Catholic Conference of Ohio

What Catholic Conference of Ohio does

The Catholic Conference of Ohio is a private non-profit public policy advocacy organization that serves as the official voice of the Catholic Church in Ohio before the state government. Established in 1945 as the Ohio Catholic Welfare Conference and renamed to its present form in 1967, it is the second-oldest state bishops' conference in the United States, behind only New York. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors composed of every Roman Catholic bishop exercising jurisdiction in Ohio, plus the bishops of three Eastern Catholic eparchies — the Byzantine Eparchy of Parma, the Romanian Catholic Eparchy of St. George in Canton, and the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma — with the Archbishop of Cincinnati serving as chairman by virtue of heading the Province of Cincinnati. There are no shareholders; the organization is an extension of the Catholic Church's institutional structure in Ohio.

The Conference operates from a single office at 100 E. Broad Street, Suite 600, Columbus, Ohio, deliberately positioned near the Ohio Statehouse to facilitate legislative advocacy. It is supported by a small staff of 1–10 employees led by Executive Director Brian Hickey, and is funded through contributions from Ohio's six Roman Catholic dioceses. It represents approximately 2 million Catholics (about 16% of Ohio's population) across 703 parishes, 373 K-12 Catholic schools serving more than 116,559 students (98% high school graduation rate), and Catholic healthcare systems including Mercy Health, Sisters of Charity Health System, Mount Carmel Health System, and Genesis HealthCare (Zanesville). It is a member of the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors, which connects 42 similar state-level Catholic conferences.

The Conference's core activity is direct legislative and executive-branch advocacy: it testifies on bills before the Ohio General Assembly, coordinates action alerts via the third-party VoterVoice platform, issues bishop statements on policy issues, and convenes the Department on Health Affairs Kitchen Cabinet to coordinate healthcare policy positions across Ohio's Catholic hospital systems. Its substantive agenda spans pro-life issues (abortion, assisted suicide, death penalty abolition via HB 72 and SB 134), immigration reform and Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, Catholic education funding and school choice, family caregiver policy, the legal age to marry, environmental stewardship, marriage and family life, and religious liberty. Its go-to-market combines grassroots mobilization through a monthly newsletter and action alerts with in-person engagement — monthly Zoom prayer meetings, the annual Catholic Education Advocacy Day at the Statehouse, and the Faithful Citizenship Field Trip Program for grades 7–12 Catholic school students. Pricing is not applicable; services are not charged, and revenue derives from recurring diocesan contributions rather than commercial transactions.

Name

Catholic Conference of Ohio

Legal name

Catholic Conference of Ohio

Website

https://ohiocathconf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Catholic Conference of Ohio is a non-profit advocacy organization that serves as the official voice of Ohio's Catholic Church before the state legislature, representing about 2 million Catholics across six dioceses on pro-life, education, healthcare, and immigration policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Public Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Media, Publishing & Broadcasting (Radio, TV, Digital, Press) (BPAGAJAI)

Keywords

• Public policy advocacy
• Legislative representation
• Catholic education advocacy
• Religious liberty advocacy
• Grassroots action alerts

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Diocesan Contributions: The Conference is governed by and funded through contributions from Ohio Catholic dioceses. The Board of Directors is comprised of every Roman Catholic Bishop exercising jurisdiction in Ohio.
2. Newsletter/Advocacy Communications: The organization operates a monthly newsletter and action alert system to engage Catholic parishioners and supporters across Ohio on public policy matters.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Catholic Conference of Ohio is the official voice of the Catholic Church in Ohio on public policy and government relations. It represents the Church's position before the Ohio General Assembly, state departments, bureaus, and agencies, and coordinates diocesan groups involved in Catholic ministries. Its offerings include legislative advocacy, grassroots action alerts, a monthly newsletter, bishop statements, educational field trips, and the annual Catholic Education Advocacy Day.

Product overview

The Catholic Conference of Ohio is a public policy advocacy organization representing the Catholic Church in Ohio, not a technology company. It does not offer software products or technology services. Its offerings consist of advocacy coordination, legislative representation, public policy research, advocacy alerts, newsletter communications, and educational programs such as field trips and educational advocacy days. These are advocacy and informational services rather than technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legislative Advocacy and Policy Representation Direct representation of Catholic Church positions before the Ohio General Assembly, state departments, bureaus, and agencies, including testimony on bills and policy guidance to state officials. Intended for Ohio Catholic dioceses and the broader Catholic community in Ohio.
• Grassroots Action Alerts (VoterVoice) Online action alert system via VoterVoice enabling Catholic constituents across Ohio to contact state legislators on specific policy issues such as pro-life, death penalty, immigration, and education.
• Monthly Newsletter Communications Monthly email newsletter providing updates on Ohio legislation, events, advocacy opportunities, and policy issues to Catholic parishioners and supporters across Ohio.
• Bishop Statements Archive Official statements from Ohio Catholic bishops on public policy issues including death penalty, abortion, immigration, marriage, environment, and healthcare, with statements documented dating back to 1977.
• Faithful Citizenship Field Trip Program Educational field trips for Catholic school students in grades 7-12 visiting the Catholic Conference of Ohio office and the Ohio Statehouse to learn about the Church's role in public policy.
• Catholic Education Advocacy Day Annual event bringing Catholic school leaders and parents to the Ohio Statehouse to advocate for educational choice, Catholic school funding, and EdChoice scholarship programs.
• Monthly Prayer Meetings (First Friday Zoom) Monthly Zoom events (first Friday of each month) to pray the Divine Office, discuss Church teaching on the dignity of life, and learn how to get involved in Ohio policy advocacy.
• Department on Health Affairs Coordination Department coordinating healthcare policy advocacy with Catholic hospital systems in Ohio through a Kitchen Cabinet including Mercy Health, Sisters of Charity Health System, Mount Carmel Health System, and Genesis HealthCare.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% high school graduation rate for Catholic schools in Ohio
• +1 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

