-acre waterfront property in Tampa's Riverside Heights neighborhood at 3010 N. Perry Avenue. It operates as a ministry of the Sisters under the spiritual charism of St. Francis of Assisi, welcoming people of all faiths for retreats, spiritual direction, and specialized wellness programs. The Center's core products include group retreat facilities (main building with 40 bedrooms, 100-person conference capacity, dining room for 80, interdenominational chapel, Chartres-design labyrinth), the Operation Restore first responder trauma program (a 3-night/4-day EMDR-based protocol awarding 40 CEUs from St. Petersburg College), the virtual Employment Assistance Ministry (EAM) job search support group on Zoom, and one-on-one spiritual direction sessions. Facility and program revenue is supplemented by donations, annual appeals (Giving Tree Appeal), and sponsorships, including the Help a Hero scholarship program subsidizing first responder attendance at $950 per participant.

The Center serves five primary customer segments: individuals seeking spiritual growth, corporate and nonprofit groups renting retreat facilities, first responders/military (Operation Restore), job seekers (EAM), and community partner organizations (BayCare, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg College, multiple law enforcement and fire agencies, Clearwater Threshers, Visit Tampa Bay). It employs approximately 6-10 staff led by Executive Director Brian Lemoi, supported by a Board of Directors chaired by Anthony Koffman. Since founding, the Center has welcomed thousands of guests annually and has served more than 400 first responders since Operation Restore's inception in 2013. Distribution is primarily direct through on-site operations and virtual Zoom channels, with referrals from a 20+ partner ecosystem driving demand. There is no proprietary technology platform; the Center runs on third-party Etapestry for registration/donations and Zoom for virtual programming, and it does not offer any AI/ML capabilities.

Name

The Franciscans

Legal name

The Franciscan Center

Website

https://franciscancentertampa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Franciscan Center is a 1970-founded nonprofit retreat center in Tampa, Florida, operated by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. It offers spiritual retreats, the Operation Restore first responder trauma program with EMDR, a virtual job search ministry, and facility rentals to people of all faiths.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spiritual Retreat Center (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents) (BPAGAJAC)

Keywords

• Spiritual retreat programs
• Nonprofit retreat center
• Contemplative spirituality services
• Faith-based counseling
• Interfaith retreat facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retreat and Program Fees: Fees for group retreats, facilities rental, and specialized programs. Operation Restore charges $950 per participant for the 4-day/3-night program. Gift certificates available in any denomination for retreats.
2. Donations and Annual Appeals: Primary fundraising through two annual appeals (Giving Tree Appeal, annual giving) contributing to building repairs, painting, renovations, landscaping, and property upkeep. Individual donations designated to specific programs like First Responders Training.
3. Sponsorships: Community sponsorships to benefit programs including scholarship funds enabling those unable to afford retreat attendance to participate.
4. Facility Rental: Fees based on use of facility and group needs for hosting retreats, celebrations, teambuilding, planning meetings, corporate retreats, and workshops at the main building and Sabbath House.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Franciscan Center is a nonprofit retreat center operating on an 8-acre Riverside Heights property in Tampa, FL, offering multi-day spiritual retreats, one-on-one spiritual direction, the Operation Restore first-responder trauma training program, the virtual Employment Assistance Ministry (EAM) job-search support group, group facility rentals, the Audire spiritual companion training program, and a children's summer camp. Services are open to people of all faiths and include both fee-based programs and donation-supported offerings.

Product overview

The Franciscan Center is a single-facility nonprofit retreat center operated by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany since 1970, offering spiritual retreats and programs to people of all faiths. Its core offerings center on in-person and virtual retreats at its Tampa riverside property, complemented by specialized programs including Operation Restore (first responder trauma training), the Employment Assistance Ministry (virtual job search support), and spiritual direction services. Additional offerings include group facility rentals, a children's summer camp, the Audire spiritual companion training program, and gift certificates. The center does not operate as a technology platform or software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Operation Restore: First Responders Post Trauma Training program creating a safe, confidential environment for individuals to work through critical incidents and process cumulative stress.
• Employment Assistance Ministry (EAM)
• Help A Hero

Products and services

• Franciscan Center Retreat Programs
• Operation Restore
• Employment Assistance Ministry (EAM)
• Spiritual Direction
• Group Retreat Facilities
• Kid's Summer Camp
• Audire Program
• Gift Certificates
• Help A Hero / Operation Restore Scholarships

