COAR Peace Mission

What COAR Peace Mission does

COAR Peace Mission is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in Ohio (EIN 34-1462492) that funds and supports two core programs in Zaragoza, El Salvador: the COAR Children's Village, a residential foster care facility currently housing 21 children who have experienced abandonment, abuse, or displacement, and the COAR School, a K-12 institution serving over 1,100 students and recognized as one of the region's best educational institutions. The organization is named after Saint Óscar Romero, was founded in 1980 by members of the Cleveland Latin American Mission Team following the archbishop's martyrdom, and has operated continuously through El Salvador's civil war and subsequent decades. Direct administration of the Children's Village was transferred to the Archdiocese of San Salvador in 2009, while the school is operated by the local parish Nuestra Señora del Pilar.

The organization's revenue model is entirely donation-based, with no fees charged to beneficiaries. Funding streams include one-time and recurring individual donations, corporate matching gift programs (Bank of America, Aetna, Verizon, Prudential and others), IRA qualified charitable distributions, stock gifts, and planned giving/bequests. Fundraising is conducted through a multi-channel approach including the organization's website, monthly email and quarterly print newsletters, LinkedIn and Facebook pages, and annual benefit events. Its US headquarters is located at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe, Ohio, sharing a campus with the Diocese of Cleveland's seminary and other charities, while field operations are staffed by approximately 20-25 in-country professionals including housemothers, a director, psychologists, and social workers. The US support team consists of four staff members: an Executive Director, Programs Director, Database Manager/Bookkeeper, and Development Manager.

Name

COAR Peace Mission

Legal name

COAR Peace Mission, Inc.

Website

https://coarpeacemission.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

COAR Peace Mission is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and supports the COAR Children's Village (residential foster care for 21 vulnerable children) and the COAR School (K-12 education for 1,100+ students) in Zaragoza, El Salvador, operating under the legacy of Saint Óscar Romero since 1980.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare and Education Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Residential Care Facilities (6239)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAK

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGADAD

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAJAIAA

School Counseling Services

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Student Health, Safety & Wellbeing Services (Counseling, Mental Health, SEL, Safeguarding)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Residential foster care
• K-12 education programs
• Nonprofit charitable services
• Community development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wickliffe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting the children and programs at COAR. Donations fund school scholarships, meals, living wages for staff, and facility upkeep.
2. Planned Giving and Bequests: Donors can include COAR in their wills, name COAR as beneficiary of life insurance or retirement accounts, or make bequests to ensure long-term sustainability.
3. Corporate Matching Gifts: Various companies match employee charitable contributions, amplifying donor impact. Companies include Bank of America, Aetna, Verizon, Prudential, and others.
4. IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions: Tax-advantaged distributions from IRAs for donors age 72+, allowing them to direct retirement funds to COAR while deferring income.
5. Stock Gifts: Donors can transfer stock to COAR Peace Mission, often providing tax advantages while supporting the mission.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

COAR Peace Mission operates the COAR Children's Village, a residential foster care home in Zaragoza, El Salvador providing safe housing, 24/7 care, and holistic medical, dental, and psychological support to vulnerable children. It also operates the COAR School, a K-12 Catholic educational institution serving over 1,100 students with traditional academics and vocational training. Programs are funded primarily through individual donations, planned giving, and corporate matching gifts administered from its Cleveland-area office.

Product overview

COAR Peace Mission operates as a single unified nonprofit organization offering two core programs: the COAR Children's Village (residential foster care providing safe housing, holistic healthcare, and trauma-informed care for children who have experienced hardship) and the COAR School (a K-12 educational institution serving over 1,100 students). Additional services include donation processing, newsletter subscriptions (email and print), and therapeutic arts programs. The organization does not operate as a technology platform or software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• COAR Children's Village A residential foster care program in Zaragoza, El Salvador providing safe housing, 24/7 care from trained housemothers, and holistic support including medical, dental, and psychological services for children who have experienced abandonment, abuse, neglect, displacement, or other hardships.
• COAR School (Complejo Educativo Católico Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero) A K-12 Catholic educational institution serving over 1,100 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, providing traditional academics and vocational training in electronics, health, and hospitality for both Children's Village residents and local children from low-income families.
• Healing Hearts Through Theater Program A therapeutic arts program where children at the COAR Children's Village write and perform short theatrical productions as a form of trauma healing and personal expression.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,100+ students educated; 3,000+ children sheltered since 1980; 21 children currently in residence; 100+ scholarship recipients supported