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Archdiocese of CincinnaticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Archbishop of Cincinnati serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Conference represents the Church's position before the Ohio General Assembly and provides coordination for diocesan groups involved in Church ministries. The Archdiocese is part of the Province of Cincinnati covering all of Ohio.
• Diocese of ClevelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember diocese represented on the Board of Directors by Bishop Edward C. Malesic. Diocese serves counties including Ashland, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit, and Wayne.
• Diocese of ColumbuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember diocese represented on the Board of Directors by Bishop Earl K. Fernandes. Diocese serves Coshocton, Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, and other central Ohio counties.
• Diocese of SteubenvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember diocese represented on the Board of Directors by Bishop Edward M. Lohse (Apostolic Administrator). Diocese serves eastern Ohio counties including Athens, Belmont, Jefferson, and Lawrence.
• Diocese of ToledocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember diocese represented on the Board of Directors by Bishop Daniel E. Thomas. Diocese serves northwest Ohio counties including Allen, Lucas, Hancock, and others.
• Diocese of YoungstowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember diocese represented on the Board of Directors by Bishop David J. Bonnar. Diocese serves northeastern Ohio counties including Ashtabula, Mahoning, Stark, and Trumbull.
• Byzantine Eparchy of ParmacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEastern Catholic diocese based in Parma, Ohio with jurisdiction across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio. Represented by Bishop Robert M. Pipta on the Board of Directors.
• Romanian Catholic Eparchy of St. George in CantoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEastern Catholic diocese with jurisdiction across multiple states including California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Represented by Bishop J. Michael Botean.
• Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in ParmacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEastern Catholic diocese serving Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Represented by Bishop Bohdan J. Danylo.
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Catholic bishops' conference providing Action Alerts for U.S. public policy matters. The CCO participates in USCCB initiatives and aligns state advocacy with national Catholic positions.
• National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors (NASCCD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association connecting state Catholic conferences. The CCO is one of 42 similar state conferences across the United States.
• Mercy HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Catholic healthcare system participating in the Department on Health Affairs Kitchen Cabinet. President and CEO John Starcher Jr. serves as Department Chairperson.
• Sisters of Charity Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic healthcare system participating in the Department on Health Affairs Kitchen Cabinet for healthcare policy coordination.
• Mount Carmel Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic healthcare system participating in the Department on Health Affairs Kitchen Cabinet for healthcare policy coordination.
• Ohio StatehousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for educational events including Adoration at the Statehouse, Faithful Citizenship Field Trips, and Catholic Education Advocacy Day activities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pennsylvania Catholic Conference: State Catholic bishops' conference performing unified advocacy before the Pennsylvania General Assembly on pro-life, education, healthcare, and religious liberty issues. Direct functional equivalent serving Catholic faithful in a neighboring Mid-Atlantic/Appalachian state.
• Ohio Education Association: Ohio-based advocacy organization for public school educators with comparable legislative advocacy operations before the Ohio General Assembly. Competes for influence on school funding and EdChoice scholarship policy where CCO is also active.
• Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops: State bishops' conference representing the Catholic Church in Texas on public policy. Operates with a similar unified voice model before the Texas Legislature; directly comparable in mission and structure, though larger in scale.
• Ohio Council of Churches: Interfaith advocacy organization representing Protestant, Orthodox, and other Christian bodies before the Ohio General Assembly. Competes for influence with CCO on overlapping social-justice issues but with broader ecumenical reach.
• Michigan Catholic Conference: Public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Michigan, with a comparable governance structure of bishops representing Catholic dioceses. Similar advocacy portfolio on life, family, education, and healthcare policy before a state legislature.
• New York State Catholic Conference: The oldest state Catholic conference in the U.S. (predates CCO by several years), performing the same function of unified Catholic advocacy before a state legislature. Structurally and operationally near-identical to CCO, making it the most direct peer.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: National Catholic social-services network representing diocesan charitable agencies. Adjacent to CCO's mission on poverty, immigration, and family policy, and overlapping at the diocesan level, though focused on direct service delivery rather than legislative advocacy.
• National Council of Churches: National ecumenical body convening Protestant, Orthodox, and other Christian denominations for advocacy and public witness. Operates at a broader and higher level than CCO but shares the faith-based advocacy mission.
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): National Catholic bishops' conference that CCO explicitly partners with for Action Alerts and aligned national advocacy. Operates at federal level rather than state, but provides the broader policy and theological framework that state conferences like CCO operationalize.

Others

• National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors (NASCCD): Peer-network association of state Catholic conference executive directors, of which the CCO Executive Director Brian Hickey is a member. Not a competitor but the coordinating body for the network of 42 state conferences CCO belongs to.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohiocatholics

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 Catholic Conference of Ohio