Quantifiable outcome

• Served over 400 first responders since 2013
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Franciscan Sisters of AlleganycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding organization of the Franciscan Center. Established healthcare facilities in NY, NJ, RI, and FL since 1920s including St. Joseph's Hospital Tampa and St. Anthony's Hospital St. Petersburg. Continue to sponsor and support the Center's mission and operations. St. Elizabeth Convent retirement community for Sisters is located on the property.
• Arts4All FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts4All Florida provides, supports, and champions arts education and cultural experiences for and by people with disabilities. Their vision is a world in which the arts are universally accessible.
• Audire ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreates a community of sacred listeners from all walks of life, training them to be spiritual companions. Provides ongoing resources and workshops beyond graduation for spiritual direction training.
• BayCare Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBayCare improves health of communities through community-owned healthcare services setting standards for high-quality, compassionate care. Shared values of trust, respect, dignity. Michelle Mehan works as Palliative Care Chaplain with BayCare Health Systems.
• Clearwater ThreshersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMinor League Baseball team hosts annual First Responders Appreciation Night, presented by Beachside Hospitality Group. Proceeds cover attendance costs for first responders at Operation Restore. Provides free tickets for first responders and half-price tickets for family.
• Crisis Center of Tampa BayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnsures no one in the community faces crisis alone. Serves as community's gateway to help, hope, and healing.
• Dawning Family ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmbraces families with children touched by housing instability or homelessness and supports their transition to safe and stable home. Vision is community without homelessness where all families can live and thrive.
• Eckerd CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReligious Life Department challenges the mind, nurtures the spirit and develops talents. Helps students grow spiritually, provides safe place for questions, and reaches out with service for EC community and larger community.
• Employment Assistance Ministry (EAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based, spirit-led support group meets online weekly to assist persons 'In Between Jobs'. Provides emotional and spiritual support to job seekers. Franciscan Center provides web hosting. Partnership with Diocese of St. Petersburg.
• Franciscan Action NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective Franciscan voice seeking to transform US public policy related to peace making, care for creation, poverty, and human rights. Inspired by Gospel of Jesus and example of Saints Francis and Clare.
• Hook A HerominorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides confidential mental health services and peer support network to those who serve and protect. Addresses isolation often felt by first responders facing demands and stress of their profession.
• Inter-Faith Study GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBi-weekly virtual gathering promoting exploration and understanding of diverse religious traditions. Fosters appreciation through study and reflection, aiming to unite individuals through shared spiritual insights and interfaith dialogue.
• Madeira Beach Fire RescueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUses safe and effective methods to reduce loss of life and property through emergency medical services, education, fire prevention, marine operations and suppression.
• Metropolitan Ministries BrigademinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetro Brigade Mobile Outreach meets people 'where they are,' addresses immediate needs, and links to resources to end homelessness. Serves at more than 20 locations throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.
• Rapha InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission to end trafficking and sexual abuse of children one child, one family, and one community at a time. Vision is all children living in sustainable freedom within safe communities.
• SEEDFOLKidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter School Garden Experience is year-long free community-based after school leadership program creating literal and figurative sustainable 'school gardens' to transform school culture in underperforming schools.
• Seniors in ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides solutions to community challenges by engaging volunteers aged 55+. Administers national programs supporting mind, body and spirit of at-risk children, low-income seniors, veterans, and disabled adults for over 30 years.
• Saint Leo University Center for Catholic-Jewish StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilds mutual respect, understanding, and appreciation among Jews, Catholics, and all people of good will through interreligious education and dialogue opportunities.
• St. Petersburg CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwards 40 CEUs per participant to Operation Restore program attendees through Police Institute. Mission empowers students and community to achieve success and economic mobility through academic excellence.
• Visit Tampa BayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCreates vibrant economic development for community by collaboratively increasing visitation to Tampa Bay. Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• West Tampa Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCombines resources of members including businesses, non-profits, and individuals to help businesses grow, enhance neighborhoods, and preserve West Tampa's history.
• Diocese of St. PetersburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAM operates as community partner of both the Franciscan Center and the Diocese of St. Petersburg since 2022 rebranding.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Crisis Center of Tampa Bay: Tampa-based nonprofit offering 24/7 crisis intervention, trauma counseling, and community wellness programs. Overlaps with Operation Restore in serving first responders and trauma-affected populations in the Tampa Bay region.
• Metropolitan Ministries: Tampa Bay faith-based nonprofit serving homeless and at-risk families across 20+ locations in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. Direct community partner of the Franciscan Center and a comparable faith-rooted social services nonprofit in the same geography.

Emerging players

• Center for Christian Spirituality (Diocese of St. Petersburg): Catholic diocesan center offering spiritual direction, retreats, days of recollection, and formation programs. Closely comparable programmatic offering and faith-based audience; operates within the same diocese that partners with the Franciscan Center on EAM.
• Hook A Hero: Tampa-area nonprofit providing confidential mental health services and peer support to first responders. Direct operational partner of the Franciscan Center's Operation Restore and a competing/complementary provider of first responder trauma services in the same geography.

Direct peers

• Mount St. Francis Retreat Center: Franciscan-sponsored retreat center in southern Indiana offering spiritual retreats, spiritual direction, and programs rooted in Franciscan tradition. Closely comparable mission, sponsor (Franciscan friars/sisters), and retreat-program model to the Franciscan Center Tampa.
• Christian Brothers Retreat Center at La Salle Manor: Catholic religious-order retreat center offering spiritual retreats, directed retreats, and group rentals on a rural multi-building campus. Comparable in operating structure, religious sponsorship, and retreat-program offering.
• Bethany Center Retreat House: Franciscan-sponsored retreat house offering preached retreats, days of recollection, and spiritual direction. Closely comparable in mission, sponsor, and retreat-only program model (no first responder specialization).
• Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House: Jesuit-sponsored retreat center offering preached, directed, and silent retreats, spiritual direction, and facility rental for groups. Comparable faith-based retreat facility model with similar program mix and inclusive-welcome positioning.
• St. Francis Retreat Center: Franciscan retreat house in San Juan Bautista, California operating since 1947 with multi-day silent and directed retreats, spiritual direction, and themed programs. Directly analogous operating model and target audience to the Franciscan Center Tampa.

Broad incumbents

• Franciscan Ministries (Allegany Franciscan Ministries): Sponsoring organization of the Franciscan Center; runs a broader portfolio of Franciscan ministries including healthcare and community programs. Comparable in mission and sponsor identity but operates at materially larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FranciscanCenterTampa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-franciscan-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 The Franciscans