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Archdiocese of San SalvadorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOAR works in collaboration with Archbishop Escobar and the Archdiocese of San Salvador. The Archdiocese took over direct administration of the Children's Village in 2009 and shapes how decisions are made to keep the mission grounded in faith-led values.
• Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Local Parish)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe local Catholic parish in Zaragoza anchors COAR's life in the community. The parish operates the COAR School and is home to the congregation of Spanish nuns who serve as 'grandmothers-in-residence' providing tutoring, catechism, and spiritual guidance.
• Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston, TX (CCVI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined COAR in 1983, running the care of resident children, bringing medical expertise, and building a clinic that served the entire surrounding community.
• Cleveland Latin American Mission Team (CLAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal founding team sent by the Diocese of Cleveland in 1964 to support parish life in El Salvador. Members founded COAR in 1980 following the martyrdom of Archbishop Romero. CLAM evolved into COAR Peace Mission, established as a 501(c)(3) in 1985.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aldeas Infantiles SOS Internacional (SOS Children's Villages): SOS Children's Villages is the global pioneer of the 'children's village' model that COAR operates, running family-style residential homes for orphaned and abandoned children across 130+ countries including El Salvador. Same residential care model, similar Catholic/Christian origins, and overlapping beneficiary population — making it the most direct structural peer.
• Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH USA): NPH operates children's homes across Latin America and the Caribbean (including NPH El Salvador) using a family-style residential model similar to COAR's Children's Village. Both organizations serve abandoned/orphaned children in Latin America with long-term residential care, K-12 education, and Catholic/Christian-affiliated funding models.
• Kids Alive International: Kids Alive runs residential care homes and educational programs for at-risk children in Latin America (including El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras). Both organizations serve the same beneficiary population through family-style residential care with K-12 education, and operate with similar faith-based fundraising models in the US.

Broad incumbents

• Compassion International: Compassion International is the largest Christian child sponsorship organization, operating in El Salvador and most Latin American countries through a center-based model rather than residential care. Comparable beneficiary population, faith-based fundraising approach, and El Salvador footprint make it a broad incumbent peer despite the different delivery model.
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS): CRS is the official international humanitarian agency of the US Catholic Bishops and operates significant child welfare, education, and community development programs in El Salvador. While much larger and focused on broader humanitarian work rather than residential care, CRS shares COAR's Catholic identity, El Salvador operational footprint, and diocesan connection.
• World Vision International: World Vision is one of the largest child-focused humanitarian organizations globally, with active programs in El Salvador combining child sponsorship, education, and community development. Although operating at vastly larger scale and through sponsorship rather than residential care, World Vision is a comparable peer in beneficiary population, El Salvador presence, and faith-based fundraising.
• Save the Children: Save the Children operates significant child welfare and education programs globally including in El Salvador, focusing on vulnerable children through community-based rather than residential models. While secular rather than faith-based, Save the Children is a comparable peer in terms of beneficiary population, education focus, and El Salvador presence.

Regional players

• Caritas Internationalis: Caritas is the global Catholic charity network operating in 200+ countries including El Salvador (Caritas San Salvador), running community development, education, and child welfare programs. While broader in scope than COAR's residential model, the shared Catholic identity, Archdiocese of San Salvador partnership network, and El Salvador operational overlap make it a relevant regional peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/COARPeaceMission
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coar-peace-mission

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about COAR Peace Mission